Offering leading solutions in chronic care
For many people, a dog or a cat are their best friends. In a changing demographic and social environment, pets are increasingly assuming the role of companions and family members. Consequently, they are more frequently given the best health care and treatment, resulting in a longer and happier life. Accordingly, there is a growing need for optimized therapeutics that are safe, effective, and easy to use.
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is a leading company in chronic care and has set standards for innovation in many areas, for instance in heart failure and arthritis in dogs.
Improving the quality of life and enhancing the human animal bond is the major focus. In recent years, major milestones were reached in treating epilepsy in dogs which frequently occurs in the first years of life and in chronic kidney disease in cats a frequent diagnosis in ageing cats.
Solutions for companion animals
The main small animal products address major chronic diseases: heart failure, kidney disease, epilepsy and osteoarthritis.
As the first of a new class of heart treatments termed inodilators, Vetmedin® has been shown to significantly improve clinical signs and extend life expectancy in dogs with congestive heart failure originating from dilated cardiomyopathy or valvular insufficiency (mitral and/or tricuspid regurgitation). Vetmedin® works through two complementary modes of action: it opens up the blood vessels taking blood to and away from the heart, thereby lowering the pressure on the heart and reducing the work the heart has to do to pump blood around the dog’s body. At the same time, Vetmedin® has a direct effect on the heart muscle, helping it to beat stronger and pump blood more efficiently.
Metacam® is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is available as an oral suspension, tablets and injectable solution for dogs and as an oral suspension and injectable solution for cats. In dogs, the indications include the alleviation of inflammation and pain in both acute and chronic musculo-skeletal disorders, as well as the reduction of postoperative pain following surgery. In cats, the indications include the alleviation of inflammation and pain in acute and chronic musculo-skeletal disorders, as well as for alleviation of mild to moderate postoperative pain following surgical procedures. The variety of formulations offers veterinarians and owners the flexibility to use the formulations they prefer to manage the various levels of inflammation and pain associated with the licensed indications.
Prozinc® is an aqueous protamine zinc (PZI) suspension of recombinant human insulin that is used to reduce hyperglycaemia in cats with diabetes mellitus.
Semintra® is an angiotensin II antagonist which is approved for reduction of proteinuria associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats. Semintra® decreases mean arterial blood pressure and proteinuria and is available as an oral solution.
Pexion® is an alternative treatment for canine epilepsy. The active substances imepitoin primarily inhibits seizures via potentiation of GABAA-receptor-mediated inhibitory effects on neurons. Pexion® is approved for reduction of generalised seizures due to idiopathic epilepsy, and it has potential safety benefits over existing standard treatment.
Duramune® and Bronchishield® are vaccines designed to aid in the prevention of a wide spectrum of common infectious diseases in dogs. These diseases can be very serious and in some cases even fatal. Effective prevention including appropriate vaccination reduces the impact of these diseases on dogs.
| Indications | Brand Names | Active Ingredients | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congestive heart failure | Vetmedin® | pimobendan |
For the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy in the preclinical stage (asymptomatic with an increase in left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic diameter) in Doberman Pinschers following echocardiographic diagnosis of cardiac disease |
| Pain and inflammatory diseases | Metacam® | meloxicam |
In cats, Metacam® is used to reduce post-operative pain and inflammation after ovariohysterectomy (spay operation), orthopaedic and minor soft tissue surgery. Moreover, it is used for the alleviation of pain and inflammation in acute and chronic musculo-skeletal disorders. |
| Feline diabetes mellitus | Prozinc® |
protamine zinc recombinant human insulin |
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| Feline chronic kidney disease | Semintra® | telmisartan |  |
| Canine idiopathic epilepsy | Pexion® | imepitoin |  |
| Canine infectious diseases | Duramune® | inactivated and attenuated vaccine against canine distemper, canine adenovirus type 2, coronavirus, parainfluenzavirus, parvovirus, borrelia burgdorferi, leptospira canicola/grippotyphosa/ icterohaemorrhagiae/ pomona, bordetella bronchiseptica |
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