Woman spends $500 on life-saving surgery for pet goldfish
BRISBANE, Australia -- When a woman in Australia knew something "fishy" was going on with her pet goldfish, Conquer, she rushed him to the vet.
The Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services Center ran a physical exam on the fish and it turns out a single, black pebble was lodged in the back of Conquer's throat.
"It's certainly not uncommon for fish to pick up pebbles in their tanks, however they are usually able to expel them without any dramas," said veterinary nurse, Madeline Rienecker. "Conquer's eyes were obviously bigger than his belly on that day."
Luckily, Conquer's mom was observant.
"Had she not noticed the subtle changes in her pet, he would surely have starved," said Rienecker.
The clinic told Conquer's mom they could perform a life-saving surgery which would cost $500. Conquer's mom didn't hesitate to pay the bill.
"Most people wouldn't bat an eyelid spending this money on a dog, cat or child, so why would we value our beautiful exotic pets any less," said Rienecker. "While there has been quite a lot of fuss made over the cost of the procedure, we are really just focused on getting a great outcome for the pet, and their worried owner."
Conquer was taken in for emergency surgery, anesthetized and prepped to have the pebble removed.
"The procedure was quite quick after Conquer had been anesthetized," said Rienecker.
Veterinarians gently propped open his mouth and extracted the pebble with forceps.
"He recovered remarkably well. He is now healthy and happy," said Rienecker.
Conquer is now back at home with his wonderful family.
