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Li Comparative Platelet & Neutrophil Physiology Laboratory

Clopidogrel Resistance in Cats

What is clopidogrel?

Clopidogrel or Plavix is an antiplatelet drug commonly prescribed to cats with heart disease or other conditions like cancer when your cat is predisposed to clot formation. It works by inhibiting platelets to bind to one another. The most common dose prescribed in cats is 18.75 mg, which is one quarter of a 75 mg tablet. Your veterinarian may prescribe a compounded version which may come in flavored liquid or tablet.

  • Clopidogrel is generally safe
  • Adverse effects are minor in cats, which include minor bleeding in gums and bruising and blood in urine
  • Bleeding risk increases when clopidogrel is combined with other blood thinners
  • Clopidogrel when crushed is very bitter. However, putting the split tablets in gel capsules can help a lot.

Clopidogrel resistance in cats

  • While this drug is usually effective in preventing blood clot formation, some cats are resistant to this medication
  • A mutation in a gene P2RY1 can cause this drug to be less effective
  • Cats positive for this mutation may benefit from altered drug dosing, selection of a different blood thinner or addition of a blood thinner. Any changes to your cat’s blood thinning therapy should only be made by your veterinarian.

Help us uncover the phenotypic diversity linked to P2RY1 mutation in cats

Study Purpose

  •  Research in affected cats showed that individuals with a variant of the P2Y1 gene, the P2RY1:A236G variant, had decreased drug response. However, this mutation occurs in another platelet receptor that is not directly targeted by clopidogrel, which suggests that cats with this variant have clopidogrel resistance from other pathways
  • Our goal is to determine the effects of this mutation in cats on platelet function so that new treatments can be found to improve patient outcome.

Who can participate?

  • If your cat is > 1 year of age and not on any medications except flea and tick preventative
  • No history of diseases

Study design

  • All participants will receive a at-home cheek swab kit for free genetic testing
  • Depending on your cats’ genetic makeup, you and your cat may be invited for further testing. This will involve blood tests (platelet testing and blood count) and heart scan (all free of charge)