Neosporin?

[andregurov]

I only ask b/c I've

used various anti-fungal ointments before on fish with excellent results. I had not had good

results with the usual aquarium fungus treatments (surprise, surprise) so I consulted my

veterinarian after thoroughly consulting Untergasser's _Handbook of Fish Diseases_ for

treatment recommendations. Anyways, the various antibiotic creams usually have Neomycin Sulfate in

them, which should work fairly well. I'm guessing they also have some sort of adhesive

properties (even underwater) that should allow them to "bind" to wounds. Either way,

they should work better than simply dumping antibiotics blindly into the water. I was wondering if

anyone else has tried this approach and gotten good results ... I'd rather not try it if it is

a faulty idea, or if other better solutions have presented themselves. Thanks for the advice,

J

[bobrfish]

I have used it. Do not think

it worked for me but I was not diligent in caring for injuried fish. That was back when only

ointment was available. Now cream is available and if I use it again, I would use cream

formulation.

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=2077:date=Aug 5 2006, 12:24 PM:name=andregurov)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

(andregurov @ Aug 5 2006, 12:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2077"><

{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I only ask b/c I've used

various anti-fungal ointments before on fish with excellent results. I had not had good results

with the usual aquarium fungus treatments (surprise, surprise) so I consulted my veterinarian after

thoroughly consulting Untergasser's _Handbook of Fish Diseases_ for treatment recommendations.

Anyways, the various antibiotic creams usually have Neomycin Sulfate in them, which should work

fairly well. I'm guessing they also have some sort of adhesive properties (even underwater)

that should allow them to "bind" to wounds. Either way, they should work better than

simply dumping antibiotics blindly into the water. I was wondering if anyone else has tried this

approach and gotten good results ... I'd rather not try it if it is a faulty idea, or if other

better solutions have presented themselves. Thanks for the advice,

J<!--QuoteEnd--

></div>
I'm confused. Did your vet actually recommend using neomycine

sulfate for treatment of some sort of fungal problem? During the course of the day I've gone

through some of my books. Each of the books stated neomycin sulfate was an antibiotic NOT a

fungicide. The book you cited stated the same.

My conclusion, if neomycin was effective

on whatever your fish has/had it wasn't a fungal problem OR it fixed a secondary problem.

According to the tropical fish medicine section of _The Veterinary Clinics of North

America_ Michael K. Stoskopf, DVM, PhD, guest editor, "fungal diseases are usually

complications of other problems." The description goes on to say "without remedying the

underlying cause, therapy will not be successful." This particular section on fish

chemotherapeutics was actually written by Dr. Stoskopf vs. other parts written by other vets.

For treatment on individual fish, Dr. Stoskopf recommends using a swab coated with iodine

to coat the area and the fish placed back in water. "If environmental and other problems are

corrected, the therapy is usually successful."

For treatment on larger numbers of

fish Dr. Stoskopf uses salt or a formalin baths. Other antifungal treatments used as dips or baths

include acriflavin, formaldehyde, iodine, malacite green, methylene blue, phenoxyethol, povidone

iodine, sea salts or sodium chloride.

From the texts I've checked, you'd have

better chances of success from a tapwater bath than neomycin sulfate.

For future

reference on fish disease you might check out the fore-mentioned book and these others:

_Colorguide of Tropical Fish Diseases_ by Gerald Bassleer
_Diseases in Marine Aquarium Fish_

another by Gerald Bassleer

I have a few more if you'd like a bigger list. I

mentioned the marine fish book because many consider it to be the premier saltwater disease

book.

Another related text, _Handbook of Drugs and Chemicals Used in the Treatment of

Fish Diseases_ by Nelson Herwig. Dan

[bobrfish]

Andre,

Dan

points out neomycin is antibacterial. That is correct. However, you titled the thread Neosporin.

Neosporin does contain an antifungal medication. It was neosporin cream I referred to not

neomycin. In fact I do not know of any commercial neomycin onitments or creams.

[JustRon]

andregurov,

If you

need me to change the title of the post, let me know. From the text in the original post you wrote

neomycin. Is that what you want the title to be.

