If you’ve had a dog with heart disease, you may know pimobendan by its brand name, Vetmedin. It’s used to treat dogs experiencing congestive heart failure for a variety of different health problems. The two heart diseases that pimobendan can help treat are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).
In DCM, the chambers of the heart become stretched out and enlarged. This makes it more difficult for the heart muscles to contract and pump blood.
In MMVD, the valve that controls blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle in the heart is abnormal and unable to work properly. This means that blood can flow “backward” through the left side of the heart, resulting in less blood being pumped out to the body. Your veterinarian may be able to hear this backflow as a heart murmur.
What Pimobendan for Dogs Does
Pimobendan can help to manage the symptoms of DCM and MMVD. It does two primary things:
- It dilates blood vessels within the heart so that more blood can access the chambers
- It strengthens the contractions of those chambers. These two effects work together to help the heart pump blood more efficiently.
In most cases, pimobendan is not the only dog heart medication that a dog will be taking. It is frequently used with other treatments to provide maximum benefit.
In the U.S., pimobendan is available as a chewable tablet in several different sizes. You will need a prescription from your veterinarian before your dog can take this medication. Your veterinarian may recommend the brand name or allow you to purchase generic pimobendan, which can save you money.
As with any medication, pimobendan for dogs does have some potential side effects. The most common side effects include a poor appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, and difficulty breathing.
How Long Can a Dog Live on Pimobendan?
Your dog’s prognosis will depend on what underlying heart disease they are suffering from, how far it has progressed, and any other health conditions that your dog may have. As with anything, dogs who are diagnosed early in the disease process and don’t have any other health problems are the most likely to respond well to treatment and thrive.
If your dog is overall healthy and responds well to treatment, they could live for months or years while taking pimobendan and other heart medications according to your veterinarian’s instructions. But if your dog has already progressed to congestive heart failure or has other health problems, they may not respond to treatment or might progress more quickly.
Does My Dog Need Pimobendan?
Pimobendan is only appropriate for dogs with DCM and MMVD. Your veterinarian will determine if this medication is a good fit for your dog based on their diagnosis, symptoms, and overall condition.
Signs of heart disease include exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, weakness, lethargy, and collapse. Both DCM and MMVD are more common in older dogs but can occur at any age. If you suspect your dog may have a heart condition, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.
Caption: In most cases, the a veterinarian will place the stethoscope on the left side of the dog’s chest behind the point of the elbow to listen to the dog’s heart.
