Canine hyperlipidemia

Canine Hyperlipidemia

Canine Hyperlipidemia can be a confusing condition and difficult to understand. Compounded on top of this there is limited information available explaining the condition in canines, even in Miniature Schnauzers were it occurs very frequently. It can be a serious, if not a life threatening condition and must be addressed by your vet. I will be giving basic information to enable you to approach your vet and discuss hyperlipidemia and to ask questions, especially as it may pertain to a diabetic dog.

Since Miniature Schnauzers are predisposed to hyperlipidemia (and since Tyler is also a MS) my focus will be directed toward Miniature Schnauzers. However, any breed of dog or cat can acquire certain types of hyperlipidemia. It is an important factor to consider and deal with when other diseases are present. With Tyler it has effected his diabetes regulation, has caused additional eye problems and other problems for him. I will discuss these problems at the end of this article.

Hyperlipidemia is a condition in which the amount of fats (lipids) in the blood are elevated. This includes both triglycerides and cholesterol being too high . Hyperlipidemia occurs normally for a short time after a meal, then returns to the correct level. However, some dogs have a metabolic problem which prevents the proper cleaning of the fat from the blood stream, resulting in the high lipids. To be clear, there are two other separate conditions; hypertriglycerides (high triglycerides only) and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol only). These conditions are not discussed here.

Hyperlipidemia either results from a genetic (primary) defect in lipoprotein metabolism or is an acquired disorder that develops secondary to another disease where lipid metabolism is significantly altered (example: diabetes mellitus)

Miniature Schnauzers and Hyperlipidemia

Mini Schnauzers are predisposed to genetic (primary) hyperlipidemia. It is also referred to as idiopathic hyperlipidemia, which means the high triglycerides and cholesterol are from an unknown cause. Typically it affects Miniature Schnauzers over 4 years of age.

Hyperlipidemia can also occur as a result of, secondary to another disease:

	Diabetes Mellitus (postprandial-occurring after a meal)
	Hypothyroidism
	Cushings
	Liver Disease (in Miniature Schnauzers Liver shuts are also common)
	Nephrotic Syndrome (kidney disorder)

In a hyperlipidemic Miniature Schnauzer, it may be the root cause of secondary problems to develop-such as diabetes (because of the obesity factor). Diabetes is also a very common problem in Miniature Schnauzers.

Risk Factors for Hyperlipidemia:

	Obesity
	High dietary intake of fats
	Genetic predisposition to the condition

Some Complications from Hyperlipidemia:

	Ophthalmic Problems (an example would be fat (lipid) deposits in the eye)
	Seizures
	Heart disease
	Pancreatitis (often being acute)

Diagnosis

A diagnosis can be confirmed by doing a simple blood test on a dog that has fasted for 12 hours. A test called the Chylomicron test is performed. Blood is drawn, and is allowed to stand undisturbed for 6 to 10 hours under refrigeration. Chylomicrons are the largest and least dense lipoprotein particles and are mostly responsible for the transport of dietary fat (triglycerides) from the intestine. If Chylomicrons are present they will float to the surface of the sample and form a creamy layer.

Treatment

Hyperlipidemia can sometimes be managed through a low fat diet and sometimes by medications. The low fat diet should contain 8-12% fat (or lower). However, from the Miniature Schnauzer owners I have spoken with, the diet issue is really by trial and error. What works for one dog doesn't always work for another. I have also been told some dogs even when on a very low fat commercial diet, still have high lipids any way. I have found this true with Tyler also. The fat content of his diet didn't always seem to be the only important factor with Tyler. I will discuss this below.

The goal is for the triglyceride level to be less than 500 mg/dl and cholesterol level less than 300 mg/dl with little or no weight loss. If these goals are reached the diet becomes the diet for the dog's life. A triglyceride level exceeding 1000mg/dl puts the dog at extreme risk, especially of developing acute Pancreatitis.

