Also sold as Plavix
This drug does have veterinary uses, but the product and the amount have to be chosen by a vet who knows your dog. There is no at-home dose.
Clopidogrel stops platelets clumping, and it does have veterinary uses. The hazard after an unplanned dose is bleeding that is hard to see: bruising, blood in urine or stool, pale gums, or a bleed that will not stop after a minor injury. Because those signs can be delayed and internal, this is not something to judge by how the dog looks in the first hour. Keep the packet or prescription bottle: the strength and the number missing are what make the advice specific.
Educational reference. Not individualized veterinary advice.(more)
See this page's cited references for supporting information and our Sources page for the reference organizations we use. Citations do not imply that those organizations reviewed or endorsed DogSafe.
Part of Heart and blood-pressure medication on our medication safety hub.
Part of our guide to Dog Ate a Blood Thinner: Warfarin, Apixaban, Rivaroxaban or Clopidogrel.
Do not wait for symptoms and do not wait until you have filled in the form below. Call first, then use the checklist while you are on the phone.
Available 24/7. A consultation fee may apply.
Exposure details to have ready
These are the questions a veterinarian or poison-control operator will ask. Fill in what you know and leave the rest blank. This tool does not estimate a dose or a risk score: medication risk depends on the exact ingredient, strength, and formulation, so the assessment has to come from the clinician on the call.
- Keep the package, blister pack, or prescription bottle. The strength and the full ingredient list are what make the advice specific.
- Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian or poison-control professional tells you to. It is the wrong move for several medications and can cause harm on its own.
- Do not give milk, food, salt, hydrogen peroxide, or any home remedy on your own.
- Do not give a second dose of anything to make up for one you think was missed.
- Count what is left in the packet, so the number missing can be worked out.
Your exposure summary
Read this down the phone or paste it into a message to your vet. It stays on your device; nothing here is sent to DogSafe.
Why Clopidogrel needs caution
Clopidogrel stops platelets clumping, and it does have veterinary uses. The hazard after an unplanned dose is bleeding that is hard to see: bruising, blood in urine or stool, pale gums, or a bleed that will not stop after a minor injury. Because those signs can be delayed and internal, this is not something to judge by how the dog looks in the first hour.
Part of the Human Medicine Exposures guide
For related dog-safety questions and product-by-product answers, see the complete human medicine exposures guide.
Signs to watch for
Sedation, wobbliness, weakness, vomiting, slowed or labored breathing, or a heart rate that seems unusually fast or slow
Related items
Check the exact item or ingredient before assuming two similar exposures carry the same risk.
What to do next
Move the container out of reach, count what is missing, note the strength and the time, and call with the packet in front of you.
🚨Step-by-step: what to do in the first 10 minutes →Available 24/7. A consultation fee may apply.
My dog got into clopidogrel: what matters first
Two different questions bring people here: whether a vet may prescribe clopidogrel to a dog, and what to do when a dog has swallowed some. The answers are not the same, so this page keeps them apart.
1. Start with the exact item
Clopidogrel stops platelets clumping, and it does have veterinary uses. The hazard after an unplanned dose is bleeding that is hard to see: bruising, blood in urine or stool, pale gums, or a bleed that will not stop after a minor injury. Because those signs can be delayed and internal, this is not something to judge by how the dog looks in the first hour. Browse the complete human medicine exposures guide →
2. Check the details that change the answer
Record the amount, time, dog weight, and any missing packaging or plant parts. A clear label or photo prevents a look-alike from driving the decision. What to do in the first 10 minutes →
3. Use related pages before making assumptions
Nearby products and look-alikes can have different ingredients or hazards. Use the linked cluster pages to identify the closest exact match instead of treating every exposure as the same. Open a closely related item page →
FAQ
There is no at-home dose for this drug, including where a vet has prescribed it before. The right amount depends on your dog's weight, the exact product, and what else your dog takes, and it has to be set by a vet who knows the case.
Prevent any further access and call for advice. Do not give a dose of your own, and do not induce vomiting unless a veterinary professional directs you to.
Call for any exposure that was not the dose your vet set, for a chewed container, or for sedation, weakness, unsteadiness, vomiting, or changes in breathing or heart rate.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — poisonings from human prescription drugs
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — medication hazards in pets
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Poisonings from human prescription drugs
- Pet Poison Helpline: Top 10 human medications poisonous to pets
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control