Earlier treatment of preclinical MVD delays onset of heart failure in dogs

RE: Earlier treatment of preclinical MVD delays onset of heart failure in dogs

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 09:49:10 GMT

PS Pimobendan has many similarities to digitalis, but less side-effects, and, therefore a greater safety margin

Wynne

RE: Earlier treatment of preclinical MVD delays onset of heart failure in dogs

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 09:43:08 GMT

When I was a student, it was frusemide and digoxin! Showing my age! We were taught to start treatment as soon as a murmur was detectable. The heart was probably enlarged by then, but since nobody had ultrasound, and many practices lacked radiography, then that was difficult to ascertain. That was the view of that highly regarded cardiologist, Jimmy Holmes. The powers that be then decided to wait until the animal was in obvious heart failure. Why?

Wynne

RE: Earlier treatment of preclinical MVD delays onset of heart failure in dogs

Aine Seavers — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:48:45 GMT

Certainly early enalapril etc did nothing for these preclinical cases.The advice to put whole litters of CKCS pups on the drug from an early age did the whole pre-emptive concept huge damage. This study is an adult dog with enlarged heart/affected mitral vales on u/s and with a murmur > 3 so there is a physically affected if not yet clincally affected diseased organ. And this trial used Pimobendan not Enalpril etc. I am certainly more and more impressed with this drug esp in larger breed cardiac issues-St Bern and Dobbies that would be gone in few months now living so much longer with good quality of life. The issue is the cost but now with generic available that may change our whole approach.

RE: Earlier treatment of preclinical MVD delays onset of heart failure in dogs

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 08:44:09 GMT

Reinventing the wheel!

We were taught that nearly 40 years ago, then the powers that be decided there was no advantage in treating before clinical heart failure had developed. Now we've gone round in a full circle! Am I surprised?

Wynne