That was all I found when I look for loki
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=28574&p=395383&hilit=vetmedin#p395383
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/60791.php
The study concluded that dogs suffering from overt, clinical heart failure from atrioventricular valvular disease had improved quality of life and survival times when treated with pimobendan with or without furosemide, compared to those given benazepril hydrochloride with or without furosemide.
I found this, i am looking up the drugs
As the first of a new class of heart treatments termed Inodilators, Vetmedin has a dual mode of action, acting directly on the heart as a calcium sensitiser to increase myocardial contractility and on the peripheral circulation through selective phosphodiesterase III inhibition to produce both peripheral and coronary vasodilation. As a consequence, Vetmedin increases cardiac output and reduces both the preload and afterload. Furthermore, Vetmedin improves cardiac output by increasing the efficiency within the myofilaments, with no increase in myocardial energy requirement.
Pimobendan (Vetmedin) , combined with the other two groups I have already mentioned, is rapidly becoming a standard treatment for CHF in dogs. All positive ionotropes increase the strength of heart muscle while decreasing the pressure the heart must work against.
Calcium is important in the mechanism of muscle contraction. The force of heart muscles contraction is related to the amount of calcium ion present. Pimobendan increases the heartâs sensitivity to the calcium that is already there.
and this
http://www.2ndchance.info/conghtfaildog.htm
ACE Inhibitors
The most common drug in this group, used to treat CHF, is enalapril. But benazepril, captopril, lisinopril and other ACE medications are also used. Drugs in this class differ in their absorbability and the stress they put on the kidneys and liver. (Ref) Their effect on your dog is not immediate and it will take a week or so before you see improvement.
These medications decrease the effort your petâs heart must make to pump blood through its circulation by relaxing and expanding blood vessels throughout the body. They do this by reducing the formation of a hormone in the lungs, (angiotensin II), that increases your petâs heart work load (peripheral or systemic vascular resistance). Angiotensin II is also bad because it increased the production of a hormone your petâs adrenal glands (aldosterone) that causes sodium and water retention and high blood pressure (RASS system) In doing so, ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure and decrease salt (sodium) and water retention.
Positive Ionotropes
Pimobendan (Vetmedin) , combined with the other two groups I have already mentioned, is rapidly becoming a standard treatment for CHF in dogs. All positive ionotropes increase the strength of heart muscle while decreasing the pressure the heart must work against.
Calcium is important in the mechanism of muscle contraction. The force of heart muscles contraction is related to the amount of calcium ion present. Pimobendan increases the heartâs sensitivity to the calcium that is already there.
Vetmedin opens up the blood vessels and eases resistance in the circulatory system dilating blood vessels, and improving the efficiency with which the heart functions as a pump. The combined effect is therefore to improve cardiovascular function and the blood flow to major organs. Vetmedin is licensed and appropriate for both the major causes of heart failure in dogs. In one clinically controlled trial, dogs with congestive heart failure survived on average (median) 42 days without Vetmedin, 217 days when Vetmedin was part of their treatment.
