High Cholesterol in Cats
Hyperlipidemia in Cats
Hyperlipidemia is characterized by abnormally excessive amounts of fat, and/or fatty substances in the blood. Chylomicrons are micro particles of liquid fat, in the class of lipids, which include both triglycerides and cholesterol, and which are formed during the digestion of fats from food. After eating a meal, the nutrients in an animal’s body pass into the small intestine, from which chylomicrons are absorbed 30-60 minutes later. Normally, the absorption of chylomicrons increases serum triglycerides for 3-10 hours, but some animals will have high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels for more than twelve hours after a meal – one of the main indications of hyperlipidemia. The clear part of the blood, the serum, is referred to as being lipemic when it has levels of triglycerides measuring over 200 mg/dL. Sometimes, levels of triglycerides in an animal’s serum can be even greater than 1000 mg/dL, giving the serum a milky, opaque appearance. This is medically referred to as lactescence (literally, being milky).
- Symptoms and Types
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Living And Management
February 24, 2010 No Comments
