Pancreatitis can be a severe potentially life threatening condition that can affect both dogs and cats. The following is a brief outline of the disease.

What does the pancreas do?

The pancreas has two main functions:

• to produce enzymes which help in digestion of food,
• to produce hormones such as insulin which regulate glucose use.

When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the disorder is called pancreatitis.

What causes pancreatitis?

Under normal conditions, digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are activated when they reach the small intestine. In pancreatitis, these enzymes are prematurely activated within the pancreas, a process known as autodigestion.

The cause of pancreatitis is not known. The following may contribute to the disease:

• feeding a rich fatty meal,
• certain medications such as cortisone,
• some toxins such as permethrin,
• trauma to the abdomen.

What are the clinical signs?

The clinical signs can include some or all of the following.

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• fever,
• abdominal pain,
• diarrhoea.

In severe cases, shock, depression and sometimes death may occur.

How is pancreatitis diagnosed ?

Pancreatitis can be diagnosed from a combination of history, physical examination findings and on laboratory blood tests. Sometimes, either X-rays or ultrasound may be needed.

How is pancreatitis treated ?

The treatment of pancreatitis centres around:

• intravenous fluids to dilute the pancreatic enzymes,
• medication to stop the vomiting,
• analgesics to control the pain,
• hospitalisation for 4-7 days.

Will my dog recover ?

The prognosis depends on the extent of the disease when presented and the initial response to therapy. In the mild and moderate forms of the disease, the prognosis is good. Those patients that present in shock need to be treated intensively.

Can there be any long-term complications ?

There may be some potential complications in the severe form of the disease. These include,

• irreplaceable loss of cells that produce pancreatic enzymes,
• diabetes,
• adhesions between the pancreas and other surrounding organs.

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