Medication For Urinary Incontinence - Which One To Use?

[Guest SealDogMermaid]

Hello all!

 

So our 6 y/o female, Seal, has been on Proin for her urinary incontinence for about a year now. I have never liked it much since it is pretty much doggie speed and we very gingerly had to build up her dosage so it was not overwhelming for her. We really want to switch her over to something new and our vet recently suggested Incurin. Is anyone familiar with that one? He said it is a more natural medication that is basically estrogen, and that once she is stabilized on it we can drop down her dose a bit and give it less frequently (every other day). Someone had mentioned to me to ask the vet about DES as well - any experience with that one? Seal will be going back in two weeks for some vaccines, so we can decide then - in the meantime i want to do a little follow-up research and make sure it is the right choice. Your thoughts/comments/experience would be greatly appreciated!

 

[tbhounds]

I prefer DES--with the low dose used for urinary Incontinence side effects are very, very rarely seen. I will never use Proin in a hound.

[DesiRayMom]

Have never heard of Incurin........but one of the vets I work with routinely uses DES and at the end of decreasing dose,

is usually twice a week, longterm. Seems to do well for those I know that take it.

[JJNg]

I think the Incurin will be a good option. It was FDA approved over a year ago, but just became available this month. It's an estrogen supplement similar to DES, but shorter acting so it has to be given daily. I believe it's been used in Europe for a while and seems to be safer than DES. The additional benefit is that Incurin is FDA approved and commercially available while DES has to be compounded.

[Guest SealDogMermaid]

Have never heard of Incurin........but one of the vets I work with routinely uses DES and at the end of decreasing dose,

is usually twice a week, longterm. Seems to do well for those I know that take it.

 

I think i am leaning towards the DES so far, but i have yet to ask my vet about that one. Most things i have heard about it are pretty positive so far.

 

I think the Incurin will be a good option. It was FDA approved over a year ago, but just became available this month. It's an estrogen supplement similar to DES, but shorter acting so it has to be given daily. I believe it's been used in Europe for a while and seems to be safer than DES. The additional benefit is that Incurin is FDA approved and commercially available while DES has to be compounded.

 

Hmm, good input - thank you! My only reservation is that the Incurin is new and they do not know the long term effects just yet. But the fact that it has been used in Europe makes me feel a little better - i wonder how long it has been on the market over there for? Also, do you know why it may be safer than DES?

 

Someone in my fb group sent me this article which i found pretty helpful: http://www.leospetcare.com/incurin-estriol-is-not-the-same-as-ovaban-des/ (besides the fact that it says DES is no longer available)

[JJNg]

I found this site with info about Incurin in Europe. Looks like it was approved in March 2000. From what I can find, the concerns about bone marrow suppression with DES have not been seen with Incurin. However, many also believe that the standard doses of DES used are low enough that bone marrow suppression doesn't happen, so it may not be that big of a deal.

 

DES is no longer available commercially. The only way to get DES now is through compounding pharmacies.

[tbhounds]

If you are going to pursue looking for DES Wedgewood Compounding Pharmacy has made it up for our clinic recently-made it into a chicken flavored chewable tablet. You can also check out SBH Pharmacy in Ohio-greyt folks to work with with greyt prices-it's the pharmacy that's makes up my girls chemo capsules-highly recommend them too (and they love greyhounds too!)

 

[Guest azlorenz]

Elly is on DES.

[Guest SealDogMermaid]

I found this site with info about Incurin in Europe. Looks like it was approved in March 2000. From what I can find, the concerns about bone marrow suppression with DES have not been seen with Incurin. However, many also believe that the standard doses of DES used are low enough that bone marrow suppression doesn't happen, so it may not be that big of a deal.

 

DES is no longer available commercially. The only way to get DES now is through compounding pharmacies.

 

awesome - thanks for the info. That def makes me feel better! I am considering the compounding pharmacies as an option but it seems like the Incurin may be ok after all. I do like that the DES can be given less frequently than the Incurin but it seems that both are low dose which is good.

