The Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California, (December 6–8, 2024) promises an exciting lineup of sessions and activities. We're excited to bring you hands-on labs, expert-led workshops, and sessions covering the latest in veterinary medicine, technology, and practice management. Topics include advanced dentistry techniques, managing complex behavioral cases, and strategies for overcoming client communication challenges.

Beyond the CE sessions, attendees can enjoy engaging networking events, explore the bustling exhibitor hall showcasing the latest products and innovations, and participate in wellness-focused activities like yoga and mindfulness sessions to recharge. Fetch Long Beach offers the perfect mix of education and fun!

Fetch dvm360® is thrilled to welcome an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers who are shaping the future of veterinary medicine. Kris Otteman, DVM, ABVP, CAWA, a contract forensic veterinarian specializing in shelter medicine and animal cruelty investigations, will share her expertise on addressing critical and often overlooked aspects of animal welfare. Kwane Stewart, DVM, widely recognized as “The Street Vet,” will highlight the profound human-animal bond through his work serving pets in underserved communities. Eric Garcia, of Simply Done Tech Solutions, will provide actionable insights on leveraging technology and digital marketing to help veterinary practices thrive. Mary Gardner, DVM, co-founder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, will deliver a heartfelt keynote on improving end-of-life care, focusing on patient care and compassionate client communication. 

All conference attendees are also welcome to join us for the 2024 dvm360 Veterinary Heroes® Awards Luncheon being held on December 8, 2024 from 11:30 AM-1:15 PM PT. This a celebration of individuals who have achieved landmark successes within veterinary medicine. The program recognizes those who have positively impacted animal care, demonstrating leadership, expertise and a commitment to improving the health and well-being of animals. These recognized individuals have excelled in their professional roles and influenced the broader veterinary community, setting new standards and inspiring others to continue evolving the practice of veterinary care.

Start Saturday, December 7, with a refreshing Tai Chi session led by Dr. Christopher Shapley! Join us from 6:30–7:30 AM in the room 104 foyer area for gentle movements, deep breathing, and a peaceful start to your day. Open to all attendees. This is a non-CE session and light refreshments will be provided!

Your Fetch registration doesn’t stop working for you once the event ends. Attendees gain access to an extensive library of on-demand CE courses, allowing you to continue learning on your own schedule. This added benefit makes Fetch an unbeatable choice for busy veterinary professionals looking to maximize their time and investment.

Maximize value with a special Black Friday offer

From Black Friday through 11:59 PM Monday, Fetch is offering an incredible 50% off conference registrations. This is your chance to secure premium veterinary education at a fraction of the cost. With your registration, you’ll unlock access to both the in-person conference and the on-demand CE library, giving you the best of both worlds.

Click here to get the Black Friday deal now

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Fetch dvm360® Conferences deliver unparalleled education, networking, and value for every veterinary professional.

A sneak peek of Fetch Long Beach

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more inventory is better, driven by the fear of running out of essential items, the lure of bulk orders to save money, or a tempting special offer that seems too good to pass up.

But here’s the catch: when you start piling up inventory as a safety net, you’re actually tying up a significant amount of funds that could be better used elsewhere in your practice. It's about the ongoing carrying costs—money spent on products that sit on the shelf, risking expiration, shrinkage, or even theft. If these items are not generating revenue, they inflate your costs of goods sold (COGS) and quietly strain your practice’s finances.

Getting to the root of overstocking lets you tackle the problem head-on, making sure every dollar you spend on inventory truly pays off.

Bulk ordering can be a savvy strategy, but it's important to remember that these offers are often designed to boost sales volume or clear out stock nearing its expiration date. To make the most of bulk deals, calculate the amount you need for a specific period—like 3 months—based on your order history. This way, you can avoid overstocking and ensure you're only buying what you'll use.

Redundant formulary refers to stocking multiple products that essentially serve the same purpose, such as different brands of the same medication or both generic and brand-name options. This often arises from varying preferences among veterinarians.

Carrying multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) and extra safety stock for each product increases your total inventory, inflates carrying costs, and heightens the risk of shrinkage. Additionally, managing different interchangeable products can lead to inconsistent pricing and confusion in margin management, impacting your COGS and profitability.

Encourage doctors to engage in discussions and reach a consensus on product preferences, focusing on efficacy, product reviews, and other relevant factors. It’s also important to be strategic with your pricing strategies—whether it’s cost-plus, percentage-based, or another method—setting strategies by product category and sales type is important to create, monitor and maintain optimal results.

