OT - high triglycerides in dogs

Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are all
getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly checkup and
shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood panel on them,
which they recommend for older dogs, in case of indications of troubles. It
*seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed, but the results came back with some
crazy numbers.

Two of my dogs have crazy-high triglycerides! Normal for dogs is a max of
290, and Maggie's count was 950, and Merlin's was 1880! Those are not high,
they are off the charts. I've tried to do some research on the internet, but
it's hard to find any info. Most of the hits I get deal with *people* who
have high triglycerides, and how walking their dogs is part of their
therapy. What little I have found indicates that the dogs should be on a
very strict low-fat diet.

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

So I'm trying to decide what to do. Of course I should probably retest their
blood - but in the meantime? The vet says that, untreated, it can lead to
heart disease and severe pancreatic disease. I've fed them Nutro Natural
Choice Lamb and Rice for just about all their lives, and it's fat content
fits within the guidelines recommended for their condition (though at the
high end) and it has not kept them normal. I'm thinking about switching to
to Nutro Natural Choice Lite, which is even lower in fat, yet find myself
wondering if this is what is best for them. I searched the dog groups in
usenet but found nothing too useful there, and people who complained about
their dogs high triglycerides talked about their dogs having values in the
350-500 range. heck, I'd be happy if that was what my dogs had. :-)

--
Debbie

Debbie Cusick wrote:
|| Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are
|| all getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly
|| checkup and shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood
|| panel on them, which they recommend for older dogs, in case of
|| indications of troubles. It *seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed,
|| but the results came back with some crazy numbers.
||
|| Two of my dogs have crazy-high triglycerides! Normal for dogs is a
|| max of 290, and Maggie's count was 950, and Merlin's was 1880! Those
|| are not high, they are off the charts. I've tried to do some
|| research on the internet, but it's hard to find any info. Most of
|| the hits I get deal with *people* who have high triglycerides, and
|| how walking their dogs is part of their therapy. What little I have
|| found indicates that the dogs should be on a very strict low-fat
|| diet.
||

?? why should a dog be on a strict low-fat diet? I can see why exercise
would be important.

|| My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't
|| understand vet's love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact
|| that it is only sold through vet's offices, and they make a profit
|| on it). I've never liked the ingredients in Science Diet. They use
|| corn as their number one ingredient in all their products I've
|| looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that corn is a very
|| common allergen for dogs.

Try LC. They probalby already eat too many carbs.

||
|| So I'm trying to decide what to do. Of course I should probably
|| retest their blood - but in the meantime? The vet says that,
|| untreated, it can lead to heart disease and severe pancreatic
|| disease. I've fed them Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice for just
|| about all their lives, and it's fat content fits within the
|| guidelines recommended for their condition (though at the high end)
|| and it has not kept them normal. I'm thinking about switching to to
|| Nutro Natural Choice Lite, which is even lower in fat, yet find
|| myself wondering if this is what is best for them. I searched the
|| dog groups in usenet but found nothing too useful there, and people
|| who complained about their dogs high triglycerides talked about
|| their dogs having values in the 350-500 range. heck, I'd be happy if
|| that was what my dogs had. :-)

I don't see how rice is going to help them...and I don't see how low fat
will be particularly healthly for them since that usually means high carb.

Hi Debbie,

On 14-Sep-2004, "Debbie Cusick" wrote:

Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are
all getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly
checkup and shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood
panel on
them, which they recommend for older dogs, in case of indications of
troubles. It *seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed, but the
results came back
with some crazy numbers.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

Input "hypercholesterolemia". Most of what I found on the 'net
concerning high cholesterol in dogs had to do with hypothyroidism.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

Take care,
Carmen

I'm thinking the dogs should be doing lo-carb as well. No corn or rice
fillers. More fat, not less. If a lo-carb diet lowers triglycerides in
humans, why wouldn't it work for dogs too? Why not try feeding them meat,
fish, fowl, and eggs for a month or 2 and get them re-tested. Cost may be a
factor for you, but you may have to spend it on drugs later, which may be
even more than switching to a more expensive diet. Meals closer to their
natural ones certainly couldn't hurt them.
Tom
210/180/180
--------------------------------------------------------
"Debbie Cusick" wrote in message
news:sQK1d.18572$z_3.1347@trndny07...
Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are all
getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly checkup
and
shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood panel on them,
which they recommend for older dogs, in case of indications of troubles.
It
*seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed, but the results came back with
some
crazy numbers.

Two of my dogs have crazy-high triglycerides! Normal for dogs is a max of
290, and Maggie's count was 950, and Merlin's was 1880! Those are not
high,
they are off the charts. I've tried to do some research on the internet,
but
it's hard to find any info. Most of the hits I get deal with *people* who
have high triglycerides, and how walking their dogs is part of their
therapy. What little I have found indicates that the dogs should be on a
very strict low-fat diet.

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand
vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient
in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

So I'm trying to decide what to do. Of course I should probably retest
their
blood - but in the meantime? The vet says that, untreated, it can lead to
heart disease and severe pancreatic disease. I've fed them Nutro Natural
Choice Lamb and Rice for just about all their lives, and it's fat content
fits within the guidelines recommended for their condition (though at the
high end) and it has not kept them normal. I'm thinking about switching to
to Nutro Natural Choice Lite, which is even lower in fat, yet find myself
wondering if this is what is best for them. I searched the dog groups in
usenet but found nothing too useful there, and people who complained about
their dogs high triglycerides talked about their dogs having values in the
350-500 range. heck, I'd be happy if that was what my dogs had. :-)

--
Debbie

Carmen wrote:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

Input "hypercholesterolemia". Most of what I found on the 'net
concerning high cholesterol in dogs had to do with hypothyroidism.

