Everything I've read says that dropsy is caused by bacteria or maybe a virus which causes damage to the kidneys which causes the dropsy. No one seems certain what the infective organism is. Why not? Maybe because it is gone by the time symptoms show up and testing is done.
Back to my goats - yes I know we are meant to be discussing guppies but goats are what I know best and I can see a similarity here...
Clostridial bacteria cause Enterotoxaemia more commonly known as Pulpy Kidney. It is thought the bacteria lie dormant in an animal or soil (?water) and are triggered to multiply rapidly producing toxaemia and sudden death. The triggers are thought to be sudden access to lush feed or a dietary change. Treatment is futile and vaccination is used as a prevention. On post mortem examination, there is rarely any definite diagnosis, merely a suggestion of Pulpy Kidney due to the damage found internally.
Do clostridium infect fish? If so, can it be triggered by overfeeding?
My Dropsy fish just died while typing this, he was a yellow cobra :(
Next are the bacteria that cause other infections in my goats. These bacteria also are never isolated by pathology labs - apparently what happens is that the animal's immune system is able to destroy the bacteria but in the process the dying bacteria release deadly toxins which can kill. Treatment is in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs, Flunixin, Ketoprofen. Antibiotics are generally given as well to prevent secondary infection in a weak animal, a mix of Neomycin and Penicillin is my drug of choice for this. Vitamin injections also appear to be beneficial.
If the dropsy is caused by this type of infection, are there any forms of anti-inflammatory or antitoxic drugs that could be used for treatment? Is this why such a limited number of people have cured dropsy - because it depends on the level of toxins produced rather than the killing off of bacteria?
Some people say Dropsy is highly contagious, others say not. Could the "contagious" cases actually be overfeeding and/or bad water triggering the bacterial multiplication, while the "non-contagious" cases be due to a fish that is weakened by stress or another ailment?
I will research more when my internet access/speed has been fixed by our phone company but any input into these thoughts of mine would be appreciated.
miskairal
Immediate Help
