THERAPEUTIC PROTOCOL AND MANAGEMENT OF EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN DONKEYS (EQUUS ASINUS)

Document Type : Research article

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Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Abstract

Equines are more affected by lipid metabolism disturbances (hyperlipidemia), and donkeys are especially susceptible to hyperlipidemia. It is usually a primary disease process, and stress and obesity appear to be important predisposing factors or secondary diseases due to any disease that results in a negative energy balance. Treatment is critical as quickly as possible, including fluid therapy (mainly Dextrose 5%) and insulin injections. The study was set up as a prospective, observational and experimental trial including 10 donkeys. The experiment period (10 days) consisted of two stages. In the fasting stage (4 days) and the post-fasting stage (6 days), the treatment was administered for 3 days. On six occasions, the following were determined according to the effect of hyperlipidemia and its therapy: body weight, body condition score, ultrasound subcutaneous croup fat thickness (CFT), liver ultrasonography, and blood metabolites. The ultrasound CFT was significantly decreased at the fasting stage (P<0.05). Hepatic ultrasonography showed no changes. The portal vein (PV) diameter decreased during the 4 days of fasting. The hepatic relative echogenicity (RE) significantly increased during fasting (P<0.05). The lipid profile showed an increase in all parameters during fasting. The plasma glucose decreased during the fasting period (P<0.05) and increased in the post-fasting stage (P<0.05). The serum levels of FFAs and liver enzymes increased significantly (P<0.05). In conclusion, quick intervention with therapy and management in cases of hyperlipidemia helps easily correct any abnormalities that occur in the animal body due to a negative energy balance state.

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