Pancreas in a dog: insufficiency and inflammation. Treatment of enzyme deficiency and chronic diarrhea in dogs
INSUFFICIENCY OF EXOCRINE FUNCTION
PANCREAS
DOGS AND CATS
Various diseases of the pancreas and other organs (for example, blockage of the ductal system by gallstones, tumors, or surgical interventions such as gastrectomy) lead to a decrease or cessation of the release of endogenous pancreatic enzymes into the proximal small intestine.
The most common cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPPI) in dogs is atrophy of the secretory acini in the pancreas. Most often this pathology is detected in German shepherds, but the disease can develop in dogs of other breeds, including mixed breeds. German Shepherds are known to have a genetic predisposition to NEFP, but the etiology of this phenomenon is unknown.
Clinical signs NEFP usually appears when the secretory activity of this organ is reduced by approximately 90%. Insufficiency of digestive enzymes leads to disruption of the processes of digestion and absorption in the intestines. In addition, abnormal activity of digestive enzymes in small intestine, impaired transport of nutrients, atrophy of intestinal villi, infiltration of intestinal mucosa with inflammatory mediator cells were established in all cases of NEFP. A common complication accompanying the disease is a disturbance of the intestinal microflora, which often leads to antibiotic-induced enteropathy (EAE).
Three classic sign NEFP - chronic diarrhea of unknown origin, weight loss and polyphagia. In this case, feces are poorly formed and are excreted in large quantities and have signs of steatorrhea. Often observed loose stool. Sick animals often have a tendency to coprophagia, and vomiting is rare. Dog owners celebrate their pets severe flatulence and rumbling in the stomach. Externally, dogs with NEFP appear emaciated, muscle mass their hair is reduced, their coat loses its shine and becomes unpleasant and greasy to the touch. However, animals are physically active and mobile. If your dog is lethargic, refuses food, and has a fever, another medical condition is likely causing the diarrhea.
Many laboratory tests are used to diagnose NEFP, with the most effective method- determination of trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TPIR) in the blood. Kits for determining TPIR are strictly species-specific, so only special kits should be used for dogs and cats (for example, the FTLI kit from GI-Lab, USA is used for cats). Other laboratory research(biochemical or hematological) do not give a specific result, but they are necessary to identify concomitant diseases. If helminth infestation or bacterial contamination is suspected, feces are examined (for the presence of helminth eggs and for bacteriological cultivation).
Most dogs and cats with NEFP have a good clinical response to enzyme replacement therapy. It is most convenient to use powdered enzyme substitutes without special coatings. The initial dosage is 2 teaspoons of powder for every 20 kg of animal body weight with each portion of food. It must be emphasized that enzyme substitutes must enter the animal’s body with every portion of food, even with treats. Otherwise, diarrhea may return. It should be kept in mind that different batches of replacement enzymes may have different enzymatic activities. When treating NEFP, enzyme replacement therapy should not be supplemented by pre-treating the feed with enzyme preparations for 30 minutes or administering drugs that reduce acidity gastric juice(for example, histamine receptor antagonists type 2) and enrich the animal’s food with bile salts or soda. Very good substitutes for pancreatic enzymes are fresh frozen pig pancreas.
Dogs with NEFP should be fed a low-fat diet, since fat digestion and absorption are particularly impaired in this pathology. Ideal diet should be full-fledged, and if the animal continues to lose weight during enzyme replacement therapy, it should be transferred to dietary ration, for example, the WALTHAM® Digestive Tract Support Diet (dietary diet for the treatment of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract).
For cats with NEFP, enzyme replacement therapy can be supplemented with parenteral administration of cobalamin, since this pathology impairs the absorption of vitamin B12 in the digestive tract.
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs and cats.
Esina D.I., Seleznev S.B.
The functioning of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas is strictly co-ordinated through an interdependent array of neural and endocrine, paracrine and autocrine hormonal factors. The responses of the exocrine pancreas to food are primarily initiated via hormones secreted by neuroendocrine cells in the gut. No role for the pancreatic renin-angiotensin system in these mechanisms has so far been established. However, because of its distribution throughout the pancreas, the renin-angiotensin system could have a function in fine-tuning of secretory responses or in integrating some of the actions of the endocrine and exocrine pancreas. In the normal diet, we are exposed to an array of bioactive (lectins, protease inhibitors, hormone-mimics, tannins, etc). Some can profoundly alter pancreas metabolism both in a beneficial or detrimental manner. Others could have beneficial effects on the pancreas renin-angiotensin system. The effects of these compounds need to be evaluated.
