Do you know any vets that would see fish around Kansas City area?

[TML29]

My oscar has a bacteria infection that requires Baytril. Of course, it would not be available without a prescription and none of my vets I called would see fish. Any help? Both Missouri and Kansas locations will be considered.

[jagr200]

Well I love my fish but I would never take one to a vet. I say let nature take its course and treat it the best you can with over the counter meds.

[daayda3]

theres such a thing?

[BadRoma1]

vets don't know how to treat fish. check into Mardel products and do some water changes.

[ansbfish]

might try calling nearby universities w/vet schools
maybe they could help you, other than that, I have no idea.

[J double R]

just curious, how did you come to the conclusion that the fish has the specific illness requiring that specific prescription drug? :)

[Blueiz]

Baytril isnt for use with fish. What kind of infection doe your fish have?

[RedScare]

Is it a gram negative or gram positive infection????

[TML29]

My oscar has a bacteria infection that is often mistaken for HITH. Some time ago somebody actually did some lab research on the illness and treated it successfully with injection of Baytril. If anybody here is a member of the forum on www.oscarfish.com, you may have heard of JSS or John Satisfaction Syndrome. The illness is becoming very common in oscars but most people put it down to HITH, poor diet, lack of WC etc. I know that Baytril is mostly used on dogs and cats but it is worth a try. I have also tried many types of medicine over the counter and done but none has relieved the symptoms.

The following is part of what I think it is (this is by Doc Bottom on oscarfish.com)

'John Satisfacti*on Syndrome' is current oscarfish.*com parlance for the collection of symptoms associated with an infection of Aeromonas bacteria in the oscar. This is not an official term and your veterinari*an or fish store worker is unlikely to recognize it.

Aeromonas bacteria are gram-negat*ive, facultativ*e anaerobic motile rods. Gram-negat*ive just means you cannot stain it with crystal violet dye. Faculative anaerobic means that it can survive in conditions without oxygen but does not require an oxygen-fre*e environmen*t. Motile indicates that it can swim around. It is rod shaped. Essentiall*y, it looks like a hot-dog with a string tail. A number of species have been described. Aeromonas is ubiquitous in water and soil and is not normally considered a disease-ca*using organisms – it is able to infect wounds and could cause a systemic infection in immuno-com*primised individual*s, but healthy animals are unlikely to be made ill by Aeromonas, in spite of it being present more or less everywhere*.

[Blueiz]

You will have a hard time finding a vet, even if it does care for fish, that will give baytril for treatment because it would be considered extra label use of the drug. Since the active ingriedient in it is closely related to a drug thatis used to treat humans, its use is limited only to certain domesticated animals to prevent bacterial resistantcies in humans from improper/overuse use of the drug.

I would seriously think about finding a different antibiotic to use to go ahead and get treatment underway, sorry I cant be of any help with a suggestion of one..

Blue

[Blueiz]

Am going to move this over to the cichlids forum as well..

[RedScare]

You could try Mardel Maracyn-Two, and that is available at any fish store. You could also try neomycin or kanamycin. This should be administered as a bath. Preferably in a small quarantine tank. I am assuming it is an external infection as it is confused with HITH.

If it is an internal gram-negative you are probably gonna have to let nature take its course. You could try feeding kanamycin for gastrointestinal gram neg infections. Or try a broad spectrum like tetracyclines or quinolones. Tetracyclines and quinolones can be fed or administered in a bath.

There are a lot of differences between gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. This staining difference occurs because of the different cell walls had by these bacteria. So do not think the only difference is because of the crystal violet reaction. Most gram-positive antibiotics damage the cell wall and will be ineffective on gram-neg.

GOOD LUCK!

[TML29]

You could try Mardel Maracyn-Two, and that is available at any fish store. You could also try neomycin or kanamycin. This should be administered as a bath. Preferably in a small quarantine tank. I am assuming it is an external infection as it is confused with HITH.

If it is an internal gram-negative you are probably gonna have to let nature take its course. You could try feeding kanamycin for gastrointestinal gram neg infections. Or try a broad spectrum like tetracyclines or quinolones. Tetracyclines and quinolones can be fed or administered in a bath.

There are a lot of differences between gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. This staining difference occurs because of the different cell walls had by these bacteria. So do not think the only difference is because of the crystal violet reaction. Most gram-positive antibiotics damage the cell wall and will be ineffective on gram-neg.

GOOD LUCK!


Thanks for the advice. I have tried Maracyn II several time and it didn't work. I will look into other options you mentioned. I don't think it's internal since the gill covers and the mouth are two affected areas but if you leave it long enough the bacteria will get into the blood stream and the result will be fatal (apparently).

[flyin lizard]

Try looking for a vet that does reptiles, they may help you .. I have heard that Baytril is used on herps as an anti -biotic,