Category:Pancreas - Inflammatory Pathology

Pancreatitis, Acute Haemorrhagic

Chronic interstitial pancreatitis

• Ongoing inflammation with progression to irreversible damage and impaired function
• Fibrosis and reduction in acinar mass
• Can happen in all species as a consequence of obstruction of the pancreatic ducts
• Vitamin A deficiency may predispose
• Most commonly in dog, but also in cat, horse and cattle
• The islets of Langerhans tend to be preserved

• In dogs
  • Repeated mild episodes of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis results in progressive destruction and pancreatic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis
  • If significant proportion of pancreas is affected, signs of EPI develop +/- DM
  • Gross appearance
    • Pancreas is distorted, shrunken
    • Nodular mass with fibrous adhesions to adjacent tissue
    • May be an incidental finding on necropsy
  • Focal pancreatitis may occur during canine parvovirus and distemper virus infection

• In cats
  • Image of chronic pancreatitis and fibrosis in a cat from Cornell Veterinary Medicine
  • Chronic relapsing condition is more common than the acute condition in cats
  • Fibrosis, ductular ectasia with cyst formation and inflammation
  • Associated with hepatic lipidosis, cholangiohepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

• In sheep
  • Necrosis of exocrine pancreatic cells followed by fibrosis can be caused by zinc toxicosis
  • Focal pancreatitis may occur during Foot and Mouth disease resulting in diabetes mellitus during recovery

• In horses
  • Occurs sporadically
  • Usually as a consequence of parasitic migration or from ascending bacterial infection of pancreatic ducts
  • Can occur alongside chronic eosinophilic gastroenteritis
  • Usually clinically silent
  • Organ tends to be replaced by scar tissue

• In cattle
  • Focal pancreatitis may occur during Foot and Mouth disease resulting in diabetes mellitus during recovery