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New heart disease drug offers hope for cats and humans
HCM is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in cats.

MYK-461 proven effective in a study of five cats

A new drug for treating heart disease offers hope for both cats and humans, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine.

Writing in the journal PLOS One, the team describes how the new drug - MYK-461 - proved effective in a study of five cats.  

Each cat had a naturally inherited form of inherited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is currently incurable and also affects humans.

“This is an exciting discovery for both animals and humans – an excellent representation of the One Health concept in action,” said Associate Professor Joshua Stern, chief of the Cardiology Service at the UC Davis veterinary hospital.

“The positive result in these five cats shows that MYK-461 is viable for use in cats as a possible option to halt or slow the progression of HCM.”

HCM is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in cats and causes the walls of the left ventricle to thicken. This decreases the effectiveness of the heart, making it harder to pump blood around the body.  

In humans, HCM affects 1 in 500 people in the UK. But most people with the disease show few, if any, symptoms.

In the study, researchers treated five cats suffering from HCM with MYK-461 and found that it eliminated obstruction in the left ventricle. The drug is the first of its kind and is unique in the way it addresses the functional changes seen in human and feline HCM.

“There has been little to no progress in advancing the treatment of HCM in humans or animals for many years,” added Professor Stern. “This study brings new hope for cats and people.”

UC Davis now hopes to conduct a clinical trial of the drug to see if MYK-461 could become the accepted protocol for care of cats with HCM. 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
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NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.