Just like humans, dogs can have high cholesterol, but the reasons for the formation of cholesterol and its consequences are different for dogs and humans.
If your pet has high cholesterol, watch his diet, but treat the disease that is causing it.
If you find out that your dog has high cholesterol, you should first ask yourself if your pet has any hidden health problems.
The miniature Schnauzer, Doberman, and Rottweiler have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, but there are always exceptions to the rule.
Symptoms
Unlike humans, dogs with high cholesterol rarely suffer from circulatory problems or have strokes. In most cases, dogs will have no symptoms, or if they do have symptoms, the cause will be a disease that raises cholesterol levels. The exception to this is pancreatitis.
Elevated cholesterol is a risk factor for developing an animal disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. In many cases, this can mean that the pet has no appetite or vomits and has diarrhea, dehydration, or fever, but in some cases, it can lead to circulatory collapse and even death.
What causes it?
As with humans, high cholesterol levels in dogs can be controlled with diet.
Veterinarians say they have sometimes encountered extreme cases of dogs with high cholesterol. For example, they once tested a cat that its owners fed a lot of cheese and butter. The results of the blood test were frightening.
Diseases that cause high cholesterol
– Hypothyroidism (inactive thyroid gland)
– Diabetes
– Cushing’s disease
– Liver disease
– Bladder obstruction
– Genetic predispositions
– In breeds with genetic predispositions, owners should not feed pets with fatty foods, such as sausages.
Diagnosis and treatment
It is most commonly diagnosed by testing a dog’s blood. Unlike humans, cholesterol-lowering drugs are not used in dogs. It is more effective to treat the disease that causes high cholesterol.
Prevention
If your pet is normally healthy and suddenly has elevated cholesterol, consider the food you give him. It’s easy to forget that the sausage or hamburger you give your dog is too big for his size. It’s a good idea to think about what kind of food you give your pet because chicken skin or whole milk really has a lot of fat.
