Fenbendazole is an anti-parasitic medication commonly used in dogs and cats. It’s a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic and kills parasites like giardia, roundworms (including hookworms and whipworms), tapeworms in the genus Taenia and pinworms such as Aelurostrongylus. It also inhibits the formation of microtubules in parasite cells, killing them. In some animals, this drug has been shown to directly cause tumor regression. It can be used alone or in conjunction with other conventional treatments. It is available in granule, liquid and capsule forms. This medicine is safe for pregnant dogs and puppies, though the dose may be lower while they are nursing.
In studies with a model of ovalbumin-induced asthma, fenbendazole reduced the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and decreased levels of ovalbumin-specific IgG1 antibody. These effects were observed in both the short and long terms, and persisted after treatment was stopped. In addition, fenbendazole decreases T2-derived cytokines in the blood and inhibits activation of CD4+ T cells.
A compounded fenbendazole medication can be prescribed by your veterinarian if there are specific circumstances for which the FDA-approved formulation isn’t appropriate, such as if your pet has trouble taking pills or doesn’t respond to commercially available drugs. Compounded medications are made by your veterinarian or a licensed pharmacist on an individual basis to best suit your pet’s needs.
Recently, viral videos on Facebook and TikTok have shown a Canadian veterinarian who claims that he used a deworming medicine to cure small-cell lung cancer in his patients. Unfortunately, these are unauthorized videos and the claims have been debunked by scientists. fenbendazole capsules