MDose · Veterinary drug reference
TIER2 TOPIC: HEPARINS (UNFRACTIONATED / DALTEPARIN / ENOXAPARIN)
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Source overview
Recorded excerpts for one species. Each dose remains a separate source entry; no regimen is selected.
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Pending clinical review (PROPOSED)Rule-based (RULE_BASED)— applies to the facts and dose entries in this species selection; individual source records retain their own status.
Indications2
Thromboembolic disease prophylaxis/treatment: feline ATE, PTE (dog); DIC (mini-dose — increasingly controversial, avoid with concurrent inflammation); LMWHs = at-home ATE prevention mainstay
DogCatExtra-label (EXTRA_LABEL)2 source records · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Thromboembolic disease prophylaxis/treatment: feline ATE, PTE (dog); DIC (mini-dose — increasingly controversial, avoid with concurrent inflammation); LMWHs = at-home ATE prevention mainstay — Extra-label (human drugs)
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Thromboembolic disease prophylaxis/treatment: feline ATE, PTE (dog); DIC (mini-dose — increasingly controversial, avoid with concurrent inflammation); LMWHs = at-home ATE prevention mainstay — Extra-label (human drugs)
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Dose regimens0
No dose regimens recorded for this species selection.
Adverse effects3
Bleeding — The class effect — UFH > LMWH
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) — Documented (immune); monitor platelets
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Injection-site reactions (LMWH) — Local
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Monitoring1
Clinical: aPTT (1.5–2.5× target) for UFH; anti-factor Xa 0.35–1 IU/mL for all when possible; platelets (HIT); bleeding signs — cats on LMWH q4–6h home protocols rely on clinical monitoring
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Monitoring Parameters · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Contraindications1
Severe thrombocytopenia, uncontrollable active bleeding, hypersensitivity/pork-protein (LMWH)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Precautions5
Renal impairment (LMWH accumulation); peri-operative timing; concurrent antiplatelets
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
The feline ATE era shift: UFH in-hospital → LMWH (dalteparin 180 U/kg q4–6h / enoxaparin) at home after the FAT CAT trial questioned warfarin+aspirin — LMWH is now the long-term ATE backbone, and cats need it far oftener than the human label says.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Protamine reverses UFH fully, LMWHs partially — know which molecule you're fighting.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
DIC mini-dose logic: heparin "spreads" antithrombin over ongoing consumption — controversial, and contraindicated-leaning when inflammation drives the DIC.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Bridge-and-release with warfarin: overlap until INR therapeutic ~5 days, then stop heparin (prevents warfarin-induced protein C dip early).
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Interactions3
Protamine — UFH reversal (1 mg per 100 units; partial for LMWHs)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Aspirin/NSAIDs/antiplatelets — Bleeding additive
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Warfarin — Deliberate bridge overlap then stop UFH when INR therapeutic
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pharmacokinetics3
Mechanism — Antithrombin-mediated inhibition of IIa (thrombin) + Xa — UFH ≈1:1 ratio; LMWHs anti-Xa-dominant (IIa-sparing → cleaner profile, less monitoring in theory)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
UFH — SC bioavailability ~50% (dog), short t½ → CRI/q8h + aPTT monitoring; protamine reverses
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
LMWH — Renal excretion; cats: much shorter anti-Xa duration than humans → q4–6h (not human once-daily); anti-Xa activity persists ~24 h
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pregnancy / lactation considerations1
Does not cross placenta (large molecule) — historically the pregnancy anticoagulant of choice.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 604–606 (UFH), p. 341–343 (dalteparin), p. 461–463 (enoxaparin) — Pregnancy & Lactation · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Literature references2
References are linked to this drug. Species applicability is not recorded here, so the species filter does not narrow this list. Imported dates do not retain their original precision; confirm dates in the original citation.
- Anticoagulant effects of low-molecular-weight heparins in healthy cats.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Anti-thrombotic efficacies of enoxaparin, dalteparin, and unfractionated heparin in venous thrombo-embolism.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
Sources: PubMed, National Library of Medicine; Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook. 7th ed. PharmaVet Inc; 2011.
Owner information handout
Plain-language medication information to review with the owner. Open the handout to print it or download a PDF.