Triglycerides
Chemistry ·Also called: TRIG, TG, blood fats, lipaemia
What it is
Triglycerides transport dietary and stored fat around the body. Levels rise within hours of eating and fall again over the following half day, which is why a twelve-hour fast is requested before this test is taken seriously.
Why your vet measures it
Genuinely high triglycerides in a fasted pet are worth acting on: they are linked to pancreatitis, and in some breeds they persist without any other disease. They are also what makes a blood sample look milky, which interferes with several other results on the same panel.
What a high result can mean
- A recent meal — by far the most common explanation
- An inherited tendency, best recognised in Miniature Schnauzers
- Hypothyroidism in dogs, diabetes, or Cushing's disease
- Pancreatitis, which both causes and is aggravated by high triglycerides
- Some medications, including steroids
What a low result can mean
- Not clinically significant
Dogs and cats differ
Miniature Schnauzers are the standout breed for persistent high triglycerides, and it can predispose them to repeated pancreatitis. Cats develop high triglycerides less often, usually with poorly controlled diabetes.
Questions worth asking your vet
- How long had my pet been fasted before this sample?
- Should we repeat this properly fasted before drawing conclusions?
- Does this change what I should be feeding?
Related terms
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