What it is
After a meal, fats from food travel in the blood until they are stored or used for energy, and within a few hours the level falls again. In hyperlipidaemia the fats stay high long after eating, or are high even when the dog has not eaten. A blood sample can then look milky instead of clear.
In some dogs it is inherited: their body clears fat from the blood slowly. In others the high level follows another illness, such as an underactive thyroid, diabetes, Cushing's disease or kidney disease. Age and excess weight can play a part too.
Day to day, the condition itself may go unnoticed, so pay attention to small things: vomiting after a meal, a hunched back that points to belly pain, or a change in how the eyes look.
Signs you may notice
- Vomiting after meals
- Diarrhoea
- Hunched with belly pain
- Sluggishness
- Milky patches in the eyes
- Seizures
For a long time the condition may cause no noticeable signs. Some dogs develop vomiting, diarrhoea, belly pain or sluggishness, and sometimes changes in the eyes or seizures.
When to see a vet
Book a visit if your dog has repeated bouts of vomiting, diarrhoea or belly pain, or you see milky changes in its eyes. A seizure, or severe belly pain with vomiting, needs a vet immediately.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.