Diabetics and Hyperlipidemia

Diabetic Miniature Schnauzers are notoriously some of the most difficult to regulate. Since you now have a knowledge about hyperlipidemia, you can probably see it can be a complication with regulation. In a diabetic, especially one that is prone to pancreatitis, the pancreas may not be producing digestive enzymes in a normal manner. The digestive enzyme producing ability of the pancreas is of extra concern in a dog that also has hyperlipidemia.

The pancreas produces a number of enzymes involved in the breakdown of fat. In his book, Dr. Pitcairn recommends that one of the diet goals for a diabetic is to relieve stress on the pancreas. This includes strict avoidance of foods that contain sugar, but also a low fat intake.

So take a hyperlipidemic Miniature Schnauzer who is also a diabetic. The fat metabolism and diet concerns should be very important-if not more important than in a "normal" diabetic dog.

Tyler's Experience with Hyperlipidemia

Tyler has been overweight since he was around 4. The one vet he had most of his life always said he was overweight and also remarked that Miniature Schnauzers have "digestive problems". He never explained what this meant and I thought it meant their stomachs were easily upset. I never heard the term hyperlipidemia until Tyler was 7, last year to be exact, when I heard other owners on the Hoflin Miniature Schnauzer List discussing it. From other owners I learned how common the condition was. Tyler was already on a reduced fat dog food (12%) but it was difficult to get him to lose weight. I now know Tyler should have had blood work done when he was younger to test for hyperlipidemia. I strongly believe had his hyperlipidemia been addressed earlier, his diabetes may not have occurred, at least not as early as it did at age 6, but we will never know for sure.

As you've read in Tyler's Story, we had some nasty problems that side tracked getting him regulated on his insulin. His insulin requirements have fluctuated a lot. Over the last 2 years we have actually reduced his insulin more than increased it. As we found more appropriate foods for his hyperlipidemia the better diabetes control we have achieved and the more stable his insulin requirements have been.

We have also found when Tyler was on a recommend diabetic dog food (which was also low fat) he did badly on it both in terms of his diabetes regulation and other conditions. Tyler's Schnauzer Bumps got very bad. The bumps got so bad he would go directly out to our gravel driveway and roll on his back-which he had never done before and hasn't done it since stopping the food. He also developed black dandruff which goes along with the Schnauzer Bumps. Adding supplements didn't seem to help and actually produced loose stools. So I wasn't too unhappy when Tyler refused to eat the food after a month. If you're unaware of what Schnauzer Bumps are there is a link at the end of this article which explains the skin condition.

Tyler also has developed an enlarged or "puffy" chest area. Tyler has a heart murmur so I'm always aware and looking at his chest. Tyler's present vet has told me (and I have also seen it on other MS's) they have a "puffy" looking chest area. However, since putting Tyler on Dr. Pitcairn's Weightloss diet (in March 99) this puffiness has gone down substantially. So it was probably either fat or fluid.

Tyler developed a fatty tumor in his abdomen area a few years back. His vet keeps an eye on it, in case it does gets bigger and causes complications. As Tyler gains and loses weight it appears to get bigger and smaller. Fatty (or lipid) granulomas in the abdominal area are a common physical finding in hyperlipidemia.

The most pressing concern for us is the fat (lipid) deposits in his eyes. These deposits are occurring separate from his cataracts. On Tyler's first eyevet appointment he did have fat deposits, however they were not visible just by looking at his eyes. His eyevet had advised us if cataract surgery had been possible, Tyler's eyes would have white splotches in them because the fat deposits would be visible and there was no way to dissolve them. We would also have had to do a series of triglyceride studies, to see if the fat deposits would get worse, this would have effected the success of surgery and complications after. The fat deposits put him at risk for retinal detachments and primary glaucoma (from the bulging of the eye).

In Feb-March 99 we noticed a white streak in Tyler's left eye. Hoping it was just the cataract changing, but knowing deep down it was probably the fat deposits showing, we took Tyler for his 6 month eyevet check. His eyevet confirmed the fat deposits were getting worse. In fact he was surprised the pressure in his eyes were still ok and the inflammation/glaucoma was still under control. His eyevet also made the remark if the fat was that bad in his eyes it was bad throughout his body. I knew this was true. At the time (and for the last 6 months or so) Tyler had been on a low fat (8%) no preservative, all natural dog food, no sugar salt or yeast added. However, Tyler's system was still metabolizing fat from some ingredient in his food. Nothing can be done to reduce the fat deposits in his eyes, only stop the progression of more to develop.