Misestimating the actual demand for products can cause hospitals to order too much. Without accurate forecasting, inventory levels can become skewed, leading to unnecessary excess.

Use historical data to anticipate and manage seasonal fluctuations. Year-over-year trends can serve as reliable indicators for determining both timing and quantity of orders. To address seasonal demand, consider increasing your safety stock—extra inventory held to absorb variations in demand—and adjust the frequency of replenishment accordingly. For example, if you typically reorder parasiticides every 4 weeks, you might shift to ordering every 1-2 weeks to calibrate for spring.

Backorders are a reality, and they’re rarely predictable. The fear of a shortage can trigger panic buying, which ironically worsens the situation by depleting stock faster across the board. This overreaction can lead to excess inventory as you try to plan for these contingencies.

For critical items, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of available alternatives so you can pivot when necessary without compromising care. For low-cost items with long shelf lives, ordering in bulk may be more economical, allowing you to absorb normal market volatility without inflating your overall inventory. The key is to strike a balance—preparing for potential disruptions without creating new issues by overstocking.

Relying on Practice Information Management Systems

While Practice Information Management Systems (PIMS) are invaluable tools, they often struggle to keep up with the complexities of a service-driven environment like that of a veterinary hospital. PIMS relies on transactional data to track inventory levels—recording inventory when it is purchased and then deducting it based on sales invoices. It works well in straightforward retail settings where items are simply bought and sold in similar units. In a veterinary practice, where up to 50% of inventory is consumed directly within the hospital and never actually transacts, PIMS falls short in capturing true usage. As a result, practices can overestimate their needs and order too much, while staff end up spending extra hours on manual counts to ensure accuracy.

To manage inventory efficiently, leverage data and optimize cycle counts. Accurate data helps predict demand and account for changes, enabling you to set efficient replenishment frequencies and improve inventory turnover. Incremental cycle counts, rather than comprehensive monthly/quarterly/annual audits, can help you replenish inventory just in time and keep a close watch on your inventory's value. This approach reduces value variability, shrinkage, and the time spent managing excess inventory.

Optimizing inventory turnover helps prevent overstocking by ensuring that inventory is moving efficiently and aligning with actual demand. This involves managing several key metrics. First, evaluate your COGS, which varies depending on hospital type, location, formulary, and sales mix. As a general guideline, COGS should be between 20-24% for a general practice hospital, 10-14% for an emergency or specialty practice, 26-30% for mixed animal practices, and over 30% for large animal practices.

Next, consider the value of your inventory relative to your average monthly revenue, which should ideally be around 20%. While this will vary depending on your hospital’s specifics, it serves as a solid benchmark.

Lastly, aim for an inventory turnover rate of 3-4 times per year on average. High-volume, expensive items should turn over every 2-3 weeks (15-25 times per year), while low-cost, low-volume items might only turn over 4-8 times annually. Keeping up with these turnover rates ensures your inventory stays in line with real usage, avoiding excess stock and minimizing overstocking.

Supplier relationships and Group Purchasing Organizations

Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) often partner with specific suppliers or groups of suppliers, allowing practices to benefit from bulk pricing in exchange for committed orders. These arrangements can help you achieve the balance between cost savings and maintaining an appropriate level of inventory.

Maintaining a close relationship with your suppliers allows you to lean on them when challenges arise, such as unexpected demand surges or inventory shortfalls. A sales representative who values your business will be more willing to go the extra mile to support you and loop you in on upcoming promotions or new product launches.

Just as it's frustrating when clients focus only on price and overlook the value of your talent and care, the same applies when selecting suppliers—don’t judge them solely on cost. The best suppliers understand that their success is tied to your success, and they focus on delivering excellent service consistently. Look for suppliers who are committed to minimizing backorders and who have a reliable supply chain management process in place.

Just-In-Time inventory and software solutions

The most effective way to streamline inventory is by implementing a Just-In-Time (JIT) process, which ensures you have the necessary supplies without accumulating excess stock. While JIT is traditionally ideal for manufacturing environments with highly predictable demand and supply chains, the concept can be adapted for veterinary hospitals by incorporating a slightly larger margin of error to account for the variability in demand.

Using inventory management software can significantly enhance this process. For example, Inventory Ally tracks your inventory in real time, providing insights into consumption patterns and guiding replenishment based on your transaction history. Data shows that after implementing Inventory Ally, one GP saw a decrease in COGS from 43% to 31.9% in just 1 month, translating into $333,000 in annual savings.

