Vetmedin for Dogs | Vetmedin 5mg | Vetmedin Side Effects

Vetmedin Heart Treatment for dogs

Vetmedin is one of the most useful treatments available for dogs over 6 months old with heart trouble. It can dramatically reduce the symptoms associated with heart failure and it prolongs life expectancy.

How is Vetmedin Supplied

Vetmedin 5mg capsules
Vetmedin 1.25mg flavour tablets
Vetmedin 5mg flavour tablets
It is only available with a prescription from your vet. The capsules are the most economical way of purchasing Vetmedin, but the Flavour tablets are more convenient for accurate dosing, especially of small dogs.

What is Vetmedin used for?

Vetmedin is particularly helpful in conditions where the heart needs to pump more powerfully.  This most often applies to two types of heart condition in dogs. These are;
1)  Leaky valves (atrio-ventricular insufficiency or regurgitation) or
2) Stretched and weakened heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy).
The heart's job is to act as a pump, making sure that the blood circulates all round the body, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. If the circulation becomes sluggish for any reason, then a more powerful heart contraction can help. Pimobendan, the active ingredient in Vetmedin, achieves this without making the heart use up more oxygen (unlike the older heart drugs like Digoxin, the "herbal" heart treatment from the Foxglove plant).  Vetmedin also helps the circulation by opening up the blood vessels, which reduces the resistance to flow. This makes life easier for the heart too.
Vetmedin is NOT helpful for conditions where there is a restriction to outflow from the heart (eg aortic stenosis where the main artery leaving the heart is too narrow).  It is also unhelpful where the heart muscle is already abnormally thick and enlarged (cardiac hypertrophy). Your vet needs to assess the type of a heart problem which is present, and decide if Vetmedin is going to be appropriate.
Vetmedin is often combined with other drugs, such as diuretics (water tablets) and ACE inhibitors (which also reduce any excessive fluid build-up).

What is the Vetmedin dose rate?

It is advised that the dog is weighed accurately, then given between 0.2mg and 0.6mg per kilogram bodyweight of the dog.  Vetmedin is not absorbed very well from the stomach, and only about two thirds of the drug (at most) gets into the blood stream. The rest is wasted and passes out with the faeces. This is important to keep in mind because any food present in the stomach will dramatically reduce the amount of pimobendan (the active ingredient) absorbed. If you give Vetmedin with food, you might be wasting a lot of the drug because it is never absorbed into the blood stream! Therefore it is advised to give Vetmedin on an empty stomach, ideally about one hour before any food. This will get the greatest value out of the medication. Vetmedin does not last long in the body, so it has to be given twice a day, ideally 12 hours between doses.

What are the Vetmedin side effects?

Side effects are rare and are not normally seen. If they do occur, they might be;
An increased heart rate (tachycardia)
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Lethargy
Loss of appetite.
These effects soon pass, but the dose might need to be reduced, or possibly a different type of heart treatment might be needed.

Where can I buy Vetmedin?

Vetmedin can be bought directly from your vet. Alternatively you can ask your vet for a written prescription and then buy Vetmedin from Viovet.co.uk, the trusted online supplier of pet medication, food and general pet care products.

Article written by:
John Cousins BVSc MRCVS - A veterinary surgeon from VioVet - Online Pet Store & Pharmacy.

The article reflects the opinions of the author and should only be used as a guide. It can only be taken in conjunction with advice from your vet. No liability is accepted for accuracy of content or any other matter.