Serum cholesterol concentrations and cholelithiasis in rabbits as influenced by the form of dietary fat
Borgman, R.F.; Wardlaw, F.B.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 36(1): 93-95
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 1115422 Document Number: 84114
New Zealand White rabbits of either sex were fed on a purified diet with olive oil or oleic acid 15% of the diet. Feeding was for 36 weeks and at various times cholesterol in different amounts was added to the rations. Blood was sampled each week for estimation of cholesterol in serum. The rabbits given olive oil were in good condition throughout the feeding period; those on oleic acid deteriorated by the 17th week and died thereafter. At autopsy they had fatty degeneration of the liver, severe in 9, moderate in 7 and slight in 4; the liver was normal in 1 rabbit. At the 36th week 3 of the rabbits on olive oil had slight fatty degeneration of the liver and the remaining 17 had normal livers. Gallstones were found in both groups. Female rabbits had slightly higher concentrations of cholesterol in serum than the male, and the rabbits on oleic acid always had higher values than those given olive oil. Several weeks were required for serum cholesterol concentrations to return to initial values after the end of cholesterol feeding.