Nemo the goldfish goes on 200 mile trip to have tumour removed in syringe operation

Vets used a syringe to keep a tiny goldfish alive during an operation to remove a tumour from its head and shoulders.

Nemo, who was bought by his owners for just £3, went on a 200-mile round trip in his goldfish bowl to a specialist vets for the surgery.

Surgeon Sonya Miles and nurse Millie Gardiner had to take the fish out of the water for the 45 minute operation, which cost £200, Mirror reports.

They kept him alive by putting a water-filled syringe into his mouth and gills so oxygen could remain in his system.

Incredibly the plucky five-year-old fish has now made a full recovery and is free of his tumour.

Sonya, who works for the Highcroft Veterinary Group in Bristol, said: “He had a massive lump on the side of where the neck would be.

“It was the same size as the fish itself. It’s something we see it quite often fish and mammals.

“It was difficult keeping him asleep and alive - there was a hairy moment when heart stopped but we managed to revive him.

“We kept Nemo asleep by putting a syringe into his mouth and gills. We had to keep oxygen in system.

“The owner phoned up and said he is completely back to normal and doing really well.”

Delighted owners Roy Hands, 59, and his wife Caroline, 54, from Aston Clinton, Bucks, praised the vets.

Roy said: “He got a tumour that grew and grew. We saw that another fish was operated on so we thought we have got nothing to lose.

 “While the operation was going on my wife found a penny on the floor outside of the surgery.

“We got a phone call saying that Nemo’s heart had stopped but he had pulled through.

 “He is doing brilliantly. You would not know he had been through an operation.”

Roy added: “That penny is now behind his tank.”

Nemo lives with Roy and Caroline along with three cats, two dogs, a hedgehog and a parrot.

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