Cardisure

Cardisure are tasty tablets for dogs used to treat congestive heart failure in dogs caused by heart valve insufficiency (mitral and/or tricuspid regurgitation) or the heart muscle disease dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Cardisure is available in tablets of 1.25 mg, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg.

How Cardisure Works

The active ingredient in Cardisure is pimobendan. Pimobendan gives the heart muscle more strength and relaxes the blood vessels, improving the heart's output.

Dosage of Cardisure

The Cardisure tablets can be administered orally in a daily dose of 0.2 mg to 0.6 mg pimobendan/kg body weight. The preferred daily dose is 0.5 mg pimobendan per kg body weight. The daily dose should be divided into two administrations of 0.25 mg per kg: half the dose in the morning and half the dose approximately 12 hours later. The maintenance dosage should be determined individually by the treating veterinarian, based on the severity of the condition. The recommended dosage should not be exceeded.

Since absorption is reduced by food, the medication should be given on an empty stomach, at least one hour before a meal.

Other Medications for Heart Disease

If your dog has been diagnosed with heart disease, the veterinarian may prescribe other medications as well. There are several groups of medications that are often combined with Cardisure.

Diuretics

In congestive heart failure, ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity) or edema (fluid in, for example, the lungs or under the skin) may develop, which can lead to severe shortness of breath and coughing. Furosemide (Libeo and Furosoral), torasemide (Isemid and Upcard) and spironolactone (Cardalis, in combination with an ACE inhibitor) help remove excess fluid from the abdomen, chest cavity, lungs, or other areas via urine. These tablets are often called “water pills.” By losing extra fluid through urine, the blood vessel system becomes less "filled." This reduces blood pressure and relieves the heart, as it does not have to pump as much blood.

ACE Inhibitors

ACE inhibitors such as Benakor prevent the kidneys from unnecessarily retaining fluid and relax the blood vessels. ACE inhibitors cause a slight reduction in blood pressure. Other ACE inhibitors include: Cardalis (in combination with a diuretic) and Fortekor.

Package Insert

Read the package insert for Cardisure before use.

If you have any questions about Cardisure, please contact us.