The anesthetized ferret, an in vivo model for evaluating inotropic activity: effects of milrinone and anagrelide

The anesthetized ferret model is introduced as an in vivo acute model for evaluating inotropic effects of new cardiovascular compounds. The effects of anagrelide and milrinone were compared to vehicle. Validation was accomplished using intravenous isoproterenol, which elicited a dose-dependent inotropic response. This suggests that the anesthetized ferret model is both reproducible and dependable. Additionally, in vivo inotropic activity can be assessed on small amounts of compound in a relatively inexpensive species.