The fear of laminitis is now not the only reason to be sure your small equine stays fit and trim. A frequent complication to illness in these animal occurs when excessive fat is mobilized and results in high blood levels of fat, called hyperlipemia or hypertriglyceridaemia. The primary illness may be minor such as a mild colic or even pregnancy can predispose to this but the complication of hyperlipemia has a high mortality rate. This article discusses how this occurs, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention.

Full size horses seem to be at low risk for this problem. Primary hyperlipemia does occurs but commonly is a complication of other illness in individuals of the small equine breeds that are in good or better condition. The first signs may be of the primary disease like colic, diarrhea, fever, etc. A pony or donkey in late term pregnancy showing inappetance or depression should also be investigated for evidence of hyperlipemia. Other risk factors are being female and over four years of age.

Though the inital problem may be minor when an obese indiviual goes off feed, fat is rapidly mobilized and transfered to the blood and eventually to the liver so that it can be processed to energy. If the liver is overwhelmed it can become diseases and even fail. Initally there are signs of liver disease results in lethargy and decreased appetite which further promotes hyperlipemia. As the liver fails the horse may develop jaundice, diarrhea, weakness, that progresses to laying down and inability to get back up.