PATHOGENESIS OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS, OCCURRENCE IN DOMESTIC-ANIMALS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF VITAMIN-E AND OF SELEN FOR THE PREVENTION - A REVIEW

Atherosclerosis occurs in the horse, in cattle, in the sheep, goat and pig as well as in poultry; with growing age the frequency increases. Mostly affected are the aorta, the coronary-, the brain- and the uteri ne-arteries. By atherosclerosis induced disorders of the heart can dev elop early in broilers. For the development the ingestion of energy-ri ch rations (that induce the formation of high quantities of lipoprotei ns of very low resp. low density), a high content of oxidized fats in the feed as well as a lack of vitamin E and selen are of importance. T he reactions in the formation of atherosclerosis are described. In the dog atherosclerosis is rare and develops only in the case of an insuf ficient secretion of thyroxine and triiodthyronine; a high content of lipoproteins of high density (HDL) and of vitamin E (of 5-24 mg/l) in the blood plasma have an inhibitory influence. In the cat atherosclero sis is very rare, as there is a high concentration of HDL and of vitam in E (of 8-20 mg/l) in the blood plasma as well as a low aggregation o f thrombocytes.