The Puffer Forum

Hmmm. A nice fish vet/hobbyist called me last night and thinks it's an infection due to eye trauma. She suggested Maracyn-Two b/c most fish infections are from gram-negative bacteria, not gram-positive (which erythromycin treats). Anyway, here's a picture of a human eye, which is how it looked like on the fish, before the pus got out of control.

http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/Hypopyon.asp#t

Now its eye is just like a shark's-- the oval shape, and the whole eye's white except the pupil. The eye also is markedly smaller than its normal one. Deflated. This must be frustrating for you all to read!

That's great, you found a vet to help you out! I'm sure he'll be on the mend soon.

So, I finally managed to get the UCLA vets to get over here and my puff got some pus sampled, an injection of Enrofloxacin (Baytril), and a test to see if its cornea was damaged. It is...you take a fluorescein powder strip, dab it on the fish's eye, then take a squirt of saline solution to rinse off the excess powder and also mix with the fluorescein. If the eye runs clear, the cornea's intact. If there's a fluorescent glow in the eye, the fluorescein/saline has penetrated the eye. Poor puffer has a ruptured cornea, which may have been how the infection got in. So I will be giving him injections of the antibiotic every other day in the tail, alternating the right and left side so he doesn't get too bruised. He recovered from his anethesia (100mg MS-222 in 4 L of water) right away, so he's perky and eating. But his right eye is bright yellow!!!! I got all jargony, I know, but you might need to take your puffer to the vet some day! I can't wait for the bill.......

That's intense. I really hope it works out for you.

That eyeball photo… *gag*

UCLA Puffer wrote:It is...you take a fluorescein powder strip, dab it on the fish's eye, then take a squirt of saline solution to rinse off the excess powder and also mix with the fluorescein. If the eye runs clear, the cornea's intact. If there's a fluorescent glow in the eye, the fluorescein/saline has penetrated the eye.

I actually had to have that test performed on me a couple of years ago. My Cockatoo speared me in the eye with a trimmed quill. Quite painful. Mine healed properly with antibiotic drops. Left a brown scar on the white of my eye though.

I hope your guy does well.

I have the flourescein test done routinely - but it's already in solution, thankfully - when I have my lens check-ups every 12 - 18 months. It detects corneal erosion (I've never had any).
The funny thing is, once I had it done when I had a cold, and, as excess fluid from your eyes comes out through your nose, I had bright yellow snot for the rest of the day!
So glad your puff is on the mend...how's he taking to the jabs?
It seems that these puffs are prone to eye probs...maybe cos they have big sticky-out eyes that are more vulnerable.
Does the vet think he's gonna be blind in that eye?
Pami.

Feathers&Fins wrote:That eyeball photo… *gag*

Yeah, that eyeball photo was really repulsive. But now we all know what a typcial eye w/ "cloudy eye" does NOT look like.

Bright yellow snot! How horribly fun! Probably Made you wonder if you have a sinus infection but you must've had a good laugh.

El Puffer is feeling better, but I'm afraid the vets think he won't be able to see clearly out of that eye. Last night I was coming up with creative ways of re-filling his vitreal space (I think that's the name), like with saline solution, clear gelatin...but don't worry, I'd never torture him with a procedure like that. The infection's still there but it'll take some time til the antibiotic kicks in.

Yep, the puffer's big googly eyes probably get more beat up than any other fish's.

Pamela, I just saw the news-- we're all thinking of you guys!!!

Glad to hear he's doing better. Shame about his sight, but I'm sure he'll soon adapt.
As for the news today...see my comment in the Lounge.
Pami.

Well, for whatever reason my puff passed last weekend, actually, a week ago. I think it was a combo of too much handling, the injections, and the fact that I had to take him with me to San Diego so I could treat him over the weekend. The cytology results came back, showing lots of white blood cells (duh) in the pus sample, but no bacteria. Very strange. In any case, time was the best solution to the eye, because nothing helped. Melafix, erythromycin, hydrogen peroxide dips, all didn't do anything. I'm not sure that the enrofloxacin did anything either. The antibiotics had nothing to attack. So what I learned is watch out that your puffer doesn't have an opportunity to knock himself in the eye. If he does and you notice swelling (a big ole' eye), that's when you put your all into getting the swelling down, otherwise the eye might be lost. Poor puff!

Sorry to hear about your loss. You certainly gave it your best shot.

No! I'm so sorry to hear that. How upsetting.
It's no consolation, but I really admire your dedication to him...you really pulled out all the stops to save him, and I always think that they feel that somehow.
Poor little dude. Sorry for your loss.
Pami.

I reiterate what the others said. You are a very dedicated Puffer-keeper and did absolutely everything you could to help the little guy. I'm sorry the treatments were unable to turn things around.

Thank you guys, but the advice you all gave was invaluable and I learned a lot about puffer care!