Effect of 6-8 weeks of oral ursodeoxycholic acid administration on serum concentrations of fasting and postprandial bile acids and biochemical analytes in healthy dogs.
BACKGROUND
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is commonly used for the treatment of hepatobiliary disease. UDCA is a bile acid that can be detected in the bile acid assay. Its effect on biochemical analytes is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 6-8 weeks of UDCA administration on fasting and postprandial concentrations of serum bile acids (SBA), cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, and liver enzyme activities in healthy dogs.


METHODS
Twenty healthy dogs received UDCA for 6-8 weeks. CBC, biochemistry profile, urinalysis, fasting and postprandial SBA, and hepatobiliary ultrasound examination were performed prior to starting UDCA (timepoint 0) and after 6-8 weeks of therapy, while animals were still receiving UDCA (timepoint 1). Timepoint 0 and timepoint 1 values were compared with a paired t-test. SBA were remeasured 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation.


RESULTS
Only mean fasting SBA at timepoint 1 increased significantly (P = .03) from timepoint 0 (2.26 μmol/L at time 0 and 3.81 μmol/L at time 1) but were not elevated above the normal reference interval (0-9 μmol/L). Two dogs had timepoint 1 fasting SBA above the reference interval (10 and 11.7 μmol/L). One dog had timepoint 1 postprandial SBA above the reference interval at 20.1 μmol/L (reference interval 0-17 μmol/L). Repeat SBA 72 hours after UDCA discontinuation were normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs may increase fasting SBA above pretreatment values (typically within the reference interval). Long-term administration of UDCA to healthy dogs does not alter liver enzyme activities, and bilirubin, cholesterol, or triglyceride concentrations.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Krysta L
KL
Deitz
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Kelly M
KM
Makielski
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Jackie M
JM
Williams
Department of Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Hui
H
Lin
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Jo Ann
JA
Morrison
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D014280:Triglycerides; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D001663:Bilirubin
Hepatobiliary disease; hepatobiliary system; hepatoencephalic syndrome; liver profile; portosystemic shunt