 An emergency room and specialty hospital reduced inventory carry by $100,000 in just 3 months by optimizing turnover.

 These results demonstrate how effective inventory management software can be in enhancing efficiency and improving your bottom line.

Emmitt Nantz, MBA, cofounder of Inventory Ally

, has been part of the veterinary family for nearly 2 decades and is driven by a personal mission to make the veterinary domain better. Nantz spent 12 years working at Banfield, starting out as a single-site hospital manager. Having majored in agriculture business management, he expanded his education to include an MBA, a Black Belt in Six Sigma, and a Project Management Certification.

Nantz applied these learnings at Banfield and later as a Chief Operating Officer at SmartFlow where he helped hundreds of practices improve their operations. In pursuit of his passion for workflow optimization, Nantz honed his expertise in a critical area that often plagues hospitals' bottom lines – inventory management. He co-founded Inventory Ally, an all-in-one cloud software designed to help veterinary professionals reduce inventory costs, streamline processes, and save time.

Nantz E. Todd County Animal Clinic’s Inventory Success Story. Inventory Ally. Published March 13, 2024. Accessed November 20, 2024. 

https://inventoryally.com/news/todd-county-animal-clinic-success-story/

Nantz E. Inventory on Autopilot: How a Specialty Hospital Maximized Its Earning Potential. August 13, 2024. Accessed November 20, 2024. 

https://inventoryally.com/news/inventory-on-autopilot-how-a-specialty-hospital-maximized-its-earning-potential/

Overstocking in veterinary hospitals is a challenge that often goes unnoticed

From stockpile to streamlined: Stop tripping over tomorrow's profits

Clemson University in South Carolina broke ground on its’ future veterinary school on Friday, while also announcing its’ new name. The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine is poised to be the only school in the state that will award Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees, according to the university.

 by Clemson University’s Board of Trustees approval in June 2023.

Friday’s groundbreaking was held on the site of the new complex, which is located across the street from Clemson University’s Equine Center in Pendleton and is adjacent to the Clemson Experimental Forest. The complex is comprised of 6 buildings, which are designed to provide students with spaces for collaboration, hands-on learning and personal growth, according to the university.

“What an amazing time for this University and our state,” said Marks of the ground breaking. “Our goal is to create day-one-prepared veterinarians to serve communities around South Carolina. Animal and human health are directly connected, and we are so proud to be a part of creating the next generation of veterinarians,” he added.


The new doctorate program was named in honor of Harvey S. Peeler Jr., a 1970 Clemson University graduate, who has served as a senator in the South Carolina General Assembly since 1980. “Senator Peeler has passionately supported the development of a college of veterinary medicine for more than 20 years, and his efforts throughout the process have been instrumental in developing this new college at Clemson,” Kim Wilkerson, the board’s chair, said in a news release.

Peeler is chairman of the state’s Senate Finance Committee as well as a cattle farmer in Gaffney, South Carolina. According to the university, he has experienced firsthand the need for large and small animal veterinarians in the state. In a public statement, the senator noted the day’s ground breaking was a dream that has been a long time in the making. “This is not just about education—it is about taking care of our animals, supporting our farmers, growing our economy and filling the need for veterinarians in South Carolina,” said Peeler.

In addition to Peeler and Marks, speakers at the ground breaking ceremony included Clemson University President Jim Clements.

 “The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine will be an incredible asset not only for Clemson University but for the entire state of South Carolina, our region and beyond,” Clements said. “Today’s historic groundbreaking is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the South Carolina General Assembly, the Clemson University Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and champions like Senator Harvey Peeler. Together, we are further elevating our land-grant mission and continuing to meet the needs of our communities through education, research and service.”



The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine aims to prepare highly skilled and caring veterinarians to address a critical shortage in the state. It is designed to help address the shortage of veterinarians in the state. According to a university news release, a third of South Carolina counties have fewer than 5 veterinarians, and 48% of the state’s counties have fewer than 10 veterinarians. Although qualified candidates are applying to veterinary colleges, 500 to 1000 candidates are not admitted because of a capacity shortage at existing colleges.



The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine is undergoing the process of earning accreditation in anticipation of welcoming its first class in the fall of 2026. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and curriculum have been approved by the Board of Trustees, while the hiring of faculty and staff continues.

