HYPERLIPEMIA IN 9 MINIATURE HORSES AND MINIATURE DONKEYS

The medical records from 9 consecutive miniature horses (n = 5) and mi niature donkeys (n = 4) with hyperlipemia (serum triglyceride concentr ation > 500 mg/dL) were reviewed. In all cases, hyperlipemia was a sec ondary complication of a primary systemic disease including septicemia , colitis, parasitism, esophageal obstruction, gastric impaction and r upture, fecalith, and pituitary adenoma. Therapy consisted of specific treatment for the primary disease, supportive care, and nutritional s upport. The mean time for resolution of hyperlipemia in cases requirin g nutritional support (n = 6) was 7 days, and the duration of nutritio nal support in surviving patients was 11.7 days. Seven of 9 patients s urvived. The primary disease resulted in death in 2 patients. Enteral feeding with commercially prepared low residue diets and treatment of the primary disease was successful in reversing hyperlipemia in 5 of 6 surviving patients that required nutritional support. Parenteral admi nistration of a glucose-based (non-lipid) solution was successful in r esolving hyperlipemia in 1 patient.