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High cholesterol and triglycerides in dogs: what lipid results mean

Dogs do not get clogged arteries the way people do, but high blood fats are still a useful clue. Triglycerides rise after almost every meal; when they stay high on a fasting sample, or cholesterol is high, vets look for a hormonal, kidney or pancreatic cause.

Written by the AI DiagAnimals editorial teamReviewed by the AI DiagAnimals TeamUpdated Our editorial policy

The essentials

Cholesterol in dogs is roughly 135–278 mg/dL (3.5–7.2 mmol/L). Triglycerides rise after a meal in most dogs, so a high value is first rechecked after a 12-hour fast. A persistently high fasting value usually points to a hormonal disease such as diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome or an underactive thyroid, to pancreatitis or kidney protein loss, or to a breed trait such as in Miniature Schnauzers.

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Cholesterol and triglycerides on the report

A milky or cloudy serum (lipemia) is usually due to triglycerides, not cholesterol [2]. It can interfere with other tests on the same sample.

LineExample dog intervalConversion
CHOL (cholesterol)135–278 mg/dL (3.5–7.2 mmol/L) [1]mg/dL × 0.0259 = mmol/L [2]
TG / TRIG (triglycerides)Laboratory-specific; 20–150 mg/dL in one study [3]mg/dL × 0.011 = mmol/L [3]

How to read the triglyceride line

Here is an example line from a dog that had eaten before the blood test.

An annotated line from a lab report · Illustrative example
AbbreviationResultUnitLaboratory intervalFlag
TG Triglycerides310mg/dL20–150H
  1. Abbreviation TG, TRIG or triglycerides.
  2. Result 310 mg/dL in this illustrative line: high, but within what a recent meal can produce [3].
  3. Unit mg/dL in the United States, mmol/L in Europe: 310 mg/dL ≈ 3.4 mmol/L [3].
  4. Laboratory interval The interval used in a study of 100 healthy dogs cited by Cornell [3]; your laboratory has its own.
  5. Flag H: above the interval. Ask whether your dog was fasted, and whether a fasting recheck is needed [3].

The effect of a meal

Triglycerides rise after eating in dogs and cats. In 100 healthy dogs, they rose in 92 between 2 and 8 hours after a meal, and went above the reference interval in 36, up to 443 mg/dL [3]. Cholesterol, by contrast, did not change meaningfully after a meal [2].

Cornell recommends a fast of about 12 hours before measuring blood fats in dogs and cats [2, 3]. Follow your vet’s instructions.

Causes of persistently high blood fats

  • Hormonal disease: diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome raise triglycerides and cholesterol; an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) mainly raises cholesterol, sometimes markedly [2, 3].
  • Pancreatitis, a common cause of high triglycerides in dogs [3].
  • Kidney protein loss (nephrotic syndrome) and bile flow problems raise cholesterol [2].
  • Corticosteroid medicines raise both, triglycerides more [2].
  • Breed traits. In a study of 192 healthy Miniature Schnauzers, a third had high triglycerides, becoming more common with age [4]. Familial high cholesterol is described in Briards, Rottweilers, Shetland Sheepdogs and Dobermans [2].

Low cholesterol

A low cholesterol is a clue in itself: its most common causes are protein loss through the gut and cancer. Liver failure or a portosystemic shunt and Addison’s disease are other causes [2]. Low albumin, low globulin and low cholesterol together are classic for protein-losing enteropathy [2].

Results often read with blood fats

Glucose

High with diabetes, one of the main causes of high triglycerides.

Read the article

Albumin and globulin help with low cholesterol: see albumin and globulin in dogs.

En français : cholestérol et triglycérides du chien.

Questions to ask your veterinarian

  1. Was my dog fasted, and should we recheck on a 12-hour fasting sample?
  2. Is it cholesterol, triglycerides or both that are high?
  3. Should we test the thyroid, glucose or cortisol?
  4. Could pancreatitis be involved?
  5. Is a low-fat diet appropriate for my dog’s breed or condition?
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Frequently asked questions

What is a normal cholesterol level for a dog?

Roughly 135–278 mg/dL (3.5–7.2 mmol/L) in the Merck Veterinary Manual table; your laboratory’s interval applies [1].

Why are my dog’s triglycerides high?

Most often because of a recent meal. If they stay high after a 12-hour fast, causes include diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, pancreatitis, corticosteroids and breed traits [3].

Do dogs get heart disease from high cholesterol?

Not the way people do. Very high cholesterol in hypothyroid dogs (above about 750 mg/dL) has been associated with atherosclerosis [2].

Are Miniature Schnauzers prone to high triglycerides?

Yes. A third of 192 healthy Miniature Schnauzers had high triglycerides in one study, increasingly with age [4].

How do you lower cholesterol in a dog?

By treating the cause, such as hypothyroidism or diabetes, and sometimes with a diet chosen by your vet. Do not use human remedies.

Sources

  1. Merck Veterinary Manual. Serum biochemical analysis reference ranges. merckvetmanual.com/reference-values-and-conversion-tables/reference-guides/serum-biochemical-analysis-reference-ranges
  2. eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Cholesterol. eclinpath.com/chemistry/energy-metabolism/cholesterol
  3. eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Triglycerides. eclinpath.com/chemistry/energy-metabolism/triglycerides
  4. Xenoulis PG et al. Investigation of hypertriglyceridemia in healthy Miniature Schnauzers. J Vet Intern Med. 2007;21(6):1224-1230. doi.org/10.1892/07-051.1

Laboratory methods and reference intervals vary. This article explains; it does not diagnose. For a decision about your pet, use the original report and talk to your veterinarian. Our editorial policy.

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