Pancreatic necrosis in New World camelids: 11 cases (1990-1998)

Objective-To determine clinical, clinicopathologic, and postmortem abnormal ities in New World camelids with pancreatic necrosis. Design-Retrospective study. Animals-10 Ilamas and 1 alpaca. Procedures-Medical records of animals in wh ich a diagnosis of pancreatic necrosis had been made on the basis of histol ogic examination of necropsy specimens or on the basis of clinical signs an d results of clinicopathologic testing were reviewed. Results-The initial owner complaint varied, and various other conditions we re diagnosed. Clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities were vague. Amyl ase activity was higher in abdominal fluid than in serum in 5 of 7 animals, and lipase activity was higher in abdominal fluid than in serum in ail 7. Four animals survived, and 7 died or were euthanatized. Only 1 of the anima ls that died had marked inflammation of the pancreatic parenchyma. All 7 ha d necrosis and saponification of fat in and surrounding the pancreas. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results suggest that pancreatic necrosis may develop in New World camelids, but clinical signs are vague, and the c ondition may easily be confused with other diseases. The only laboratory te st that appeared to be helpful in the antemortem diagnosis of pancreatic ne crosis was comparison of amylase and lipase activities in abdominal fluid a nd serum.