Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Geriatric Freshwater and Marine Fish.
- Journal:
- The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Boylan, Shane
- Affiliation:
- South Carolina Aquarium · United States
Plain-English summary
This article discusses how fish, especially older ones kept in tanks or aquariums, are now receiving better medical care similar to other animals. Just like aging pets, older fish can experience health issues like organ problems and tumors, and they can benefit from treatments such as pain relief, anti-inflammatory medications, and even surgery. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the normal changes that happen as fish age, which can help veterinarians provide better care. Overall, it highlights the need for more advanced medical approaches for aging fish to improve their quality of life.
Abstract
As pain management finally becomes accepted for this last of the vertebrate taxa, fish medicine is finally reaching the sophistication of other vertebrates. The diseases of aging fish in captivity therefore need to be addressed. The degenerative organ/tissue changes and neoplasias of fish deserve the same diagnosis and treatments of their terrestrial counterparts including pain relief, anti-inflammatory medications, chemotherapy, surgery, joint supplements, regenerative cell therapy, and photobiomodulation. Besides the challenges of an aquatic environment, recognizing normal changes in older fish will be addressed in this article. Clinicians can appreciate the diversity of fishes and their unique anatomies, physiologies, and behaviors which translate to creative medicine.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32778229/