Sulfatrim being discontinued?

[Mishka]

Good morning all, long time no post. My vet told me this morning that sulfatrim is being discontinued and my immediate reaction was to panic, as I despise baytril with a fiery,. burning passion. It appears to be being discontinued as a brand, but has anyone else heard anything about this? Is it just the brand, or TMZ as a whole? Are there alternative manufacturers in the UK? My vet sadly is not the most cavy savvy (I live in the middle of nowhere in Scotland so for run of the mill ailments they're fine, anything more concerning we can travel to the mainland), so I wanted to come to the piggy grapevine for more info. Hope this is posted in the right place.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

I haven't heard anything about this. It is the same antibiotic as the human version, septrim but is licenced for use in animals. Septrim has been around a lot longer and before the advent of sulphatrim could be used off licence if there wasn't a suitable alternative. If sulphatrim is discontinued then I dont see why this couldn't be done again. But as you say it may just be the brand, in which case it should still be available under another name.

 

[Eriathwen]

My vet said the same a few visits ago, sulfatrim is being discontinued, before Paddington passed from his bladder cancer he wanted to put him on a sulfatrim course but could only give him baytril as they no longer had sulfatrim. I'm not sure exactly why but it's a shame as there's already so few antibiotic options for guinea pigs!
From what I'd seen online it is only the branded version, and generic alternatives may still be available, fingers crossed.

 

[eileen]

Thats a worry,i hope they find an alternative,as baytril is not always best.

 

[Claire W]

Gosh I’m worried now as my vet always prescribes sulfatrim Fingers crossed an alternative is found

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Yes it is being discontinued. The vets are going back to prescribing septrin instead, so nothing to worry about.

 

[Wiebke]

Trimethoprim/sulfamethodoxazole is a very common and widespread antibiotic. It has been originally known as bactrim (USA) and septrin (UK).

Sulfatrim as a UK brand name of unflavoured adult strength septrin for use in rabbits and small exotics has been introduced when the antibiotic was officially licensed for these species. I assume that the production of that particular brand is no longer commercially viable but it doesn't mean that the antibiotic won't be in use any longer; vets will simply switch to a different brand still in production.

We may see this happening with some other brands as well as a result of sharply risen production cost.

 

[Mishka]

Fantastic, thank you for the reassurance, folks. Worse case scenario they can give the paediatric banana stuff then, was always easier getting it into my girls anyway!

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I’ve just had a word with Simon and he’s said that they can access Co-Trimoxazole (paediatric and adult), which is basically Septrin. He said the only problem is, is it’s more expensive than Sulfatrim.

 

[Plentyofpigs]

anyone with anymore information on this please? Needed for my pig and discontinue. Vet looking into tablet form and calling me tomorrow. Has anyone been given alternatives I can suggest to vet?
thank you

 

[eileen]

Septrin has been given my vet.

 

[Wiebke]

anyone with anymore information on this please? Needed for my pig and discontinue. Vet looking into tablet form and calling me tomorrow. Has anyone been given alternatives I can suggest to vet?
thank you

Hi

The production of sulfatrim for UK veterinary use has indeed been stopped. Vets are currently looking for available alternative human brands (bactrim, septrin) but it is not quite easy to get hold of them due to a worldwide shortage of medication with demand surpassing production. At the moment, it very much seems to come down to what they can get.

Bactrim has always been in tablet form and has been used like that for guinea pigs by exotics vets for years especially in North America and internationally as the first safe alternative to baytril. You can get a pill cutter from a pharmacy and mix the powdered tablet with a little water for syringing for making sure that everything goes in.
Septrin (UK brand for the same active ingredient) does come in liquid form. Sulfatrim was basically the unflavoured version of aniseed flavoured adult septrin; banana-flavoured pediatric septrin (half strength of adult septrin) used to go down extremely well with piggies in the days before sulfatrim.
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the active ingredient in both bactrim and septrin. There are loads of generic brand names for it as well.

 

[Freela]

Sulfatrim is a particular brand name of sulfamethoxazol/trimethoprim... other brands also make this drug, so hopefully UK vets will be able to source it from other places. It's generally brand name Bactrim in Canada where I am, one of my hamsters was on it recently.