2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

In this study, the significant correlation among IRIS stage, serum creatinine concentration, echocardiographic variables, and ACVIM class was shown. This finding suggests connection between chronic mitral valve disease and renal disorder. This prospective, randomized, double blinded study has the purpose to evaluate the echocardiographic parameters in dogs with chronic mitral valve degeneration (CMVD) stage C treated with pimobendan or amlodipine in addition to conventional therapy. The use of pimobendan in stage C dogs is well established, but has been debated due to the apparent preservation of the myocardial inotropism in these patients. Amlodipine is a vasodilator drug with no inotropic effects, usually used in stage D dogs. Ten dogs were randomized to group A and eleven to group B. Both groups were treated with furosemide and enalapril maleate, but group A dogs also received pimobendan (0.25 mg/kg BID) and the group B ones, amlodipine (0.1 mg/kg BID). All dogs were evaluated before the beginning of the medications (T0), thirty days later (T30) and sixty days after T0 (T60), observing changes in echodopplercardiographic and electrocardiographic examinations, as well as systolic blood pressure. There were no significant differences in electrocardiographic or systolic blood pressure measurements between the groups. The echodopplercardiographic examinations showed a statistically significant difference in speeds in Em waves, between groups at T0 and in the amlodipine group between T0 and T60 and speed of Am wave, between T30 and T60 times. These parameters may indicate a change in early myocardial relaxation. This is the first prospective randomized double blinded study comparing pimobendan and amlodipine in stage C CMVD dogs.