Constipated goldfish costs devoted owner $500

A goldfish is probably one of the cheapest pets you can get, so cheap they’re considered virtually disposable.

But to a goldfish owner in Norfolk in the UK, this critter was worth 1000 times its weight.

The unidentified owner paid nearly $500 US to the veterinarian to ease the fish’s ailment. Turned out the pet had become constipated.

Veterinarian Faye Bethell of Toll Barn Veterinarian Centre in North Walsham  said the owner was told that an operation would cost about £300.

He agreed to pay the cost. Using anaesthetised water, the goldfish was put to sleep and the blockage was removed, Dr. Bethell told the BBC.

At the end of the day they’re all pets and everybody does have a commitment to their pet…the fish was constipated because he had a lump blocking his bottom, rather than because of his diet or any other reason.”

The operation took an hour and Dr. Bethell was assisted by two veterinary nurses. One bubbled the anaesthetic gas through a tube that goes through the mouth of the fish.

The other nurse’s job was to monitor the heart rate.

The fish is fine.

Update: just learned from a Critter Files reader that goldfish can live up to 25 years. This goldfish was less than three years old so he has many more years of swimming in a bowl ahead of him.

h/t: BBC

Photo credit:  Faye Bethell

About the author

Peg Fong is also in recovery from newspapers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.