Soon after his eyevet appointment, Tyler developed colitis. It turned out to be a blessing for him and us. We put him on Dr. Pitcarin's Weightloss diet. Since then we've been able to reduce his insulin requirement by 2 units per day. Tyler is more alert, playful, and has an overall positive attitude. He also had blood work done in April 99 and even though he had only been on the diet a few weeks, his blood levels were noticeably better. We are redoing blood work in 6 months. As for the fat deposits in his eyes, his eyevet had said there wasn't any way to dissolve them. Looking at Tyler's eyes the splotches don't look any worse if anything they don't look as prominent to me. So far we also haven't had any problems or flare ups of his Schnauzer Bumps either-in fact I don't feel any bumps at all.

I'm not a animal nutritionist and do not claim to be knowledgeable in vet medicine; so the reasons Dr. Pitcairn's diet seems to be working with Tyler is solely my opinion.

The diet is homemade without any preservatives added. We have run the gambit with diets with him. The diets have all been between 8-12% fat, however the ones that had preservatives in them Tyler seemed to do worse on. Dr. Pitcairn's diet is higher in quality protein, vitamins and minerals and there is nothing lost during processing. I buy the leanest meats and poultry and prepare it without adding any fats.

One of the ingredients in Dr. Pitcairn's Healthy Powder is lecithin granules. According to his book "for linoleic acid, choline and inositol, which help your animal emulsify and absorb fats, improving the condition of its coat and digestion". In studies done on humans, lecithin has been found to effectively lower cholesterol. It has also been found in other studies to reduce the insulin requirement in human diabetics.

Hopefully Tyler's hyperlipidemia can continue to be controlled through diet. Dr. Hamlin at Ohio State Vet. Hospital has used the medication Lopid (chemical name gemfibrozil) on eligible Miniature Schnauzers with some success. However, in humans there have been side effects reported including stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, headache and muscle weakness. Also for a diabetic there maybe extra consideration, especially in the effect it may have on their liver and kidneys. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil has also been used as a treatment, however check with your vet before making any changes in your dogs diet.

References

The 5 Minute Veterinary Consult, Larry Patrick Tilley, DVM ; Francis W.K. Smith, Jr.,DVM; A. Christine MacMurray, MA 1997 Williams & Wilkins

Pocket Companion to the 4th Edition of the Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Stephen J. Ettinger, DVM 1995 W.B. Saunders Company

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM., & Susan Hubble Pitcairn, 1995 Rodale Press Inc

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Book of Dogs ; A Complete Medical Reference Guide for Dogs and Puppies, by the Faculty and Staff School of Veterinary Medicine Of UC Davis of California, Edited by Mordecai Siegal, 1995 Haper Collins Publishers

Canine Heart Disease-Pishka This is an article that appeared in Dog Fancy about a Miniature Schnauzer that had hyperlipidemia and also was diabetic, who died from a heart attack.
The Perfect Pet-Miniature Schnauzer Breed Profile-mentions hyperlipidemia predisposing them to diabetes and pancreatitis
Hyperlipidemia-Acquired (human info) Info on hyperlipidemia in humans-will give you a good understanding of the complications that can occur with dogs also
High Cholesterol-Hyperlipidemia Human info
Canadian Diabetes-Macrovascular Complications of Diabetes Mellitus Information on risk factors of diabetes (human) specifically explains the risk factors of hyperlipidemia
Health Benefits of Lecithin Benefits as seen in humans
Research on Lecithin Research done on humans
Lecithin-Slow Down the Aging Process Information of benefits for humans
Lecithin Facts and information for humans
Drug Info Net Doctor's FAQ on Lopid
Drug Info Net FAQ on Triglycerides-also talks about Diabetes developing
Lopid Info on the drug in humans