Biochemical parameters related to the metabolic syndrome in healthy dogs and their relationships with body condition score

• Main Authors: Gomez Fernandez Blanco, Carlos, Farnir, Frédéric, Höglund, Katja, Gouni, Vassiliki, Wiberg, Maria, Lundgren Willesen, Jacob, Hanas, S, Mc Entee, Kathleen, Mejer Sorensen, Louise, Tiret, Laurent, Häggström, Jens, Lohi, Hannes, Chetboul, Valérie, Fredholm, Merete, Lequarré, Anne-Sophie, German, Alex, Peeters, Dominique, Merveille, Anne-Christine
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2016
• Subjects: Life sciences; Veterinary medicine & animal health; Sciences du vivant; Médecine vétérinaire & santé animale; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/226927

peer reviewed The concept of "metabolic syndrome" (MS) gathers all pathophysiological changes that derive from excess body fat in humans. Obese dogs share some components of the MS, such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance. However, unlike people, dogs seem to be resistant to obesity-related diseases like atherosclerosis or type-II diabetes mellitus. Elucidating the effects of body composition on lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis in dogs may allow better understanding of the MS. The aim of this study was to investigate, in healthy dogs, potential associations between body conditions score (BCS) and biochemical parameters involved in the MS. Data from 534 dogs were retrieved as part of the European LUPA project, and included 419 males (15 Boxer, 125 Belgian Shepherd Dog, 35 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 40 Dachshund, 39 Doberman, 45 Finnish Lapphund, 66 German Shepherd Dog, and 52 Labrador Retriever) and 115 females (73 Labrador Retriever and 44 Newfoundland). Ages ranged from 2 to 6 years old. Dogs were weighed, a BCS was assigned (using a 1 to 9 scale), and those over 7 or under 2 were excluded. Dogs were considered as healthy based on history, physical examination, CBC, biochemistry, and complete cardiovascular work-up. Circulating concentrations of cholesterol, free fatty acids (FFA), triglycerides, C-reactive protein (CRP), insulin, glucose, fructosamine, cortisol and aldosterone were measured. Spearman's correlations with a Bonferroni-corrected p-value (0,0007) were computed between all variables, both in the overall group and within breeds. A Mann-Whitney test was used to compare dogs categorised into "lean" (BCS < or = 5) and "overweight" (BCS > 5), and ANCOVA was used to test the effect of breed along with the BCS. Taking all dogs into account, BCS was positively correlated with cholesterol, triglycerides and fructosamine, cholesterol with triglycerides and fructosamine, FFA with triglycerides, insulin with CRP and glucose, and fructosamine with cortisol ...