Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pimobendan effects on heart valve and leakage in dogs with mitral
By Bernard Chi, I-Jung et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2026·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of pimobendan on mitral annular dynamics and mitral regurgitation in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease as determined by cardiac computed tomography.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 dogs with newly diagnosed mitral valve disease (a common heart issue in dogs) were given a medication called pimobendan to see if it could help reduce the severity of mitral regurgitation (when blood leaks backward through the heart valve). After two weeks of treatment, the dogs showed significant improvements: the size of the heart's mitral annulus decreased, and the amount of blood leaking back was reduced. All dogs completed the study safely, and pimobendan was effective in improving their heart function.
People also search for: dog mitral valve disease treatment · pimobendan for dogs · dog heart murmur medication
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pimobendan might affect mitral annular dynamics (MAD) in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD); in humans, alterations in MAD are known to increase the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the short-term effect of pimobendan on MAD, severity of MR, and systemic arterial compliance in dogs with MMVD. ANIMALS: Twenty dogs with newly diagnosed ACVIM stage B2 MMVD. METHODS: Prospective, open-label, longitudinal study. All dogs underwent echocardiographic and cardiac computed tomographic (CCT) examinations before and 2 weeks after oral administration of pimobendan. Changes in MAD, leaflet-to-annulus index, left heart volumes, regurgitant volume/fraction, and aortic distensibility index were evaluated on CCT. RESULTS: All dogs completed the study without major adverse events. Pimobendan decreased normalized end-systolic mitral annular area (mean difference of 1.38 cm2/m2; 95% CI, 0.79-1.97 cm2/m2; P < .001), aortoparietal distance (mean difference of 1.03 mm/kg1/3; 95% CI, 0.54-1.53 mm/kg1/3; P < .001), and intercommissural distance (mean difference of 0.75 mm/kg1/3; 95% CI, 0.44-1.06 mm/kg1/3; P < .001). Mean leaflet-to-annulus index increased (mean difference of 0.06; 95% CI, 0.02-0.09; P = .002). Changes in left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, left atrial end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, regurgitant volume (mean reduction of 0.31 mL/kg; 95% CI, 0.13-0.5 mL/kg), and regurgitant fraction (mean reduction of 9.8%; 95% CI, 5.2%-14.3%) were detected (all P < .05) with administration of pimobendan. There was no detectable difference in aortic distensibility index (P = .6). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Short-term pimobendan administration decreases MR severity by augmenting systolic contraction of the mitral annulus. The study provides new insight into the mechanism of action of pimobendan in dogs with MMVD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42012814/