Fenben lab fenbendazol is a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic used to treat gastrointestinal parasites in dogs and cats. It is effective against giardia, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, the tapeworm genus Taenia (but not effective against Dipylidium caninum, a common dog tapeworm), pinworms, aelurostrongylus, paragonimiasis, strongyles and strongyloides. It can be administered by veterinary prescription to sheep, cattle, horses, fish, dogs, cats, rabbits, most reptiles as planaria and hydra treatments, and seals.
It has also been reported that fenbendazole has anti-tumor and anti-neoplastic activities in laboratory animals. These actions are based on the fact that fenbendazole binds to a protein known as b-tubulin and destroys its ability to polymerize, inhibiting spindle formation in cells. This interferes with cell division and cellular polarization, causing the cells to die. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that fenbendazole is an excellent candidate for further studies regarding its potential as a cancer treatment.
Some anecdotal reports have suggested that fenbendazole may be effective in treating cancer in humans, but Health Feedback has not been able to find any reliable evidence from randomized clinical trials. These reports often refer to patients who experienced a remission of their cancer after taking fenbendazole. However, it is important to note that in most of these cases, the patients were also receiving conventional cancer therapies at the same time.
In many laboratories, fenbendazole is incorporated into the decontamination protocol to prevent infections by parasites such as Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia spp. Infestations of these pests can be caused by poor decontamination practices, nonvigorous use of diagnostics procedures, animal movement between facilities and even the sharing of mice between investigators. Infestations are largely difficult to eradicate using traditional methods such as microscopic examination of fecal floats and tape tests, and can cause long and expensive treatment regimens for the laboratory animal facility.
Fenbendazole has been shown to be an effective ovicidal agent, and is routinely used in the decontamination protocols for many animal facilities to eliminate infestations. The drug is also an integral part of quarantine protocols in some facilities to control contaminating rodents that have not been adequately disinfected. These infections can be a serious problem for mouse and other rodent research, and are often the result of poor decontamination procedures or inadequate ovicidal treatments, or the unvigilant use of quarantine protocol in the sharing of mice between institutions.
When fenbendazole is administered at the recommended dosage, it will have no negative impact on dogs or cats. However, as with all drugs, fenbendazole can have adverse effects when used inappropriately or in combination with other medications. It is extremely important that the veterinary office recommends the correct dosage for your pet. It is also important to follow the storage recommendations on the fenbendazole container and the veterinarian’s instructions for administration and use. The fenbendazole granules should be stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature, and protected from sunlight. If your veterinarian recommends a specific formulation for your pet, the product should be kept in the original container with a label on it and a current expiration date.