Thanks for the Merck link. Great site. Oddly, neither dog had high
cholesterol as far as their overall number went, just the triglycerides,
which makes me wonder if the test was skewed in some way. Thyroid was also
checked, and both are normal there as well. My third dog, who *does* suffer
from hypothyroidism, and is on medication for it, has pefectly normal
triglyceride levels.

I never know what to think anymore. I posted a question on
rec.pets.dogs.health also, and everyone there is telling me that Science
Diet is an excellent thing for dogs, and almost no dogs are allergic to
corn, and it's an excellent food for them. Yet I've had many others tell me
the exact opposite. It's as bad as dietary advice in humans. :-)
--
Debbie

and everyone there is telling me that Science
Diet is an excellent thing for dogs, and almost no dogs are allergic to
corn, and it's an excellent food for them. Yet I've had many others tell me
the exact opposite. It's as bad as dietary advice in humans. :-)

Maybe every dog is different, just like humans? I really can't imagine how or
why rice and corn would be good for carnivores though. It just seems odd. But
I'm no expert.
LCing since 12/01/03-
Me- 5'7" 265/166/140
& hubby- 6' 310/188/180
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lcer09/my_photos

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand
vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient
in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

Science Diet, Eukanuba, and those other expensive dog foods are formulated
to be easier on the dog's intestines while producing less waste products.
My dog was on the one that is mainly rice and chicken because that was
easier on her liver and kidneys as she got older. Do you know if your dogs
are allergic to corn? If not, what's the worry?

Try the Science Diet for a short time and see how your dogs adapt to it.
BTW: did he recommend the canned or the dry?

Pat in TX

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand
vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient
in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

Science Diet, Eukanuba, and those other expensive dog foods are formulated
to be easier on the dog's intestines while producing less waste products.
My dog was on the one that is mainly rice and chicken because that was
easier on her liver and kidneys as she got older. Do you know if your dogs
are allergic to corn? If not, what's the worry?

Try the Science Diet for a short time and see how your dogs adapt to it.
BTW: did he recommend the canned or the dry?

Pat in TX

get 'em off dry food if they're on it. dogs would never hunt down a rice
paddy or corn stalk in a natural environment.

--
Peace,
Pen
--
Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats!
http://www.pawbreakers.com


"Debbie Cusick" wrote in message
news:sQK1d.18572$z_3.1347@trndny07...
Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are all
getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly checkup
and
shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood panel on them,
which they recommend for older dogs, in case of indications of troubles.
It
*seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed, but the results came back with
some
crazy numbers.

Two of my dogs have crazy-high triglycerides! Normal for dogs is a max of
290, and Maggie's count was 950, and Merlin's was 1880! Those are not
high,
they are off the charts. I've tried to do some research on the internet,
but
it's hard to find any info. Most of the hits I get deal with *people* who
have high triglycerides, and how walking their dogs is part of their
therapy. What little I have found indicates that the dogs should be on a
very strict low-fat diet.

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand
vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient
in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

So I'm trying to decide what to do. Of course I should probably retest
their
blood - but in the meantime? The vet says that, untreated, it can lead to
heart disease and severe pancreatic disease. I've fed them Nutro Natural
Choice Lamb and Rice for just about all their lives, and it's fat content
fits within the guidelines recommended for their condition (though at the
high end) and it has not kept them normal. I'm thinking about switching to
to Nutro Natural Choice Lite, which is even lower in fat, yet find myself
wondering if this is what is best for them. I searched the dog groups in
usenet but found nothing too useful there, and people who complained about
their dogs high triglycerides talked about their dogs having values in the
350-500 range. heck, I'd be happy if that was what my dogs had. :-)

--
Debbie

get 'em off dry food if they're on it. dogs would never hunt down a rice
paddy or corn stalk in a natural environment.

--
Peace,
Pen
--
Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats!
http://www.pawbreakers.com


"Debbie Cusick" wrote in message
news:sQK1d.18572$z_3.1347@trndny07...
Has anyone ever had any experience with the above? My three dogs are all
getting older, and they were at the vet's for a standard yearly checkup
and
shots in August - and the vet recommended we run a blood panel on them,
which they recommend for older dogs, in case of indications of troubles.
It
*seemed* like a good idea, and I agreed, but the results came back with
some
crazy numbers.

Two of my dogs have crazy-high triglycerides! Normal for dogs is a max of
290, and Maggie's count was 950, and Merlin's was 1880! Those are not
high,
they are off the charts. I've tried to do some research on the internet,
but
it's hard to find any info. Most of the hits I get deal with *people* who
have high triglycerides, and how walking their dogs is part of their
therapy. What little I have found indicates that the dogs should be on a
very strict low-fat diet.

My vet suggests I put them on Science Diet i/d, but I don't understand
vet's
love affair with Science Diet (other than the fact that it is only sold
through vet's offices, and they make a profit on it). I've never liked the
ingredients in Science Diet. They use corn as their number one ingredient
in
all their products I've looked at (including the i/d) and I've read that
corn is a very common allergen for dogs.

So I'm trying to decide what to do. Of course I should probably retest
their
blood - but in the meantime? The vet says that, untreated, it can lead to
heart disease and severe pancreatic disease. I've fed them Nutro Natural
Choice Lamb and Rice for just about all their lives, and it's fat content
fits within the guidelines recommended for their condition (though at the
high end) and it has not kept them normal. I'm thinking about switching to
to Nutro Natural Choice Lite, which is even lower in fat, yet find myself
wondering if this is what is best for them. I searched the dog groups in
usenet but found nothing too useful there, and people who complained about
their dogs high triglycerides talked about their dogs having values in the
350-500 range. heck, I'd be happy if that was what my dogs had. :-)

--
Debbie