Gavin has high cholesterol

Cindy

Cindy

Premium Member
So the vet left me a VM. he is running around 420 whereas high starts at 320. He was fasted, but non fasted values from 10 months ago were similar. All other values were good. She mentioned shelties can have high cholesterol.... she didn't seem concerned but offered an ultrasound if I wanted.
 
Asta had this problem too, and when she was at the emergency vet hospital on her last day of life they incidentally found she had a mucocele. That was not her problem then though. She had a high cholesterol reading all her life. There may be a connection.
 
The sheltie we had when I was younger had high cholesterol. Vet took a blood sample - showed it to mom. Poor Sarah - don't think she was all too happy with the diet changes - no cheese, limited human food (mom and dad still snuck snacks). She was diagnosed at a very young age and lived a very long, happy life. I didn't know shelties were susceptible to it, I always assumed it was all the human food mom and dad gave her.
 
Gavin doesn't get people food. I rarely give treats, but he has been on a lot of supplements....
 
If I remember rightly, this issue has been raised in relation to the dog pancreatitis - can't remember if it's in the FB group or Tully's specialist.

I assume you had a full panel to check liver, kidney, diabetes, pancreas? There is another more precise blood test, that you'd need to send away for, that would show if he has underlying chronic pancreatitis. Given the meds he has been on and his age it could be. I'm just trying to dig up Tully's bloods. She had to go on a very low fat diet to deal with it.

UPDATE - Tully's chol was high and triglycerides even higher. Diagnosis was hyperlipidemia possibly due to chronic pancreatitis. It has dropped since she's been on pred and RC Gastro Low Fat. Just OT - her most recent tests showed very low serum glucose. I'm surprised the IMS didn't tell me, no wonder she had no energy!
 
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triglycerides were normal, which is why i am guessing she’s not worried. no mention of low fat foods. again she did offer ultrasound. i have high cholesterol so maybe i am less concerned?

I am getting copies of his previous test in May as well as this one so I can compare. I have his tests from his surgeries...some were high some were normal.

Apparently Shelties are one of the breeds more likely to have hyperlipedimia. would explain all his lipomas.... Pancreatitis is one of the possibilities as well.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20060988
 
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So interesting to see this post. As I’ve just gotten Jax’s latest blood results today and was researching shelties and cholesterol levels.

Jax has elevated cholesterol as well. He is 4. His Triglycerides are normal. All other blood work normal other than an extremely high TgAA level indicating autoimmune thyroiditis. He is on thyroid meds and his TgAA level is slowly coming down. From 136% when we found it, now to 86% and along with the thyroid meds and a low fat diet his cholesterol level has come down from 409 to 332 (top of range was 324).
I’ve been wondering if it was breed related or thyroid related. Maybe both?

My senior half sheltie (with epilepsy) had very elevated triglycerides (normal cholesterol levels) that only low fat food corrected. Interestingly she also is on medication for hypothyroidism.
 
Thyroid issues can lead to increased cholesterol.....Gavin has no signs of thyroid issues though.
I will monitor and take him back in 6 months and see.
I will try lower fat food and limiting his supplements (about half of them are chewies).
 
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