Since July 5th, 2010, we have been very busy seeing appointments and performing surgeries at Bel- Rea school for veterinary technicians.  We have done everything from dentistry, to fish surgery, to cruciate repair on a bullmastiff, and many things in between. We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with the students and provide a central location for meeting clients. Call the office for scheduling and further information 303-816-6006.

Also,  Dr. Questen is now  the veterinary staff writer for 285bound.com, check it out!

I think ultimately that the more time I spend with fish, the more time I want to spend with fish.  They are fascinating, and charming little creatures who are a real treat to get to know.  I think the most important thing I have learned about fish this summer is, observing and learning more about their behavior.  When caring for our fish we need to think of their mental health and emotional needs as well as their water quality.  It’s well documented that the more stimulation and mental activity captive animals receive, the happier and healthier they are.

For example, fish hear very well, and have a relative intelligence.  They can be taught to come when called.   But Koi are the exception from most other fish.  Having been bred for generations to be companions, they are much more likely to want to bond with us.  Similar to the difference between a Labrador dog and a wolf hybrid, one is certainly more open to training and bonding than the other.  It doesn’t mean they both can’t be an exceptional companion, it’s just that in general terms the Lab is going to be easier to get along with, especially if you don’t know much about dogs.  Koi are similar, they are much more likely to bond with you than say, a flounder, or a plecostamus.  However, in defense of the pleco, I didn’t think those little prehistoric thorough  glass cleaners could possibly show much interest in beings on the other side, until I got a new one this year, who never fails to come out and make eye contact with me and wiggle around seemingly for attention at each feeding.

Yes fish are beautiful to look at, show off, and compete with, but they are also living creatures that feel pain and have needs. It’s our responsibility to discern what those needs are, and meet them to the best of our abilities in exchange for containing them for our enjoyment.  For example, fish are social creatures and require companionship.  The best example of this is how fish do better in a quarantine tank if they have a familiar buddy from the pond in there with them.  There are cases, such as with Fishy the flowerhorn, who have been kept alone for so long, that although we would like for him to have a companion, he is most likely so socially disabled now that he will attack and kill most any new fish added.  Yes, just like a puppy, fish need socialization, and if they don’t get it at a young age it becomes very difficult to provide them with the ideal environment we would like.

As well as socialization with their own species, fish thrive in an environment with regular  “enrichment activities” as zoo keepers call them.  This is time well spent creating stimulating activities for the animals, such as, foraging for food.  This can be by way of either hiding the food in such a way  so the animal has to work at getting it out, or unknowingly to the animal hide food in places around their environment to give them the opportunity to search for and find it.  I firmly believe that hand feeding fish is an excellent enrichment activity.  They have to make decisions about how they are going to react to that hand in the water, and getting them to think and react are all stimulating and helps develop neurons, creates bonding, lowers stress, and ultimately, improve health.  I am teaching my aquarium fish to leap out of the water to accept treats, and of course most of the koi in our pond come when called by name.

Therefore, although some people may think we are Koi Kichi for spending so much time and attention on mere fish, they do indeed have  social patterns and needs that are fascinating to learn about from the perspective of an animal behaviorist.  We had one recently that was suffering from most likely a spinal cord compression injury and appeared to be paralyzed from the pectoral fins back.  Poor guy just suddenly one morning could not swim anymore, and just bobbed around at the mercy of the water flow in the pond.  I was very concerned for him and spent a large time investment  searching for clues as to the cause of the injury.  I also observed the other fish in the pond doing such things as purposefully pushing him (perhaps to help him get closer to food), and then also swimming protectively over the top of him when I was intently peering at him.

I don’t claim to know everything there is about the social order and learning capacity of Koi fish, but I can assure you these things exist, and are worth studying, learning, and observing, not only for our own enjoyment, and their health, but also for their well being.  Just as keepers of zoo animals, it is our responsibility  to ensure that we are not only providing for these sentient creatures excellent water quality, but also a stimulating and enriching environment.  This  will not only enhance their quality of life, but then also their health, as a happy animal is less stressed and prone to disease. And the happier and healthier they all are, we all benefit in the hobby.   As always, happy Koi keeping!

