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Remend

Species: Dog
Breed: unknown
Age: 8-11 years
(The dog is not mine)
A friend is asking me to get Remend for their dog from a country where it is not available. (I live in the US and will travel to their country soon)
I read up on it and understand that the medication is new, untried and potentially useless.
Assuming that they got the recommendation from a vet there and that the dog has the condition Remend is advertised for, can I get it (should I get it or would you recommend an alternative)?

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Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You've asked an excellent question!

Virbac Remend is a product that is meant for treating corneal ulcers in cats and dogs. It uses something called hyaluronan which is meant to help speed up the healing of an ulcer. (An ulcer is a scratch on the eye).

There is definitely controversy over this drug. Here are a few reasons why it is controversial:


  • The main thing that is marketed about this drug is that it can heal up a corneal ulcer in as little as 48 hours. However, most corneal ulcers are healed within 48 hours when treated with regular antibiotic drops.


  • The studies that have been done on Remend have been done on rabbits, not on cats and dogs.


  • There are no studies (that I am aware of) that show that this drug improves the speed of healing of corneal ulcers as compared to other treatments.


Most veterinary ophthalmologists are still undecided on whether or not Remend is a great drug or not. Some have found that it seems to help. And then others say that they are not convinced that it is any better than standard treatments we currently use.

My standard treatment for a corneal ulcer is to use an antibiotic drop such as gentamycin along with oral pain medication. If an ulcer is not healing well then there are other things that can be done such as applying a local anesthetic and making tiny scratches on the eye to encourage healing. There are many other things that can be done as well.

And finally, this all may be a moot point because Remend is a prescription product. This means that you could not purchase it from your vet without a prescription. And your vet could not prescribe it for an animal that they have never seen.

I hope this clears things up!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.