GOLDFISH IN AUSTRALIA HAS BRAIN SURGERY

George the goldfish underwent 'high-risk' surgery at Melboune's Lort Smith Animal Hospital after his owner, Pip Joyce, noticed that a growth had appeared on his head and making life in the pond difficult.

An Australian man paid $200 for his pet goldfish to have a life-threatening tumor removed from his brain.

Owner Pip Joyce stumped up the cash after he spotted a large growth developing on her 10-year-old swimmer George's head.

He also noticed he was having trouble eating and getting around - and claimed he was being bullied by the 20 other fish in the pond.

"Didn't join in as much in their afternoon party games and stuff, you know," said Joyce, from Melbourne.

He took her sick pet to Lort Smith Animal Hospital, where vet Dr. Tristan Rich decided to carry out the "high-risk" operation.

George was put under general anesthetic. Water from his pond was brought to the surgery, which was fed into a tube through his mouth to keep his gills wet.

The removal of the growth took an hour. George was then stitched up, and carefully placed back into the water.

"[IT WAS] quite intricate little surgery really," Rich told News 7, adding that the goldfish was now "up and about and swimming around" as normal again.

And he predicted that George could now live for another 20 years.

Joyce said he was "impressed" with the result, and would not hesitate to do the same again.

George the fish could live another 20 years after having a life-threatening tumor removed.

"Yeah it's a goldfish, all creatures great and small," he told News 7.

"A goldfish is a pet, a family pet, just as important really. They bring a lot of pleasure these fish in this pond, they're beautiful to sit and watch," he added.





SOURCE UNKNOWN