Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How low-dose aspirin affects platelet function in healthy dogs
By Dudley, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Cyclooxygenase expression and platelet function in healthy dogs receiving low-dose aspirin.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study involving 24 healthy dogs found that low-dose aspirin can help prevent blood clots by affecting how platelets function. After 10 days of treatment, about one-third of the dogs showed a significant response to the aspirin, meaning their platelets were less likely to clump together. The treatment increased certain markers in the platelets, indicating that aspirin was working for those dogs. However, the study also showed that some dogs did not respond to the aspirin as expected, and the reasons for this variability remain unclear.
People also search for: dog blood clot prevention · low-dose aspirin for dogs · why is my dog not responding to aspirin
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Low-dose aspirin is used to prevent thromboembolic complications in dogs, but some animals are nonresponsive to the antiplatelet effects of aspirin ("aspirin resistance"). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: That low-dose aspirin would inhibit platelet function, decrease thromboxane synthesis, and alter platelet cyclooxygenase (COX) expression. ANIMALS: Twenty-four healthy dogs. METHODS: A repeated measures study. Platelet function (PFA-100 closure time, collagen/epinephrine), platelet COX-1 and COX-2 expression, and urine 11-dehydro-thromboxane B(2) (11-dTXB(2)) were evaluated before and during aspirin administration (1 mg/kg Q24 hours PO, 10 days). Based on prolongation of closure times after aspirin administration, dogs were divided into categories according to aspirin responsiveness: responders, nonresponders, and inconsistent responders. RESULTS: Low-dose aspirin increased closure times significantly (62% by Day 10, P < .001), with an equal distribution among aspirin responsiveness categories, 8 dogs per group. Platelet COX-1 mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) increased significantly during treatment, 13% on Day 3 (range, -29.7-136.1%) (P = .047) and 72% on Day 10 (range, -0.37-210%) (P < .001). Platelet COX-2 MFI increased significantly by 34% (range, -29.2-270%) on Day 3 (P = .003) and 74% (range, -19.7-226%) on Day 10 (P < .001). Urinary 11-dTXB(2) concentrations significantly (P = .005, P < .001) decreased at both time points. There was no difference between aspirin responsiveness and either platelet COX expression or thromboxane production. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Low-dose aspirin consistently inhibits platelet function in approximately one-third of healthy dogs, despite decreased thromboxane synthesis and increased platelet COX expression in most dogs. COX isoform expression before treatment did not predict aspirin resistance.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23278865/