Dog losing weight: At what weight should Vetmedin 1.25mg dose be lowered?

That is a proper dose of Vetmedin, yes. This drug is used to improve heart function and will not cause fluid in the lungs or abdomen, however, congestive heart failure will cause fluid in the lungs or abdomen. If there is concern that he is in congestive heart failure, additional medication-- Lasix (also called furosemide) would be needed, which is a diuretic medication. Vetmedin is safe to give with gabapentin and Rimadyl. It will not cause pancreatitis. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you very much for your question. Your dog is so very lucky to have such concerned and caring parents. Vetmedin is administered at a dosage of 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. A kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. If I am reading your question correctly, you both gave 1.25 mg to your dog this morning. That is the total daily dose recommended for a dog your size. Even though the dosage should be divided into two doses given approximately 12 hours apart, it is absolutely fine in this situation that the entire daily dosage was given once. So, no, you have no reason to be concerned with what happened this morning. Your dog should be absolutely fine. Please do not give any doses for the rest of the day and tomorrow morning, go back to your regular 1/2 tablet every 12 hours dosing schedule. I hope I have given you the information you needed. Have a great day

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Harper. The dose she ate is actually below what the recommended dose would be for a dog her weight, so there is no risk of overdose. This single, low dose should not be a problem. Just don't let her get any more. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Vetmedin, most of the time, is taken well by most pets. However, if you are finding it difficult to administer in it's tablet form, you can crush the tablet and give with food. The only downside to this method is that your pet may not eat all of the food and there is no guarantee your pet is getting the full dose. You can try pill pockets, peanut butter or liver wurst to see if you can get your pet to take the Vetmedin in it's tablet form as well. I hope this helps!

Vetmedin does not increase the heart size. Since I don't know how much your dog weighs I cannot comment on the dose. If you would like to post again with her weight then we can maybe help you determine if that is an overdose. You can always talk to your vet about changing the medication - I would not change anything without speaking to them first. Is she taking any other medications for CHF like furosemide or enalapril? If so, the enalapril is most likely causing the increase in heart rate after administration. None of the medications however, will cause the hear to enlarge. The heart is enlarging due to the normal course of the disease. The medications only help to support the heart - they will not stop the progression of the disease. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Interesting question! The half life refers to clearance of the original drug from the blood circulation, some of this becomes bound inside cells and some gets broken down into metabolites which are also effective in their own right therefore the medication is effective for longer than the half life data would initially appear to indicate. It is important it is given on an empty stomach, one hour before food. All medications should be given as prescribed and dosing intervals should not be adjusted without consulting with the treating vet

The active ingredient of Vetmedin is Pimobendan. This is a medication that is also used in humans, therefore I suggest you call a human poison control or your doctor or a hospital to find out what to expect and whether the dosage is harmless or not. From articles I found the normal human dose is 2.5 mg, so 5mg is double and I strongly suggest your consult with a doctor. We are veterinary doctors and not qualified to assess this. Please call your nearest hospital.