Summary
1. The problem of different hemostatic response of dogs to an injected standard dose
(300 u/kg) of heparin was studied, trying to detect differences in the metabolism
of this mucopolysaccharide.
2. The rate of disappearance of heparin from circulation seems to be the same in either
heparin-labile or heparin-resistant dogs, as measured by clotting time determinations
in whole blood and microelectrophoresis densitometry, after heparin extraction.
3. A difference in the renal excretion of heparin was found between HL and HR dogs.
These dogs eliminate a larger amount of heparin than the others in the first 30 min
after injection. This difference is significant for p < 0.02.
4. Chemical analyses were done trying to detect a heparin depot in kidneys, lungs,
hind limb skin, heart, aorta, vena cava and femoral vessels. Heparin was not detected
in these tissues.
5. There is not a different protein binding of heparin between HR and HL dogs, as
judged by microelectrophoresis of whole plasma concentrated by lyophilization.