Clemson University joins other institutions with veterinary schools in development that are aiming to welcome their first students in 2026. These programs include those at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in Princess Anne, which hired its’ first permanent dean, Stanley Robertson, DVM, this past July

; Hanover College in Indiana, which plans to launch a hybrid program

; and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, which recently saw funding approved by its’ Board of Trustees for building a home for the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Pending accreditation, the UMES school is poised to become the first veterinary college in Maryland and the first of the nation’s public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to offer a DVM degree, according to UMES news release. The UMES veterinary school is also poised to be only the second of all HBCUs to provide a doctorate-level veterinary education, followed by Tuskegee University in Alabama.

“Deeply rooted in our 1890 land-grant mission, this program will enable us to serve farmers, the food industry and the 50% of Marylanders who own a pet. It will also increase both the diversity of the profession and address the workforce needs of the industry,” said UMES President Heidi M. Anderson, PhD, MS, in the UMES release.

At Hanover College, the DVM program will feature a blend of online lectures and discussions, along with centralized laboratory and regional clinical experiences. The college aims to have students complete the curriculum in 3 years. This program will run year-round and is separated into 9 semesters, allowing students to complete the curriculum, including clinical rotations, in 3 years.

“Many qualified candidates who want to be veterinarians have to go abroad to seek a veterinary education,” Hanover president, Lake Lambert, said in a release.

 “This is a tremendous loss of talent for Indiana, so our program creates a great opportunity to attract and retain more talent to Indiana.”

Other Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree programs in development include the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at 

 in Harrison Township, New Jersey, which is 

accepting applications for its first class in the fall of 2025

; a college of veterinary medicine at Rocky Vista University in Billings, Montana

; and the Chamberlin University School of Veterinary Medicine in Stockbridge, Georgia.

Clemson breaks ground on Harvey S Peeler Jr College of Veterinary Medicine. News release. Clemson University. November 22, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://news.clemson.edu/clemson-breaks-ground-on-harvey-s-peeler-jr-college-of-veterinary-medicine/

Clemson University’s Board of Trustees officially approve the development of new College of Veterinary Medicine. 

. June 26, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/clemson-university-s-board-of-trustees-officially-approve-the-development-of-new-college-of-veterinary-medicine

McCafferty C. Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine welcomes inaugural dean. 

. September 21, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/clemson-university-college-of-veterinary-medicine-welcomes-inaugural-dean

Coppock K. University of Maryland Eastern Shore plans to admit first veterinary students in 2026. 

. February 26, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/university-of-maryland-eastern-shore-plans-to-admit-first-veterinary-students-in-2026

UMES hires first permanent dean for School of Veterinary Medicine. News release. University of Maryland Eastern Shore. July 12, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://wwwcp.umes.edu/pr/umes-hires-first-permanent-dean-for-school-of-veterinary-medicine/

Yankowicz S. Hanover College helps alleviate veterinary shortage by offering a DVM program. 

. January 30, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/hanover-college-helps-alleviate-veterinary-shortage-by-offering-a-dvm-program

ASU trustees approve $48 million in capital projects at A-State, highlighted by new veterinary school facility. News release. Arkansas State University. September 14, 2024. Accessed November 23, 2024. https://www.astate.edu/news/asu-trustees-approve-48-million-in-capital-projects-at-a-state-highlighted-by-new-veterinary-school-facility

Bautista-Alejandre A. First veterinary school in New Jersey is now accepting applications. 

. October 28, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/first-veterinary-school-in-new-jersey-now-accepting-applications

Rocky Vista announces plans for college of veterinary medicine amid growing vet shortage. KTVQ. January 12, 2024. Accessed November 23, 2024. 

https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/rocky-vista-announces-plans-for-college-of-veterinary-medicine-amid-growing-vet-shortage#google_vignette

Bautista-Alejandre A. AVMA Council on Education site visits for 2024. 

. July 10, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/avma-council-on-education-site-visits-for-2024

The Harvey S. Peeler Jr College of Veterinary Medicine is one of several institutions that plans to welcome an inaugural class of veterinary students in 2026.

Clemson University breaks ground on South Carolina’s first veterinary school

 investigated how alterations in the social environment and diet of primates could lead to changes in their gut microbiota, and found that the diversity of these animals’ gut microbiome was influenced by both factors. However, different types of bacteria were affected by changes in the primates’ diet compared to changes in their living conditions. According to the authors, these findings highlight how social dynamics can affect microbiota composition and potentially impact the health and sociality of primates.

