Boehringer Ingelheim has launched Vetmedin (pimobendan) 1.5 mg/ml oral solution for dogs in Great Britain, offering a new treatment option for smaller cardiac patients and ones that don't take tablets easily.

The company says the two main benefits of the liquid formulation are precise dosing and ease of administration. 

Vetmedin oral solution comes with a kg-bodyweight calibrated syringe to make it easy to give the preferred dose of 0.25 mg/kg twice daily to the nearest 0.5 kg bodyweight.

The maximum syringe volume is for a 12 kg dog.

The solution has a sweet taste to make it palatable and Boehringer says it is also ideal for dogs that need dental work but require treatment for their heart disease before general anaesthesia.

These dogs might struggle to eat chewable tablets due to oral discomfort, so a liquid treatment might be a better option.

The company highlights the EPIC¹ and PROTECT² studies which showed that Vetmedin delays the onset of CHF for dogs in the asymptomatic stage of heart disease and improves both the quality and length of life for dogs with MVD and DCM.

Vetmedin oral solution comes as a 50 ml bottle (each bottle lasts a 5 kg dog approximately 30 days), doesn't need to be refrigerated, has an 8-week shelf life once opened, and a 2-year shelf life as packaged.

VetMedin oral solution is now available to order from wholesalers.

References

1. Boswood A, Häggström J, Gordon SG, et al. Effect of Pimobendan in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study-A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Vet Intern Med. 2016 Nov;30(6):1765-1779. doi: 10.1111/jvim.14586. Epub 2016 Sep 28. 
2. Summerfield et al. Efficacy of Pimobendan in the Prevention of Congestive Heart Failure or Sudden Death in Doberman Pinschers with Preclinical Dilated Cardiomyopathy (The PROTECT Study). J Vet Intern Med 2012;26:1337-1349.

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