Pimobendan (Vetmedin)

    Vetmedin · Vetmedin-CA1 · generic pimobendan (veterinary)

    Dogs Cats Veterinary-only product; sold through vets and pharmacies that stock veterinary productsWhich pet medicines a pharmacy can fillMedicines for dogsMedicines for cats

    Pimobendan is a heart medicine for dogs with heart disease from a leaking mitral valve or dilated cardiomyopathy, started when the heart enlarges and continued through heart failure. It is a veterinary-only product with no human version in the United States, and FDA has approved generic versions.

    What it is used for

    Pimobendan strengthens the heart’s contraction without raising its oxygen demand and widens blood vessels, so a failing heart pumps more with less effort. A large trial showed that starting it in dogs whose hearts had enlarged but who had no symptoms yet delayed the onset of heart failure by many months, which changed practice: it is now started at that stage and continued for life, with a diuretic and an ACE inhibitor added when failure arrives.

    It is given twice a day, about twelve hours apart, as a chewable tablet dosed by weight. Side effects are uncommon; reduced appetite, diarrhea and, rarely, a worsening of rhythm problems are reported. Cats with heart muscle disease and failure are sometimes treated with it off-label.

    Giving it to your pet

    How to give it
    Twice a day, about 12 hours apart, as the label directs; ask your vet how to time the doses around meals. The chewable tablets are flavored, so store them out of reach.
    If you miss a dose
    Give it as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time for the next dose; in that case skip the missed dose and carry on as usual. Never give two doses at once to catch up.
    Storage
    At room temperature, out of reach of pets and children.
    Call your vet if you see
    Call your vet for faster breathing at rest, coughing, fainting, collapse, or reduced appetite. Vomiting or diarrhea can occur. Keep giving the rest of the heart medicines as prescribed.

    Your vet’s instructions and the label on your pet’s medicine take priority over this general information.

    Safety points that differ from human use

    • Not a substitute for a diuretic in a dog with fluid in the lungs; a dog breathing fast at rest needs the vet, not an extra pimobendan dose.
    • Give the two daily doses about twelve hours apart, timed around meals as the vet advises.
    • The chewable tablets are flavored, and a dog may eat a whole bottle if it can reach it; the label says to keep it out of reach of dogs, cats and other animals.
    Forms
    • Chewable tablets
    • Capsules (some markets)
    • Oral solution (some markets)
    Strengths
    • 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg chewable tablets

    Vetmedin-CA1 is a conditionally approved version for the pre-failure stage; the active drug is the same.

    Why the cash price varies

    Clinics, online veterinary pharmacies and pharmacies that carry veterinary products each set their own price for pimobendan, so quotes for the same prescription can differ. FDA has approved generic pimobendan chewable tablets alongside the Vetmedin brand, so whether the prescription allows substitution changes which products can be quoted, and for a dog on it for life the bottle size prescribed matters too.

    Where to get Pimobendan (Vetmedin)

    Pimobendan (Vetmedin) is a veterinary medicine, dispensed through your vet or a veterinary pharmacy, so it is not something a regular pharmacy can quote on here. See which pet medicines a regular pharmacy can fill.

    How to pay less

    • Ask the vet whether the prescription can allow a generic pimobendan.
    • Ask the vet for a bottle size that covers a ninety-day supply.
    • Compare the clinic’s price with a pharmacy that carries veterinary products.
    • If the pharmacy can supply only a generic or a different bottle size, the pharmacist may contact your vet; only the vet can change the prescription.
    • Upload the prescription to Script Unlock; pharmacies that carry or can order veterinary products can quote. You pay the pharmacy directly.

    Questions for your vet

    • What stage is my dog’s heart disease, and why start now?
    • Is a generic pimobendan available, and can the prescription allow it?
    • How should I time the doses around meals?
    • What resting breathing rate means I should call?
    • What other medicines will be added, and when?

    Rules on refills, transfers and controlled substances differ by state; see pharmacy rules by state.

    Related pet medications

    Sources

    Written by the Script Unlock editorial team from the sources above. Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian or veterinary pharmacist. Last checked 2026-10-03. Nothing here replaces your vet’s directions; doses for animals are set by weight and species.

    Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.