anyone a shark vet?

[sharkwrangler]

Hey guys, just need some help diagnosing my friends 3' banded cat shark. we've been trying to figure out what he's got. He has this "mass" under his jaw. hope you can see it in the picture it was like a ball at first, but it has grown. its hard to the touch. any advice would be helpful, Thanks
<img src="http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1638/sharknl3.jpg">

 

[wea747]

I think he swallowed a baseball

 

[fishyvet]

I don't know of anything specific that sharks are predisposed to getting but the basic differentials for any mass are abscess, tumor, scar tissue, hematoma, cyst, or granuloma. Someone needs to examine the shark to determine the cause of his lump (it may need to have a biopsy taken). If you decied to persue a professional workup (ie go see a vet), be prepared to spend a couple hundered $ to figure out what's going on.

 

[Puffer Queen]

This is a goiter - a condition due to iodine deficiency.

What are you feeding the shark? What are your nitrates?

This condition can progress to where the shark will not be able to swallow. This condition will take weeks to months to resolve.

I would recommend feeding iodine enriched foods and Mazuri shark/ray vitamins. Severe cases may require levothyroxine.

 

[fishyvet]

Wow! that's the biggest goiter I've ever seen! Thanks for the education Puffer Queen.

 

[sharkwrangler]

thanks everyone for you advise... already getting some of the mazuri vitamins for him

 

[Puffer Queen]

What are your nitrates???

What are you feeding your shark?