“While diet profoundly shapes gut microbial community composition, our findings demonstrate that an individual’s social environment also plays a unique role,” wrote the authors in the study.

The study was a 15-month longitudinal investigation on 13 captive male cynomolgus macaques. Participants were placed in single housing for the first 3 months of the study and were fed a variable diet for baseline data collection. Thereafter, these macaques were put on a controlled diet consisting of fruit, foraging mix, and additional food rewards that were provided equally to all animals daily for the rest of the study. Once the diet change was implemented, the primates were housed in pairs for 6 months to promote increased social interaction. On month 9, these animals were returned to “single living” housing.

To assess the impact of social changes on gut microbiota, researchers used a combination of observational methods and microbiome sequencing techniques. They collected fecal samples from the primates before and after changes in their social environment. These samples were then analyzed using sequencing technology to identify and characterize the microbial communities present in their gut.

The study revealed that dietary changes significantly influenced the alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiome. “These findings were to be expected, as diet is a well-established modulator of [gut microbiota] composition,” wrote the authors in the study.

However, changes in the amounts of certain bacteria as a result of the diet change were also seen in bacteria that previous literature has linked to sociality, such as 

. “This finding emphasizes the need to disentangle dietary and social effects on the [gut microbiota]. Where prior studies have claimed certain bacteria to be influenced by sociality, our findings suggest that in fact such changes may be diet related,” the authors wrote.

Unlike the effects from diet change, the study’s findings revealed that changes in social living arrangements, such as living alone vs pairwise living, only affected beta diversity. The study’s authors noted that certain bacterial families previously associated with social behavior, like 

—which were influenced by diet—did not show significant changes when the social living conditions of the primates were changed. 

 were the bacterial families “involved in driving this social living effect,” with 

 increasing when the primates were moved into pairwise housing and remaining constant thereafter, but decreasing when the diet was controlled. 

 on the other hand, showed low abundance during the period of uncontrolled diet, increasing when the diet was altered, and then decreasing again thereafter.

“These findings uncover the separate impacts of diet and social factors on [gut microbiota] composition, highlighting a complex interaction between social environments and gut health,” concluded the authors of the study.

Pearce CS, Bukovsky D, Douchant K, et al. Changes in social environment impact primate Gut Microbiota composition. 

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-024-00355-y

New research revealed that Lactobacillaceae abundance increased when male cynomolgus macaques were housed in pairs compared to living alone

Study shows changes in social living conditions affect the gut microbiome of primates

Philip Bergman, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM, talks about his lecture “Lymphoma – What’s New?”, presented at the Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey

A veterinary oncologist discusses his lecture on recent lymphoma findings

 delivers expert-led veterinary continuing education on your schedule. With 

, you can access top-tier sessions anytime, anywhere—whether at home, in the clinic, or on the go. Ready to earn CE credits? Watch this session and more on 

 at the Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), discussed his lecture “Lymphoma – What’s New?” Bergman explained that the session focuses on what recent literature identifies as risk factors, new therapies, and rescue protocols for lymphoma in canine patients. In his lecture, Bergman also talks about the novel drug Laverdia-CA1 (verdinexor tablets)—the first oral tablet FDA-conditionally approved to treat lymphoma in dogs.

Philip Bergman, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVIM (Oncology):

 In that lecture, what I try to do is stay very, very clinically relevant. I do everything I can to not get very molecular. I know a lot of people worry when they see the PhD or piled higher and deeper degree that, ‘Oh my god. He's going to talk about molecular this, molecular that’—[the lecture is] nothing about that at all.

It's really sitting down and talking about some of the newer literature related to, what are some of the risk aspects with that disease, what are some of the new therapies that are coming out? And also, spend a little time talking about a new drug called Laverdia-CA1, which is a drug that I think is very targeted for the general practice setting, that is an easy twice a week oral medication. So pretty easy for clients, pretty easy on pets. We do see occasional side effects, but most of the time it's self-limiting.

And then we spend a lot of time in the lecture talking about what are some of the rescue protocols, because that's one of the most common questions that I get asked of the primary care doctors that are around me.

