Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pimobendan effects on heart injury and function in dogs with fast
By Hirao, Daiki et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2025·Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of pimobendan on myocardial injury and systolic dysfunction in a canine model of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy Beagle dogs experienced a rapid heartbeat due to supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVTA), which can lead to heart problems. Some dogs were treated with pimobendan, a medication that helps the heart pump better, while others did not receive it. After three weeks, the dogs that did not get pimobendan showed signs of heart injury and worsening heart function, while those treated with pimobendan maintained normal heart function and showed no signs of injury. This suggests that pimobendan could be a safe and effective option for dogs with SVTA.
People also search for: dog heart problems treatment · Beagle SVTA symptoms · pimobendan for dogs heart failure
Abstract
Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVTA) in dogs can cause cardiac dysfunction and may progress to heart failure. Pimobendan, an inotropic agent with calcium-sensitizing and phosphodiesterase III inhibition, is widely used in veterinary medicine. However, its influence on myocardial injury under persistent SVTA remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to evaluate whether pimobendan improves systolic function without exacerbating myocardial injury, using a canine model of rapid atrial pacing (RAP). Fourteen healthy Beagle dogs were allocated to either a control or pimobendan group. RAP was performed for three weeks at 390 bpm. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography before (baseline) and after RAP (3W). Concurrently, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations were measured to assess myocardial injury. In the control group, a significant increase in cTnI was observed at 3W compared with baseline (0.023 ± 0.029 ng/mL vs. 0.176 ± 0.173 ng/mL). Additionally, in the control group, echocardiographic parameters worsened, including fractional shortening (FS) (37.8 ± 4.6% vs. 24.5 ± 6.8%) and stroke volume (SV) (15.8 ± 3.1 mL vs. 10.5 ± 2.0 mL) at 3W compared with baseline. In contrast, the pimobendan group showed no significant differences in these echocardiographic parameters. cTnI concentrations also remained within the normal range without significant differences. These results suggest that pimobendan preserved systolic function without aggravating myocardial injury during sustained SVTA. Pimobendan may therefore be safe and effective cardiac inotropic agent for the treatment of dogs with SVTA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41062284/