Long-term safety and efficacy of oral bezafibrate use in dogs with hypertriglyceridemia

Background Bezafibrate (BZF) is effective for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in dogs, but there is limited data on its long-term use. Hypothesis/Objectives Assess the long-term safety and efficacy of BZF in controlling primary and secondary hypertriglyceridemia in dogs. Animals Fifty-five client-owned dogs with hypertriglyceridemia. Methods Retrospective study. Dogs were treated with BZF once daily at a median initial dosage of 5.5 mg/kg (range, 3.6-11.6 mg/kg) and classified into 3 groups: primary hypertriglyceridemia (group 1), secondary hypertriglyceridemia without changes in treatment for the underlying condition over time (group 2a) or with changes in treatment for the underlying condition over time (group 2b). Serum triglyceride (TG) concentration, and creatine kinase (CK) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were recorded before treatment (T0) and at subsequent follow-ups (1, 3, 6, 12, and >18 months, as available). Treatment response was classified as adequate (TG decreased by ≥50 % T0) or inadequate (TG decreased by <50% T0). Results All groups showed a significant decrease in TG concentration between baseline (T0) and the last available result (P <.01). No significant differences in the last follow-up TG concentration were observed among the 3 groups (P = .13). The median TG decrease across all groups during the study period was 85%. Adverse gastrointestinal or hepatic effects, possibly attributable to BZF, were observed in 4/55 dogs. Conclusions and clinical importance Long-term use of BZF proved safe and effective for most dogs with primary and secondary hypertriglyceridemia.