Did you know? The average lifespan of a goldfish is 43 years. That means a goldfish can outlive a number of common family pets, such as dogs, cats, and even horses. Few people perceive fish to be as worthwhile of pets as furry companions, however. The family of a goldfish named Bob, however, doesn’t share the same sentiment.
When the owners of Bob spotted a tiny lump on the 20-year-old goldfish’s fin, they decided to take it to Dr. Faye Bethell, who works as a vet in Norfolk, England. As it turns out, the lump was a tumor! To save the fish’s life, a 30-minute surgery costing around $250 was performed on Bob.
“The option was to remove the lump or put him to sleep and now he is doing brilliantly,” said Dr. Bethell. “Bob’s owners were really pleased because the goldfish is older than their children and he’s very much considered part of the family.”
The veterinarian used a miniature heart-rate monitor for the surgery and fed the fish anesthetics to put it to sleep. Then, she used microsurgical equipment to carry out the surgery.
“It’s pretty complicated because everything is so small.” commented the veterinarian. “This one was the oldest fish we’ve operated on… Bob’s now back home and enjoying swimming properly for the first time in weeks.”
Not everyone would spend over $200 to save a fish’s life, but Bob is no ordinary fish. Fortunately, the aquatic animal is cared for by compassionate humans.
“We are definitely seeing pets living longer,” Dr Bethell. “It’s really nice when you get an owner who wants to save them and great to help.”
Meet Bob, a 20-year-old goldfish.
Recently, his owners spotted a lump on his fin.
As it turns out, it was a tumor! So, they spent $250 to save Bob’s life…
Dr. Faye Bethell performed the surgery with microsurgical equipment.
And, Bob is doing better than ever now!
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