Laverdia-CA1 (verdinexor tablets). Dechra. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.dechra-us.com/our-products/us/companion-animal/dog/prescription/laverdia-ca1-verdinexor-tablets

Videos

Philip Bergman, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), talks about his lecture “Lymphoma – What’s New?”, presented at the Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey

A new drug for the management of signs of congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs has been approved by FDA officials. The drug, pimobendan oral solution (Vetmedin Solution; Boehringer Ingelheim [BI]), is indicated for treatment of CHF caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and is the first oral solution approved by the FDA for this use, according to a news release.

Heart disease affects approximately 10% of dogs in their lifetime, and MMVD accounts for about 75% of these cases presented at veterinary practices in North America.

 Both MMVD and DCM may progress to CHF, according to BI. 

The Vetmedin brand of pimobendan therapies has been on the market for 25 years. The product line includes Vetmedin Chewable Tablets for management of signs of mild, moderate or severe canine CHF caused by MMVD or DCM. These tablets and Vetmedin Solution are indicated for concurrent therapy use in treating CHF, on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, Vetmedin-CA1 may delay the onset of heart failure symptoms in dogs and is conditionally approved by the FDA for canines with stage B2 preclinical MMVD.

"We continue to deliver new innovations rooted in robust clinical evidence to help more pets," Daniel Watkins, vice president of US Pet Business for Boehringer Ingelheim, said in the release.

 "We know some dogs and pet owners may prefer a liquid medication, especially for smaller dogs. With Vetmedin Solution, an easy-to-use liquid formulation, we can help more dogs with heart disease have longer survival and live better lives."

The safety and effectiveness of pimobendan oral solution for its indicated use was established by demonstrating the bioequivalence of Vetmedin Chewable Tablets.

 In dogs with MMVD or DCM, previous studies have demonstrated that pimobendan could help increase the survival time and quality of life.

In a 2013 study comparing pimobendan vs benazepril hydrochloride on quality of life variables, 124 dogs were randomized to receive treatment. Although the incidence of arrhythmia was similar in both treatment groups, dogs administered pimobendan were shown to have smaller heart size, higher body temperature and less water retention.

Another study, published in 2006, compared the clinical efficacy of pimobendan vs benazepril hydrochloride for acquired atrioventricular valvular disease in dogs. This randomized, positive-controlled, multicenter investigation enrolled 76 canines with clinical acquired atrioventricular valvular disease. The study found that dogs receiving pimobendan had a long-term median survival of 415 days vs 128 days for dogs that did not receive pimobendan.

Adverse effects of pimobendan were reported in a clinical study prior to the approval of Vetmedin Chewable Tablets. In the 56-day study, common adverse effects in 175 dogs with CHF and MMVD or DCM receiving the Vetmedin tablets included poor appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, and dyspnea. Additionally, azotemia, weakness and atxia, pleural effusion, syncope, and cough were reported. In 6% of these studied dogs, sudden death was reported. The prevalence of adverse effects was similar in the study’s active control group of 180 dogs receiving enalapril maleate.

The safety of the pimobendan oral solution product has not been established in dogs with asymptomatic heart disease and heart failure caused by conditions other than MMVD or DCM. This product has also not been evaluated in dogs young than 6 months with congenital heart defects, those with diabetes or other serious metabolic diseases, or in dogs used for breeding, or are pregnant or lactating.

Boehringer Ingelheim launches Vetmedin Solution (pimobendane oral solution), first oral solution approved by the FDA for congestive heart failure in dogs. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. November 22, 2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-launches-vetmedin-solution-pimobendan-oral-solution-first-oral-solution-approved-by-the-fda-for-congestive-heart-failure-in-dogs-302314386.html?tc=eml_cleartime

Keene BW, Atkins, CE, Bonagura JD, et al. ACVIM consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs. 

. 2019;33(3):1127-1140. doi:10.1111/jvim.15488

Vetmedin Solution. Product label. Boehringer Ingelheim. 2023. Accessed November 22, 2024. 

https://docs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/VetmedinSolutionPI_2024.pdf

Häggström J, Boswood A, O’Grady M, et al. Longitudinal analysis of quality of life, clinical, radiographic, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease receiving pimobendan or benazepril: the QUEST study. 

. 2013;27(6):1441-1451. doi:10.1111/jvim.12181

Lombard, Christophe W et al. Clinical efficacy of pimobendan versus benazepril for the treatment of acquired atrioventricular valvular disease in dogs. 

Vetmedin Solution from Boehringer Ingelheim is indicated for treatment of cases caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy and is the first oral solution approved by the FDA for this use in dogs