The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine is participating in a large multi-center clinical trial that focuses on treating dogs experiencing heart failure. The trial is titled, “Clinical Field Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Torsemide Compared to Furosemide for the Treatment of Pulmonary Edema Related to Congestive Heart Failure.” The CVM and approximately 20 other participating sites in the United States are targeting client dogs that are experiencing newly onset congestive heart failure to participate in this trial.
Stacey Leach
Stacey Leach, DVM, associate teaching professor of veterinary cardiology, says both new and past clients are eligible to enroll.
“One of the things we’re looking at is reaching out to our current clients with pets that have severe heart disease and are not yet in heart failure,” said Leach. “We want to check up and see how their dogs are doing and let them know that if their dog eventually progresses, we have a new clinical trial that may be able to help them out. Other than that, we’re looking for cases of new onset heart failure in dogs that either have dilated cardiomyopathy or degenerative valve disease.”
Leach says that the CVM is looking to enroll approximately 20 dogs in the trial, which will consist of giving each dog one of the two different diuretic medications for the treatment of heart failure and monitoring their progress through radiographs, bloodwork and wellness checks.
The drugs torsemide and furosemide are already being used to treat congestive heart failure, according to Leach. “If they weren’t in the clinical trial, we’d be using one of these two drugs anyway,” he said.
With that said, a large benefit for the dogs and clients is that once they qualify the trial will help cover a portion of the cost of the diagnostics, the medication, and several follow-up visits throughout the first three months after enrollment, and a $500 credit toward future hospital bills for any of their pets. “The diagnostics can be a pretty big expense, and this will help cover that,” Leach said.
By Nick Childress
