Table 2.
Drugs used for cardiovascular disease
| Therapeutics for Use in Small Exotic Mammals with Cardiovascular Disease | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Drug | Dosage | Comments, Indication |
| Hamster | Amlodipine | 10 mg/kg/d in food | Calcium antagonist Amlodipine prevents cell death and fibrosis and reduces cardiac dysfunction in cardiomyopathic hamsters. |
| Rat | Atenolol | 5 mg/kg | β-blocker, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Prolongs filling, decreases myocardial ischemia |
| Hamster | Digoxin | 0.05–0.01 mg/kg, PO, q12–24h | Positive inotrope Right-sided heart failure, nonresponsive cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy Also indicated for atrial fibrillation |
| Hamster | Diltiazem | 25 mg/kg/d, PO | Calcium channel blocker Benzodiazepine like calcium antagonist Increases ventricular filling, reduces heart rate and blood pressure; reduces myocardial oxygen consumption |
| Hamster | Enalapril | 0.5 mg/kg PO, q24–48h, 20 mg/kg/d in food | Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor Balanced vasodilator; avoid use in animal with concurrent renal disease. |
| Hamster, mouse, rat | Furosemide | 1–10 mg/kg IM, SQ, PO, q4–12h | Diuretic, reduction of ascites, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema |
| Rodents in general | Isoprenaline | 0.1–1 mg/kg/min IV, IC Total dose 5–10 μg/kg |
Complete heart block, low cardiac output |
| All | Nitroglycerin ointment 2% | 1/16 in/kg Apply to hairless region q12–24h | Initial adjunctive venodilation for emergency use |
| Rodents | Propranolol | 0.1 mg/kg IV, IC | β-blocker, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Prolongs filling, decreases myocardial ischemia Tachyarrhythmia |
| Rat | Pimobendan | 1 mg/kg | Phosphodiesterase inhibitor (which causes peripheral ateriodilation and venodilation and improved myocardial contractility) |
| All | Omega 3 | 25 mg/d | Generally recommended nutraceuticals for cardiac support in rodents and small exotic mammals |
| All | Oils, including flax oil | 10–30 mg/d | Generally recommended nutraceuticals for cardiac support in rodents and small exotic mammals |
| Coenzyme Q10 | 25 mg/d | Generally recommended nutraceuticals for cardiac support in rodents and small exotic mammals | |
| l-carnitine | 50 mg/d | Generally recommended nutraceuticals for cardiac support in rodents and small exotic mammals | |
| All | Taurine | 50 mg/d | Generally recommended nutraceuticals for cardiac support in rodents and small exotic mammals |
| Hamster, rat | Verapamil | 0.25–0.5 mg/hamster SQ, 5 mg/kg/d IP, 0.75 mg/mL in drinking water | Calcium channel blocker Increases ventricular filling, reduces heart rate and blood pressure, reduces myocardial oxygen consumption |