Dr Elizabeth Bode, Senior Clinical Director and Specialist in Cardiology at Chestergates Veterinary Specialists, was part of a multi-centre research team whose study, Survival of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease administered preclinical pimobendan in comparison to pimobendan-naïve dogs from the onset of congestive heart failure, has been published in the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology.
MMVD is the most common acquired cardiac disease in dogs and a leading cause of congestive heart failure in small breed patients. While previous studies have shown that pimobendan administration during the preclinical stage of disease can delay the onset of congestive heart failure and improve quality of life, the impact of preclinical pimobendan therapy on survival following the development of congestive heart failure has remained unclear.
The retrospective multicentre study analysed data from 137 dogs across five UK referral cardiology centres, comparing outcomes in dogs that had received pimobendan during the preclinical stage of MMVD with those that were pimobean-naïve at the onset of congestive heart failure.
The researchers found that median survival times following the onset of congestive heart failure were significantly shorter in dogs that had previously received preclinical pimobendan than in dogs that had not. Importantly, there were no differences between the groups in patient characteristics, echocardiographic measurements or biochemical variables at the time congestive heart failure developed.
The authors conclude that previous pimobendan administration should be considered when interpreting survival studies involving dogs with MMVD and congestive heart failure. However, they emphasise that these findings do not alter current recommendations regarding the use of preclinical pimobendan, which remains the established standard of care for appropriate patients with stage B2 MMVD.
Dr Bode said: "MMVD is one of the most frequently diagnosed cardiac diseases in dogs, making it particularly important that we continue to refine our understanding of patient outcomes and the factors that may influence survival data.
"One of the key strengths of this study is that it reflects the changing population of dogs now being seen in cardiology practice. Increasing numbers of patients are receiving pimobendan during the preclinical stage of disease, so understanding how that affects outcome analyses is highly relevant for both clinicians and researchers.
"Collaborative studies such as this allow us to answer important clinical questions using larger patient populations than would be available at a single institution. Ultimately, that helps strengthen the evidence base that supports decision-making and patient care. Hopefully, this research will lay the foundations for further prospective studies looking at pimobendan use in dogs with MMVD"
The study was conducted using cases from five UK cardiology referral centres, including Chestergates Veterinary Specialists, and contributes to the growing body of evidence surrounding the management and interpretation of outcomes in canine MMVD.
With state-of-the-art facilities and employing some of Europe’s leading veterinary specialists, Chestergates offers a wide range of specialist-led services including orthopaedics, cardiology, soft tissue surgery, anaesthesia and analgesia, ophthalmology, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging and neurology and neurosurgery. For more information visit: www.chestergates.org.uk.
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