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Client Library Article
PANCREATITIS
| Pancreatitis- a common
condition in dogs and some cats |
| Pancreatitis is literally inflammation of the
pancreas. The pancreas is a very important organ that is located next to the
stomach and produces both insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar & carbohydrate
metabolism, and digestive enzymes, which are substances that break down
food in the intestines into nutrients which are then absorbed from the intestine into the blood.
Normally, the digestive enzymes are inactive until they are secreted into the
intestines, however in pancreatitis, the enzymes becomes activated in the
pancreas and thus start to digest the pancreas itself. Patients suffering
pancreatitis become very painful in their abdomens, become anorexic, and
repeatedly vomit. If the vomiting is severe, patients become very dehydrated
and can go into shock if not treated properly. In most cases, the
pancreatitis resolves with supportive care, however, in severe cases, pets
can die despite aggressive treatment. Risk factors for the development
of pancreatitis include high fat
meals, food toxins, repeated vomiting / gastritis from another disease, obesity, and abdominal trauma or
surgery. Many times, no inciting cause can be identified |
| Symptoms |
- Repeated vomiting
- Anorexia (loss of appetite)
-
Fever of unknown origin
- Lethargy
- Painful abdomen
- Dehydration
- Shock / collapse
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| Diagnosis |
- Physical examination- the veterinarian will often find
non-specific signs including abdominal pain, dehydration, elevated heart
and respiratory rates, and fever.
- Radiographs (X-rays)- Loss of contrast or blurry
appearance in the cranial abdomen (area near the stomach and pancreas due to
free fluid in the abdomen) is suggestive of pancreatitis. X-rays are also used
to rule out other causes of lethargy and vomiting such as masses (cancer or
granulomas- seen with FIP) and intestinal obstructions / foreign bodies.
- Blood
work- May have mildly elevated white blood cell count, and blood chemistry will
often show an elevation in amylase and / or lipase- two markers for pancreatitis.
Liver values may be increased as well since the pancreas is right next to
the liver in the abdomen.
- Ultrasound examination is again is one of the most useful tools
used for diagnosis. The ultrasound will show a thickened plump
pancreas often surrounded by free fluid caused by a local peritonitis.
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| Treatment |
| Supportive care includes intravenous fluids,
antibiotics, and anti-ulcer medication (Tagamet®, Pepcid® etc) in combination with
no food or water given orally for at least 24 – 48 hours, but can be more than 5
days in severe cases. The goal is to
completely rest the stomach and pancreas by eliminating all stimuli so that the
pancreas can heal itself. Water and a bland diet is gradually re-introduced over
several days. |
| Prognosis |
| Fair to good depending on the severity of the lesions
and the duration before treatment is initiated. Generally dogs with
mild to moderate pancreatitis recover in 2-4 days with aggressive therapy. In
very severe cases of pancreatitis, it may take over 7 days for dogs to
sufficiently recover, however, even with aggressive care, a small percentage of dogs
develop DIC or multiple organ failure leading to death. |
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