All about Fish Vetting – Dr Richmond Loh
One day, I arrived at the clients to find I had forgotten to replenish my glass slides that I use for microscopic examination of wet mounts. Panic! What to do? Battle through traffic to return to base? Find a local veterinary clinic to supply?
I put on my “Bear Grylls” / improvisation thinking cap on, I asked the client, would you happen to have take-away containers?
Using my trusty scissors, I fashioned a slide and coverslip. Wallah!
Check this out:
Forget the Pseudoscience : Fish Feel Pain
It’s a common problem that many fish keepers and farmers encounter when they run into disease issues with their fish. No fish doctors can be found in their locality. But more correctly, no aquatic veterinarians available.
This year, as I serve as the President of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA.org), much of the emphasis of my work has been in recruiting more veterinarians to support fish keepers and fish farmers by providing more tools and knowledge.
I’ve been working with the WebCEPD Committee at the WAVMA to recruit speakers for webinars. Webinars are the perfect way to connect people through space and time, and to upskill our colleagues. We’ve had excellent speakers present on diseases of barramundi and dolphins, surgery on fish and more to come including seahorses, koi, ornamental fish, amphibians. In return, the speakers will gain massive exposure and receive global recognition for their works.
I’ve also contributed to a few articles to fish and pet magazines, but my emphasis this year is within the veterinary profession. I’ve published a series of articles with my colleagues in the Companion Animal Journal (pictured). I’ve also contributed a few unique cases to the second edition of Self-Assessment Color Review of Ornamental Fish.
I’ve been spreading the message personally too, presenting at several international conferences (Sydney Zebrafish Conference, Denver AVMA Convention and St Kitts Ross University guest lecturer). This years not out yet and I’ve a full week scheduled in Singapore, come Nov/Dec when I present at the FAVA-SVA Convention, to the NUS-SALAS group and a three-day ornamental fish biosecurity workshop to the AVA-FQIA.
I’ve also supported the formation of WAVMA Student Chapters at Murdoch University, Sydney University, and we have the University of Queensland following suit.
These are all tools to help recruit more veterinarians to assist with fish clients and, to know who and where to refer fish clients to.
Q: Why do Siamese fighting fish rule?
A: Because they are Betta!
I’ve just been sent a sample of new fluidised bed filter media, called chips (pictured below, right). They are wafer-thin, lightweight, plastic discs, with minute pores and are slightly positively buoyant.
How does it compare with K1?
K1 is an established filter media that is shaped like cart wheels and are slightly positively buoyant (pictured below, left).
Well, I’ve setup a rough experiment comparing the two.
Materials:
2L chips
2L K1
2x 20L buckets
2x 10L water
2x 400mg ammonium chloride
2x aeration
2x bucket lids
Method:
I set each bucket up with 10L of water, ammonium chloride, aeration and the biomedia.
I then periodically perform water quality analysis, measuring ammonia, nitrite, pH and temperature, logging these into a notepad.
Results:
See part 2 when it becomes available (approximately 4 weeks’ time).
Australia’s third national strategic plan for aquatic animal health has been released.
It was endorsed by industry through the National Aquatic Animal Health Industry Reference Group and later by the Agriculture Ministers Forum.
AQUAPLAN 2014-2019 has five objectives:
1. Improving regional and enterprise-level biosecurity.
2. Strengthening emergency disease preparedness and response capability.
3. Enhancing surveillance and diagnostic services.
4. Improving availability of appropriate veterinary medicines.
5. Improving education, training and awareness.
Read more at:
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/animal-plant-health/aquatic/aquaplan
—
Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology) Murdoch, MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, CMAVA, NATA Signatory.
THE FISH VET, Perth, Western Australia.
Veterinary Medicine for fish.
W: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
E: thefishvet@gmail.com
P: +61 (0)421 822 383
I often receive requests to dispense medicines by potential clients who’ve searched the internet and consulted with Dr Google.
Consider this…
Would you ask a medical practitioner or the pharmacist to do the same?
The short answer to the question in the heading is, yes, as a registered veterinarian, I can prescribe and/or dispense drugs including antibiotics for your sick fish. The long answer is, it depends.
Firstly, many fish diseases are indistinguishable without running special tests. Water quality is a clear example of how you can’t tell what’s wrong without testing. Additionally, many of the parasitic diseases are impossible to diagnose without using a microscope. A Good diagnosis is what underpins success of therapy.
Secondly, it’s not uncommon for my clients to be faced with one or more diseases concurrently. It’s not until we test that we can tell.
Thirdly, many do not understand the gravity of unscrupulous use of antibiotics. Antibiotics resistance is a real issue. Dr Google would do well to alert would be users to this worrying fact. A search on the internet or on my blog will reveal the alarming facts.
So before you reach for the treatment for you sick fish, consider if you could do it better.
Man Caught With 51 Live Turtles in His Pants at Detroit-Windsor Border
The Canadian Press reports…
Read more.
WAVMA’s free webinar will be on in 45 minutes.
Be quick! Sign up at –
http://tinyurl.com/n3gv4lo
—
Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology), CertAqV, CMAVA, NATA Signatory.
Aquatic Veterinarian | Adjunct Lecturer Murdoch University | President WAVMA |
Secretary Aquatic Animal Health Chapter – ANZCVS.
THE FISH VET, Perth, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA. Mobile Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383
Skype: thefishvet
Looking for more books? Check out this site.
Q: How do clams enjoy their festivities?
A: They Shellebrate!