Bendroflumethiazide

[Elephonty]

Woody has recently been prescribed bendro from my vets to help flush his bladder through and prevent the reformation of stones.

We are trialling it for a month, has anyone had any experience with it? Are there any side affects I should worry about?

I had to go to a human pharmacy to get the tablets so didn't get to discuss this fully.

I am home for the next couple of days so can monitor woody closely, it's very difficult to cut the tablets into quarters so I even invested in a pill cutter!

 

[Wiebke]

Sorry; I don't have any experience with it.
@PigglePuggle @Piggies&buns

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m afraid I don’t either, sorry.

 

[PigglePuggle]

This is a diuretic, to reduce fluid build up, similar use to furosemide. I dont think this will help prevent stones- the extra urine produced is at the expense of dehydrating the body and making the kidneys work harder, so it sounds to me a very unusual way to flush the bladder- quite counter productive. More water and watery veg, and in a more serious case a minor operation to physically flush the bladder by squirting in water through the urethra and wash out the sludge, plus anti-inflammatory meloxicam and a glucosamine bladder support supplement, would be more usual.
I have to say that I never heard of a bladder stone issue treated this way- but perhaps your vets know more, have done blood work to check kidney function etc, so best have a good conversation with them to find out their reasoning I think.

 

[Elephonty]

This is a diuretic, to reduce fluid build up, similar use to furosemide. I dont think this will help prevent stones- the extra urine produced is at the expense of dehydrating the body and making the kidneys work harder, so it sounds to me a very unusual way to flush the bladder- quite counter productive. More water and watery veg, and in a more serious case a minor operation to physically flush the bladder by squirting in water through the urethra and wash out the sludge, plus anti-inflammatory meloxicam and a glucosamine bladder support supplement, would be more usual.
I have to say that I never heard of a bladder stone issue treated this way- but perhaps your vets know more, have done blood work to check kidney function etc, so best have a good conversation with them to find out their reasoning I think.

He is also on potassium citrate cystease metacam and gabapentin! The vets have done 2 flushes and recently a cystotomy.
The bendro was suggested by an exotics vet from another practice as it can help further reduce the build up of sludge through urination, unfortunately woody seems to have no luck with the meds he's on so far so the vet is all out of options apart from this drug but will definitely have another discussion before starting woody on it!

 

[PigglePuggle]

Its tricky, this medicine may make more dilute urine in the bladder, but it does this by concentrating the salts in the kidneys first. Which then of course may wash into the bladder in a more concentrated form- so might make things worse?
Calcium and salt balance is always incredibly complicated, and there is no obvious solution unfortunately for a piggy with persistant bladder deposits despite dietary modifications and veterinary interventions. If your vet has experience of this medicine working, and has tried all the usual things, it may be worth a go- it may depend very much though on where exactly in the urinary tract the problem is, and what the biochemical cause is, which the vet may see from scans and blood and urine tests better than anyone can say just from the pharmacopeia medicine guide. Best of luck x

 

[Elephonty]

Its tricky, this medicine may make more dilute urine in the bladder, but it does this by concentrating the salts in the kidneys first. Which then of course may wash into the bladder in a more concentrated form- so might make things worse?
Calcium and salt balance is always incredibly complicated, and there is no obvious solution unfortunately for a piggy with persistant bladder deposits despite dietary modifications and veterinary interventions. If your vet has experience of this medicine working, and has tried all the usual things, it may be worth a go- it may depend very much though on where exactly in the urinary tract the problem is, and what the biochemical cause is, which the vet may see from scans and blood and urine tests better than anyone can say just from the pharmacopeia medicine guide. Best of luck x

Thank you! They did a test of his urine to determine the root of the cause but it was unclear unfortunately. He has routine ultrasounds of his bladder and the only indicator is an extremely thickened bladder wall which the cystease should be sorting. They have been in contact with the rvc exotic specialist who has also recommended the meds woody is already on. It breaks my heart but this is very much a last resort med as the only other option is PTS as woody is on all the preventative medicine possible, I don't want to go down this root just yet as woody is otherwise very happy in himself ( he loves to popcorn and wheek away!). I unfortunately have been down this root before with Woody's cagemate which ended in euthanasia so I am prepared to take this root if the meds don't work or his quality of life changes for the worst

 

[eileen]

I'm believe Furryfriends Teas has seen this drug used,at c &R clinic.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Simon has used this in guinea pigs who are prone to bladder stones. I believe it has really helped keep the bladder flushed through and has reduced the likelihood of more stones forming.

 

[Elephonty]

Simon has used this in guinea pigs who are prone to bladder stones. I believe it has really helped keep the bladder flushed through and has reduced the likelihood of more stones forming.

Thank you, this is good to hear!

 

[PigglePuggle]

Simon has used this in guinea pigs who are prone to bladder stones. I believe it has really helped keep the bladder flushed through and has reduced the likelihood of more stones forming.

That's really good to know @furryfriends (TEAS) thank you! There is such a gap.in knowledge between the official text book recommendations and what works in practice with piggies, where the research is still very much lacking- let's hope this medicine helps and there is a goid outcome for @Elephonty 's poor bladder piggy x