Epi4Dogs

Is there any known association between EPI and high cholesterol levels?

Rye, a Thai street dog, has been stable for a number of years now with Enzyme DIane. She weights 19 kg (up from 13 kg at her worse, before diagnosis) and is slightly overweight (which is deliberate). Her coprophagia (poop eating) has recently restarted, and her cholesterol level is now 485 mg/dL (normal range 110-320).

Her diet is pretty standard. High quality kibble. Vitamin B12 injections every 3 weeks.

Everything else in her blood tests was in normal range

I know I'm clutching at straws here, but really don't know what's happening. Any incites greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

i am sorry I dont have feed back on this but will ask

Good morning, here is an excerpt from Affinity Petcare:
"High cholesterol levels are less frequent in dogs than in human beings. Hyperlipidemia can be considered to be the equivalent of high cholesterol for dogs. Hyperlipidemia often derives from other underlying illnesses like diabetes, hypothyroidism, pancreatitis, liver diseases, obesity and diets that are high in fats."

There are breeds prone to hyperlipidemia: schnauzers, shetland sheepdogs and collies.

My Jack russell had pancreatitis and high cholesterol. I can find some relationship between low cholesterol and maldigestion and PLE.

Sometimes as the dogs age we need to increase enzyme by a pinch. Have you noticed undigested food in the poop?


Jill

Hi..... and thank you for asking the question.

Dog with EPI all have (to some degree) SID (small intestinal dysbiosis) whether or not we see the symptoms or not. If no symptoms are seen, no need to treat.
ALSO.... Dogs with EPI have an issue with their secondary bile acids.
And this may affect Cholesterol levels as "Cholesterol that is ingested or manufactured in the body is eliminated primarily by conversion to bile acids in the liver and excretion into the intestine with bile".

Research by Dr Suchodolski/Texas A&M Gastro Lab (see this page for the FULL research: https://epi4dogs.com/sid-sibo-microbiome-research/ titled "Dogs with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency have Dysbiosis and Abnormal Fecal Lactate and Bile Acid Concentrations") shows that EPI dogs have an issue with their bile acids (secondary bile acids) "Dogs with EPI had a higher Dysbiosis Index (median [min-max]: +3.08 [−7.29 to +7.62]) than healthy control dogs (−3.81 [−7.57 to +3.32]; P = 0.0232). Total fecal lactate concentrations were increased in dogs with EPI (3.44 mM [0.71–158.30 mM]) compared to healthy control dogs (1.14 mM [0.54–6.64 mM]; P = 0.0037). The proportion of secondary bile acid was lower in dogs with EPI (70% [6–96%]) compared to healthy control dogs (93% [12–97%]; P = 0.0431). There was no correlation between any measurements and duration of enzyme therapy".

Years ago, EPI dogs were given cholesterol (bile acid) sequestrants to help with the bile acids..... a drug that was used successfully years ago called Cholestramine (Questran)is one of these drugs... and nowadays it looks like they were on to something. Maybe ask your vet to look into this and see if this might be something you might want to try to assist with the elevated cholesterol.....................

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Olesia711 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2020, 09:59 Years ago, EPI dogs were given cholesterol (bile acid) sequestrants to help with the bile acids.....

Was this in the days before commercial enzymes were available, and so was part of a limited range of treatment options? And if not, why did people stop giving sequestrants?

Thanks

I don't know anything about the high cholesterol but OMG that's the cutest puppy!!!!