INVESTIGATIONS INTO HYPERLIPIDEMIA AND ITS POSSIBLE ...

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hyperlipidemia (e.g., Miniature Schnauzers and Shetland Sheepdogs), and
hyperlipidemia has been implicated as a cause of gallbladder disease in humans. 120-122 In
a recent study, an association between gallbladder mucocele formation and
dyslipidemias (hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia) was described in
Shetland Sheepdogs. 121 In this study, many of the dogs with a gallbladder mucocele had
no clinical signs or biochemical abnormalities, except for an increased serum ALP
activity in some cases. 121
Although asymptomatic in many dogs, both vacuolar
hepatopathy and gallbladder mucocele can be associated with significant morbidity and
even mortality.
In a recent study, idiopathic hypertriglyceridemia (especially ≥ 400 mg/dL) was
found to be associated with increased serum hepatic enzyme activities in healthy
Miniature Schnauzers. 123 In that study, 60% and 45% of the Miniature Schnauzers with
serum triglyceride concentrations ≥ 400 mg/dL had increased serum ALP and ALT
activities, respectively. In contrast, 0% and 9% of the Miniature Schnauzers with normal
serum triglyceride concentrations had increased ALP and ALT activities, respectively.
Whether or not such cases require additional diagnostic investigation of the cause of the
liver disease remains to be determined. Given the fact that in this particular study most
dogs had increases in more than 1 serum liver enzyme activity that were considered
significant (i.e., > 2 times the upper limit of the reference range), additional diagnostic
work-up and/or retesting would appear to be appropriate.