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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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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
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Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.