[andregurov]

Prompt replies all -

thank you! I gather I should have been clearer. Untergasser's book recommended several

fungal remedies that were not available (and I was not familiar with). I wrote them down,

contacted my veterinarian (or should I say my cats' vet?) to discuss what the specific

treatments/compounds were and how available for purchase they were. My vet recommended several

other treatments closely related to the ones Untergasser mentions - ones that were available OTC at

my local pharmacy.

I was simply stating (albeit quite muddled) that I had used

previous "non-fish" medication on fish - in this particular case I used an OTC

athlete's foot compound - to show there was merit to it. Medicine is medicine irregardless of

species. My post was soliciting advice whether anyone else had used such "non-fish"

medications on fish as well, and to gather feedback as to its efficacy. Neosporin is used as a

topical antibiotic, correct? Antibiotics used as baths for ill fish are notoriously poor solutions

(both as an aqueous solution and a fix - sorry, sad attempt at wordplay). In this post's case,

I was looking specifically to find an ANTI-BACTERIAL remedy for bacterial infections of fish.

Fungal infections, as noted, are almost always secondary infections and rather rare. Bacterial

infections are far more commonplace, and in advanced cases much tougher to solve. Obviously water

quality is the primary point of attack to control bacterial infections - I was searching for

other/any antibiotic solutions that work when quarantine, heat, salt, and water quality's

window of opportunity has passed.

Thank you for the titles and feedback.

Untergasser's book has merit but there is always a need for more books! Many of the

antifungal treatments Fishmaven lists I've used before, but several had significant drawbacks.

I've used acriflavine solutions before that someone else mixed for me - does anyone have any

recommendations for acquiring some, or know of its long-term stability in solution? Thank you

again for the advice!

J

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=2127:date=Aug 6 2006, 10:54 AM:name=andregurov)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

(andregurov @ Aug 6 2006, 10:54 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2127"><

{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>... Neosporin is used as a topical

antibiotic, correct?
... In this post's case, I was looking specifically to find an

ANTI-BACTERIAL remedy for bacterial infections of fish.
... I was searching for other/any

antibiotic solutions that work when quarantine, heat, salt, and water quality's window of

opportunity has passed.
... I've used acriflavine solutions before that someone else

mixed for me - does anyone have any recommendations for acquiring some, or know of its long-term

stability in solution?
J</div>
If you do a google search

on the ingredients in NEOSPORIN you'll find:
polymyxin B sulfate- antibiotic- used in

urinary infections
bacitracin zinc- used with neomycin and a moisterizer to lessen likelyhood

of infection on skin
neomycin- we've discussed
pramoxine HCL- preparation H
white petrolatum- lubricant, moisterizer.

These items are looked up so often that I

didn't have to type in the whole word to find it. It was displayed in a menu.
Each of

these combined are intended for use on skin not a deep wound. If your fish is bleeding I

wouldn't use it.

Are you looking for something to keep-just in case, OR is there a

more specific purpose?

Re acriflavine: Both Aquatronics and Aquarium Products used to

market it. Your LFS may have it or access to it from Central Pet. You can probably find it online.


Re stability in solution: I don't know. It's not normally stored in a dark bottle.



I'll put together a medicine cabinet list of fish meds soon. Dan

[bobrfish]

Not sure what I was thinking

about when I stated Neosporin has an anti-fungal ingredient. It does not have one.

[andregurov]

<!--quoteo

(post=2128:date=Aug 6 2006, 12:19 PM:name=fishmaven)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fishmaven

@ Aug 6 2006, 12:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2128"><{POST_SNAPBACK}

></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Are you looking for something to keep-just in

case, OR is there a more specific purpose?

Re acriflavine: Both Aquatronics and Aquarium

Products used to market it. Your LFS may have it or access to it from Central Pet. You can probably

find it online.

I'll put together a medicine cabinet list of fish meds soon.<!--

QuoteEnd--></div>

No specific purpose, just trying to stay ahead of the

game and find a topical bacteriacide that may work, and exist in a readily-available form.

A list of fish meds is certainly a great idea! I look forward to its completion ...

thank you for all the advice and understanding.

J