Effects of a single subcutaneous dose of enoxaparin on veterinary viscoelastic coagulation monitor variables in healthy cats: Double blind, placebo controlled cross‐over trial

BACKGROUND: Cats placed on anticoagulant medication require frequent monitoring. The veterinary viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM‐Vet) could provide a convenient and cost‐effective monitoring, enabling therapeutic decision making. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Enoxaparin will lead to changes in VCM‐Vet variables and these will correlate with antiXa activity. ANIMALS: Twenty‐one healthy cats. METHODS: Cats were randomized to receive either enoxaparin (1 mg/kg) subcutaneously or 0.9% NaCl (equal volume) and crossed over with a 7‐day washout period. The investigators were blinded to group allocation until data analysis. Jugular blood samples were drawn at time 0, and 2, 4, and 8 hours after injection for VCM‐Vet analysis within 2 min of collection. Citrated plasma was frozen at −80°C for antiXa activity analysis. A Generalized Linear Model was completed to assess changes between baseline measurements and all time points. RESULTS: Significant differences between the enoxaparin‐treated cats and controls at for T0h and T2h were found and presented as mean ± SD for clotting time (enoxaparin, 593.4 ± 78.0 s; control, 448.5 ± 50.3 s, P < .001), clot formation time (enoxaparin, 183.1 ± 41.7 s; control, 155.4 ± 28.0 s, P = .001), and alpha angle (enoxaparin, 52.4 ± 6.1°; control, 56.9 ± 3.7 s, P = .003). AntiXa activity was significantly different between T0 and all other timepoints for the enoxaparin group (P < .001). There was no correlation between changes in clotting time and antiXa activity. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The VCM‐Vet detects a difference at 2 hours after single‐dose enoxaparin administration and it can be useful for anticoagulant therapy monitoring in cats.