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VETMEDIN® 
(pimobendan) or
Compounded
Medications - Clearing
Up Confusion

If your dog has a certain type of heart disease, your veterinarian may recommend a medication called VETMEDIN® (pimobendan). You might also hear about something called compounded medications. Let’s break it down so you can make the best choice for your dog.

dog and owner dog and owner

What Is VETMEDIN®?

  • VETMEDIN® (pimobendan) is a medication made just for dogs with certain heart conditions.
  • It is approved by the FDA, which means it has been tested to make sure it’s safe and effective in treating certain types of heart disease in dogs.
  • Every bottle of VETMEDIN® (pimobendan) delivers trusted, reliable results.
  • The packaging is also approved by the FDA and tested to make sure the product remains safe and effective.
  • It’s made with high standards of quality control, the same way every time so you know exactly what your dog is getting.

What Is Compounding?

Compounding for pets is used in these two common scenarios:

  1. Making a New Drug: In special circumstances, Pharmacies are allowed to source the primary ingredient in a medication and manufacture a new drug to accommodate a pet’s particular condition. They must follow FDA guidelines and it is primarily done when there is not an approved FDA medication available.
  2. Changing an Existing Drug: A veterinarian may ask a pharmacist to change an existing drug to meet a pet’s unique needs. The requested changes can vary from adjusting the flavor, removing ingredients due to allergies or intolerance or changing the administration method, like making a liquid instead of a pill.


Compounded drugs are not approved by the FDA, which means the FDA hasn’t tested them for safety or how well they work. That’s why vets and pharmacists must be very careful when using them.

When Should Compounded Medications Be Considered?

Compounded medications can be helpful, but only in specific cases:

  • When there is no commercial product available that fits your dog’s needs
  • If your dog is allergic to something in the approved and available medication(s)
  • If your dog needs a special dose or form that isn’t available in versions approved by the FDA

Important: Compounded medications are not approved by the FDA. That means:

  • They are not subject to the same testing and standards required of products approved by the FDA.
  • The strength and quality can be inconsistent from batch to batch
  • They should only be considered when no other option is available

The FDA also states that cost alone is not a valid reason to choose a compounded product over a commercial one.

Final Thoughts

While compounded medications can be useful in specific situations, VETMEDIN® (pimobendan) is a trusted and proven treatment for certain types of heart disease in dogs. It’s safe, reliable, and made just for your pet’s heart disease.

If you have questions about your dog’s medication, talk to your vet. They’ll help you choose what’s best for your special pet.

Important Safety Information

VETMEDIN® (pimobendan) Chewable Tablets and VETMEDIN® Solution (pimobendan oral solution) are for use only in dogs with clinical evidence of heart failure. The most common side effects reported in field studies were poor appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, dyspnea, azotemia, weakness, and ataxia. VETMEDIN® should not be given in case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic stenosis, or any other clinical condition where an augmentation of cardiac output is inappropriate for functional or anatomical reasons. 
For more information, please see full prescribing information for Solution or full prescribing information for Chewable Tablets.

VETMEDIN®-CA1 (pimobendan) are for use only in dogs with preclinical MMVD that have a moderate or loud mitral murmur due to mitral regurgitation and cardiomegaly (Stage B2 MMVD, 2019 ACVIM Consensus Statement1). VETMEDIN®-CA1 is conditionally approved by FDA pending a full demonstration of effectiveness under application number 141-556. A diagnosis of MMVD should be made by means of a comprehensive physical and cardiac examination, which should include radiography and echocardiography. The most common side effects seen in dogs with Stage B2 MMVD while taking VETMEDIN®-CA1 Chewable Tablets are cough, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and localized pain (such as in the neck or legs). Adverse reactions not related to disease progression in dogs receiving VETMEDIN®-CA1 included diarrhea, vomiting, pain, lameness, arthritis, urinary tract infection, and seizure.

For more information, please refer to the package insert.