CLINICAL, CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL, RADIOGRAPHIC, AND ULTRASONOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES IN DOGS WITH FATAL ACUTE-PANCREATITIS - 70 CASES (1986-1995)

Objective-To determine clinical, clinicopathologic, radiographic, ultr asonographic, and coagulation abnormalities in dogs in which acute pan creatitis was fatal. Design-Retrospective study. Animals-70 dogs. Proc edure-History, clinical signs, and physical examination findings at th e time of initial evaluation at the veterinary teaching hospital; resu lts of pretreatment laboratory tests, abdominal radiography, and ultra sonography; and histologic abnormalities were obtained from medical re cords. Results-Clinical signs included anorexia, vomiting, weakness, d iarrhea, polyuria and polydipsia, neurologic abnormalities, melena, we ight loss, hematemesis, and passage of frank blood in feces. At the ti me of initial examination at the veterinary teaching hospital, 68 (97% ) dogs were dehydrated, 18 (26%) were icteric, 22 (32%) were febrile, 40 (58%) had signs of abdominal pain, and 30 (43%) were classified as overweight or obese. Most dogs had leukocytosis, neutrophilia with a l eft shift, and thrombocytopenia. Various serum biochemical abnormaliti es were identified, including hypoglycemia, azotemia, hypercalcemia an d other electrolyte abnormalities, hypoalbuminemia, high hepatic and p ancreatic enzyme activities, hypercholesterolemia, and lipemia. For 17 of 28 (61%) dogs, results of coagulation function tests were abnormal . Results of abdominal ultrasonography and radiography were consistent with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in 23 of 34 (68%) and 10 of 41 (24%) dogs, respectively. For 2 dogs, results of abdominal ultrasonog raphy were not suggestive of acute pancreatitis, but results of abdomi nal radiography were. Clinical Implications-Clinical signs and results of clinicopathologic tests are inconsistent. Abdominal ultrasonograph y may be valuable in the diagnostic evaluation of dogs suspected to ha ve acute pancreatitis.