Fenofibrate treatment for severe hypertriglyceridemia in dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Cardiovascular Science
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Lipid disorders, including hypertriglyceridemia, are common in dogs and can be primary or secondary to other conditions.
• Fenofibrate is a human medication used to manage hypertriglyceridemia, but its efficacy and safety in dogs are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fenofibrate in controlling severe hypertriglyceridemia in dogs.
• To compare the effects of fenofibrate versus a low-fat diet on triglyceride and cholesterol levels in dogs.

Main Methods:

• A randomized study involving 124 dogs with severe hypertriglyceridemia (>300 mg/dL).
• Dogs were assigned to either a fenofibrate treatment group (10 mg/Kg daily) or a low-fat diet group (10% fat).
• Serum triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), liver enzymes, and creatine kinase were measured before and after one month of treatment.

Main Results:

• Fenofibrate significantly reduced triglyceride levels (P < 0.001), normalizing levels in 85.93% of dogs.
• The low-fat diet also reduced triglyceride levels (P < 0.001) but normalized them in only 26.6% of dogs.
• Both fenofibrate and the diet reduced total cholesterol, with normalization rates of 53.7% and 50%, respectively. Adverse effects were minimal (3% diarrhea).

Conclusions:

• Fenofibrate is a safe and effective treatment for reducing and normalizing severe hypertriglyceridemia in dogs, irrespective of the underlying cause.
• While a low-fat diet can reduce triglyceride levels, fenofibrate demonstrates superior efficacy in achieving normalization.
• This study provides the first evidence for the use of fibrates in treating severe hypertriglyceridemia in dogs.