*Salvage protocol for treating very sick fish*

[drawman]

Toradol is an injection only correct? Also is that available to use normal folks?

Injection and tablets.

 

[AndyR83]

Are you saying it could potentially be used to knock down gill inflammation from parasites?

Yes, that’s what I was hoping to do by giving it.

Toradol is an injection only correct? Also is that available to use normal folks?

There is an oral form as well, though it’s not very commonly used. I’m not certain about availability. Some of the meds that can be purchased for veterinary use are very unexpected! I’ll see what I can find.

 

[AndyR83]

Dropping by this thread to mention that I’ve recently had (anecdotal) success using ketorolac (Toradol) at a dose of 0.5mg/kg as well. Ketorolac is a non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug. In a pinch, it was all I had available and I noticed it had been used in fish in at least one study at this dose with no ill effect.

Just wanted to stop by this thread again to mention that I had a second opportunity to try this treatment yesterday.

In both instances, the fish were on the brink of death at the time of treatment. Both decisions to treat with Ketorolac were made out of desperation, after aggressive management using all available/conventional means had been exhausted with continued clinical decline.

In both instances, some subjective improvement was noted within a few hours. The fish in both instances were Arothron nigropunctatus, aka dog faced puffers. In the first case, the fish unfortunately still died about 48 hours later. I’ll provide an update later regarding the outcome for the second.

 

[Humblefish]

@AndyR83 Thanks for sharing that info regarding Ketorolac!

 

[LeftCoastRN]

I know this is old post, but I have a small Yelp tang that had been doing great in the DT. Fish added to DT have been either through humble.fish QT protocol or acquired through TSM (when they were humble.fish approved).

Yellow tang has then starting acting weird over the last couple of weeks. It had not been sleeping in its usual spot at night and was often found swimming around sometimes at an angle at night. Then found it laying on its side on the gravel. Kicking up flow for more oxygenation seemed to help for a day then was laying on the gravel again.

I then quickly set up a hospital tank last night and dosed Prazipro and metronidazole. I’ve ordered MB, Kanaplex, and Formalin but won’t be here for a week. At least I’ll be better stocked for other emergencies. Today fish is on bottom, still breathing, moving fins more than last night. I’m progressively cooling tank and will decrease salinity tonight with next metronidazole dose. Mixed up medicated food with metronidazole and neomycin, but fish not eating. I do have methylprednisolone but fish too small for me to attempt IM injection (and don’t have anything to sedate fish). Would adding the steroid to the water be an option?

If no improvement by tonight, but may wait until tomorrow, thinking of doing a fresh water dip.

Hoping for the best. Thank you.

 

[Humblefish]

Would adding the steroid to the water be an option?

Unfortunately, no. It needs to be injected. Have you thought about removing the YT to a hospital tank where you could drop salinity + temperature more rapidly??

 

[LeftCoastRN]

Unfortunately, no. It needs to be injected. Have you thought about removing the YT to a hospital tank where you could drop salinity + temperature more rapidly??

Yes, the YT is in a hospital tank and down to 1.018 and temp to 76.3. Still dropping both. Still laying on its side. Has eaten tiny bits of food medicated with metronidazole and neomycin using Focus. Has also taken a few nips of nori that I’ve offered with tweezers. Amazon says MB will be here Sunday.

Only other meds I have that I could put in the water are azithromycin and neomycin. From what info I can find, neither would be of much use.

Now that I think of it, I don’t see why I couldn’t use Focus to bind the methylprednisolone to food. I has high oral availability in mammals and, I can’t find any data that says oral dosing is less absorbed in other animals. Dosing shouldn’t be too critical (I’m an RN, by the way). Too little of a dose won’t have effect. In adult humans l’ve given single doses from 60mg to 1000mg. I’m neither saying this translates to fish, nor am I going to try it. However, I may unless there is a known reason that I shouldn’t.

I am extremely grateful for your the knowledge and assistance you and this community offer. I would have given up so two days ago. YT is holding on and hope can until I get back from a long day at work tomorrow.

 

[Humblefish]

Now that I think of it, I don’t see why I couldn’t use Focus to bind the methylprednisolone to food.

I should have thought of this earlier, but you can also use agar or unflavored gelatin to bind medications to food. There is a recipe here for using gelatin: How To Make Medicated Feed - Hikari Sales USA