 

If you are going to pursue looking for DES Wedgewood Compounding Pharmacy has made it up for our clinic recently-made it into a chicken flavored chewable tablet. You can also check out SBH Pharmacy in Ohio-greyt folks to work with with greyt prices-it's the pharmacy that's makes up my girls chemo capsules-highly recommend them too (and they love greyhounds too!)

 

thanks! I will make a note of both of those and save them in my bookmarks :-)

 

Elly is on DES.

 

Which Pharmacy do you get the DES from?

[RaineysMom]

Rainey was on DES for 5 years with 0 side effects.

[Wonder]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

[Guest SealDogMermaid]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

lol! Aw poor Passion! Yeah i think it does hurt their pride a bit - Seal always seemed embarrassed when her UI first occurred. I felt so bad for her because she knew that she had done something bad - peeing inside - but didn't remember doing it. We never reprimanded her for it of course, since she couldn't help it, but she would often try to lick the spot on her bed to cover up the evidence. We would just distract her in the other room while the other one discreetly cleaned up

[RaineysMom]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

what kind of peeing are you seeing?

 

with Rainey, the DES was fine with all the other stuff she was on but she was on it for a long time before all the other stuff cropped up.

[Wonder]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

what kind of peeing are you seeing?

 

with Rainey, the DES was fine with all the other stuff she was on but she was on it for a long time before all the other stuff cropped up.

the wet kind of pee

Sorry, what do you mean?

[RaineysMom]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

what kind of peeing are you seeing?

 

with Rainey, the DES was fine with all the other stuff she was on but she was on it for a long time before all the other stuff cropped up.

the wet kind of pee

Sorry, what do you mean?

 

sorry!

 

I guess I meant when .... with Rainey, she started urinating (and defecating) whenever we'd leave -- even if it was just for 40 minutes. We'd make sure she did her business before we'd leave but no matter what, she'd pee and poop while we were gone. This only started near the end (and the seizures), before that she never did that in the house.

[Wonder]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

what kind of peeing are you seeing?

 

with Rainey, the DES was fine with all the other stuff she was on but she was on it for a long time before all the other stuff cropped up.

the wet kind of pee

Sorry, what do you mean?

 

sorry!

 

I guess I meant when .... with Rainey, she started urinating (and defecating) whenever we'd leave -- even if it was just for 40 minutes. We'd make sure she did her business before we'd leave but no matter what, she'd pee and poop while we were gone. This only started near the end (and the seizures), before that she never did that in the house.

Oh

The 2 times this happened, she was laying in bed next to me. She looked at me, whined and then I felt wet. She does not pee in the crate when I'm at work.

[RaineysMom]

My vet suggested DES for Passion but I'm not thrilled about adding another drug. I asked if peeing hurts her (medically) and he said no, just her pride.

 

what kind of peeing are you seeing?

 

with Rainey, the DES was fine with all the other stuff she was on but she was on it for a long time before all the other stuff cropped up.

the wet kind of pee

Sorry, what do you mean?

 

sorry!

 

I guess I meant when .... with Rainey, she started urinating (and defecating) whenever we'd leave -- even if it was just for 40 minutes. We'd make sure she did her business before we'd leave but no matter what, she'd pee and poop while we were gone. This only started near the end (and the seizures), before that she never did that in the house.

Oh

The 2 times this happened, she was laying in bed next to me. She looked at me, whined and then I felt wet. She does not pee in the crate when I'm at work.

 

same with Rainey, woke up to a soaking wet bed got her in right after and they started the DES. Worked great. After the initial load we only had to give her one pill a week, which is hardly anything. Maybe you could try it. We also bought puppy pee pads to lay under her in bed.

[greyhoundgang]

I prefer natural methods of care.

Azmira has an Incontinence Formula. All natural.

Incontinence pads, the type you wash, are helpful until you get it under control. I've bought them in bulk on ebay. Used hospital pads. 3 x 3.

 

I'd also consult with a holistic vet to get the CAUSE of the incontinence. Sometimes switching foods, to a non-grain food can help.