One family whose house we went to had very sick and rapidly dyeing fish that were flashing and gasping at the waterfall.  The mister of the household assured me the water quality was always fine whenever he checked it, and that no new fish had been added in several years.  When we checked the water quality at our pond side visit, it turns out the nitrates and nitrites were indeed zero, but the ammonia was VERY high.  Apparently his test kit did not have ammonia.  The lesson here is make SURE that when someone says the water quality is good, yet there is still a problem, find out exactly what they are measuring, and remember to determine  how old is the test kit.

Next we went to a household where one fish had a large wound on his bottom and he was having trouble righting himself.  They thought all the other fish were fine, but it was hard to tell as there was a lot of debris in the water (the pond had not had a thorough cleaning in some time), and the construction of the pond perimeter made it difficult to get very close to the water without being perilously perched on rocks or flower beds.  We decided in this case to net and exam all the fish up close, only to discover that these folks had in addition to their goldfish, one rather large partially scaleless koi of higher quality, who was moderately ill with red, hemorrhagic fins and skin over most of his body.  They had no idea he was ill, or even what a sick fish looks like.

Luckily we were able to place this fish and the one with the significant wound into a quarantine tank for further treatment.  While awaiting our bacterial cultures to come back from the lab to guide us in our antibiotic selection, I advised to monitor water quality daily, add salt, and ensure the fish are eating.  The misses wanted to know how she was supposed to make sure the fish were eating. I asked her if she was a member of the koi club (she is not) and had read any of my advice about hand feeding. I think she thought I was a little ‘special’ when I advised her to start training her fish for hand feeding!   I tried to reassure here that it was actually perfectly normal and very doable.

I advised her to first start by just standing next to the quarantine tank and quietly talking to the fish to reassure them until they began to make an effort to make some eye contact with her.  Once the fish become comfortable making eye contact, they will then begin to anticipate your arrival, and the subsequent food that is forthcoming.  Once the fish will show an interest in your presence and make eye contact with you for 2-3 seconds at a time, then it’s time to start just putting a loosely closed fist with some fish food just at the surface of the water, and hold it there very quietly for 1-2 full minutes (look at your watch).  Pieces of food will float out, which the fish will get, and with a little time and patience they will figure out the ‘jackpot’ is actually in your hand and eagerly look forward to eating right out of your hand.  As I have stated before, in my experience, the bigger fish really love this because they can cram a lot of food in all at once without having to work hard for it, and in this instance, not only will she be able to ensure that the fish are eating, but also what they are eating, (such as if we decide we need to use an antibiotic fish food), as well as be able to get a really good close up look at those wounds every day.

I always appreciate feedback, as well as sharing of personal experiences.  Follow me on twitter as drkoi.  I look forward to meeting many of you on the pond tour this year!

View from our arena, although much warmer and greener this time of year!

THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT AND MAKING THIS SUCH A GREAT TIME FOR EVERYONE!!!  We would like to consider this our ‘just getting warmed up” event, and when the patios are all done we will have more events, including some weekend training seminars for horse and dog owners.  Stay tuned for updates, and thanks again!

–Dr. Jena Questen, and Annette Berenson, Practice Manager

Can’t trim Fluffy’s toenails? Well then we might miss a nailed infection that goes untreated. How about the horse that won’t allow being touched under the tail? Tumors often grow there and can be easily missed. How about the kitty that won’t tolerate being even gentle restraint for a thorough exam? Who knows what treatable problems might be discovered if this weren’t the case!

So, your pet’s intolerance for certain types of handling can be more than just something you have learned to live with it. It can actually mean the difference between us being able to get that blood or urine sample, and real answers, verses just letting something go undiagnosed go untreated. So the next time you’re worried about how in the world we’re going to convince Ranger to tolerate something, give our office a call and let us help you learn about the basic principles of ‘husbandry training’. Just a few simple changes in your daily routine is all it takes. Enhance your relationship with your pet, relieve so much of your pets anxiety, and help us to help you take the best care of your beloved friend possible!