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→Diagnosis
There is often a history of eating a fatty meal.
There is often a history of eating a fatty meal.
Clinical signs include anorexia (Dog - 91%, Cat - 97%), Vomiting (Dog - 90%), Abdominal pain (Dog - 58%), Lethargy (Dog - 79%, Cat - 100%), Depression and Nausea.
Clinical signs include anorexia, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, depression and Nausea.
[[Diarrhoea|Diarrhoea]] is also a common feature sometimes with blood, fresh or melaena, due to the proximity of inflamed pancreas to the [[Duodenum - Anatomy & Physiology|duodenum]] and [[Colon - Anatomy & Physiology|colon]]).
[[Diarrhoea|Diarrhoea]] is also a common feature sometimes with blood, fresh or melaena this occurs due to the proximity of inflamed pancreas to the [[Duodenum - Anatomy & Physiology|duodenum]] and [[Colon - Anatomy & Physiology|colon]]).
More severe cases may present in [[Shock - Pathology|shock]], [[Kidney Renal Failure - Pathology#Acute|acute renal failure]], [[Icterus|jaundiced]] (due to focal hepatic necrosis), or with [[:Category:Altered Impulse Formations|cardiac arrhythmias]] or [[Lungs Circulatory - Pathology#Pulmonary oedema|pulmonary oedema]] or pleural effusions, widespread haemorrhage or [[Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation|DIC]]
More severe cases may present in [[Shock - Pathology|shock]], [[Kidney Renal Failure - Pathology#Acute|acute renal failure]], [[Icterus|jaundiced]] (due to focal hepatic necrosis), or with [[:Category:Altered Impulse Formations|cardiac arrhythmias]], [[Lungs Circulatory - Pathology#Pulmonary oedema|pulmonary oedema]], pleural effusions, widespread haemorrhage, [[Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation|DIC]],mild ascites, dehydration (Mild to moderate) and pyrexia may also be present.
Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis may present as [[Shock - Pathology|shock]] and collapse.
Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis may present as [[Shock - Pathology|shock]] and collapse.
A cranial abdominal mass may be palpated. In cats hypothermia is a common sign occuring in 68% of affected cats.
A cranial abdominal mass may be palpated. In cats hypothermia is a common sign occuring in 68% of affected cats.
Affected cats have a very varied presentation. If severe, they present with lethargy and anorexia with vomiting and abdominal pain being reported less than in the dog. Mild chronic pancreatitis may show anorexia and weight loss.
Affected cats have a very varied presentation. If severe, they present with lethargy and anorexia with vomiting and abdominal pain being reported less than in the dog. Mild chronic pancreatitis may show anorexia and weight loss.
===Laboratory Tests===
===Laboratory Tests===
On Haematology there may be a leucocytosis, an increased PCV due to dehydration, thrombocytopaenia, neutrophilia and a left shift.
On Biochemistry changes may include azotaemia, increased liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinaemia
hyperglycaemia in cases of nectrotizing pancreatitis, hypoglycaemia in cats with suppurative pancreatitis
In dogs hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia are also common changes.
hypocalcaemia
==Pancreas-specific laboratory tests==
an increase in pancreatic digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI), phospholipase A2 and pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (PLI))
All pancreatic enzymes increase following renal failure (apart from PLI) making it difficult to determine the true cause of the increase. However increases of three fold are mainly due to pancreatitis, whereas five fold increases are rarely not found to be pancreatitis. Rises in lipase, amylase and phospholipase A2 may also be hepatic, gastric, intestinal or neoplastic in origin.
All pancreatic enzymes increase following renal failure (apart from PLI) making it difficult to determine the true cause of the increase. However increases of three fold are mainly due to pancreatitis, whereas five fold increases are rarely not found to be pancreatitis. Rises in lipase, amylase and phospholipase A2 may also be hepatic, gastric, intestinal or neoplastic in origin.