Feline pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can be classified as acute or chronic, depending on the presence of irreversib le changes upon histopathologic evaluation. Both acute and chronic pancreat itis can be mild or severe. The etiology of most cases of feline pancreatitis is unknown. Some cases ha ve been associated with severe abdominal trauma, infectious diseases, chola ngitis, cholangiohepatitis, and organophosphate and other drug intoxication . Whatever the etiology, trypsinogen is activated within acinar cells, lead ing to a cascade of activation of other zymogens by trypsin, release of act ive enzymes into the blood stream, and the synthesis and release of multipl e cytokines. Ail of these factors together lead to abnormalities of the pan creas itself and of distant organs. The clinical presentation of cats with pancreatitis is non-specific. Vomiti ng and signs of abdominal pain, the clinical signs most commonly observed i n humans and dogs with pancreatitis, are uncommonly observed in cats with p ancreatitis. Routine laboratory findings are nonspecific, but often show el evations in hepatic enzymes, azotemia, and electrolyte imbalances. Radiographic abnormalities can be present, but are often indistinct and rat her subjective. Abdominal ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic tool in feline patients with pancreatitis. Serum activities of lipase and amylase a re of no clinical value in cats suspected of having pancreatitis. However, cats with pancreatitis often have elevated serum concentrations of feline t rypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI). The goals of management are removal of the inciting cause, providing suppor tive and symptomatic therapy, careful monitoring to detect systemic complic ations early, and aggressive intervention against these systemic complicati ons. Fluid therapy, appropriate nutritional support, and analgesia are the mainstay of supportive therapy. The prognosis for feline patients suffering from pancreatitis is dependent on the severity of the condition and on the occurrence of systemic or pancr eatic complications.