Introduction
The most common cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPPI) in dogs is atrophy of the secretory acini in the pancreas. Most often, this pathology is detected in German shepherds, but the disease can develop in dogs of other breeds, including mixed breeds. German Shepherds are known to have a genetic predisposition to NEFP, but the etiology of this phenomenon is unknown. The disease is progressive: at a young age, the exocrine function of the pancreas is normal, the first
Clinical signs of the disease begin to appear in animals between 1 and 5 years of age. In other cases, NEFP may be caused by chronic, recurrent inflammation (pancreatitis), as commonly seen in cats, and pancreatic hypoplasia. NEFPZh and diabetes often complicate the course of chronic pancreatitis in dogs.
The main exocrine function of the pancreas is the secretion of digestive enzymes and pancreatic juice that enters the duodenum both in the absence of food and during feeding.
Clinical signs
chronic diarrhea (of varying severity)
polyphagia
weight loss
Coprophagia or perverted appetite may also occur with this disease.
Most owners note that their pets have an increase in the volume of feces with a semi-formed consistency. Attacks of vomiting, flatulence, and abdominal pain may occur.
Externally, dogs with NEFP look emaciated, their muscle mass is reduced, their coat loses its shine and becomes unpleasant and greasy to the touch. However, animals are physically active and mobile. If your dog is lethargic, refuses food, and has a fever, another medical condition is likely causing the diarrhea.
Laboratory diagnostics
Overt pancreatic atrophy can be detected by exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy. It is recommended to perform surgery only when we are not dealing with chronic pancreatitis.
The most reliable and widely used test is assessment of trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TPI) in blood serum.
Determination of pancreatic elastase in dog feces is one of the most common tests in Russia, but is not 100% reliable.
Other laboratory blood tests (biochemical or hematological) do not give a specific result, but they are necessary to identify concomitant diseases. If helminth infestation or bacterial contamination is suspected, feces are examined (for the presence of helminth eggs and for bacteriological cultivation).
Treatment
Most dogs and cats with NEFP have a good clinical response to enzyme replacement therapy.
(Dry pancreas extract).Twice feeding is usually sufficient for the animal to begin to gain weight.
After clinical improvement of the condition, owners will be able to choose the minimum effective dose drugs to prevent relapses.
Feeding
The ideal diet should be complete, and if the animal continues to lose weight during enzyme replacement therapy, it should be switched to a dietary diet (therapeutic dry and wet food)
For cats with NEFP, enzyme replacement therapy can be supplemented with parenteral administration of cobalamin, since this pathology impairs the absorption of vitamin B12 in the digestive tract.
Conclusion
Those animals that have an unsatisfactory response to the above treatment methods usually respond favorably to glucocorticoid therapy (oral prednisolone at a dose of 1-2 mg/kg every 12 hours for 7-14 days). long-term use not required.
The pathological processes that lead to NEFP are irreversible, so treatment must be carried out throughout life.
Veterinarian, Vinokurova M.V.
The digestive system of animals and humans is a complex complex, each element of which is extremely important for normal, full life your pet. If any organ gets sick, you can forget about all this. Inflammation of the pancreas in dogs, better known as pancreatitis, is very dangerous.
The weight of the pancreas is only 70 grams. Despite its tiny size, the organ is extremely important for digestion. It secretes three types of enzymes that are necessary to digest food. It is known that the food consumed by the dog contains water, mineral salts, macro- and microelements, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Enzymes secreted by the pancreas are necessary specifically for the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. But the importance of the organ lies not only in this. In total, scientists identify two most important functions:
- Exocrine.
- Endocrine.
What does each of them mean? The exocrine role is that the organ secretes enzymes necessary for the proper digestion of food into the dog's intestinal cavity. Endocrine function implies that Insulin is synthesized in the pancreas. A hormone without which the human or animal body physically cannot absorb glucose. With its deficiency or excess it occurs. Deadly dangerous disease, which annually claims many thousands of lives. And yes, a common complication Pancreatitis in animals and humans is precisely diabetes.
Remember! With pancreatitis, a violation almost always occurs carbohydrate metabolism, on which fat, protein, water-salt metabolism, other body functions also suffer. The animal's body receives 60% less nutrients, exhaustion develops.
What is pancreatitis and what does it mean?
– inflammation of the pancreas. It is accompanied, as we have already said, by a serious disruption of all functions of the organ, many of which are vital. Why iron at all? internal secretion, securely hidden in abdominal cavity, can it become inflamed? Indeed, in the way of bacteria and other traditional inflammatory factors there is a reliable barrier in the form lymph nodes and other protective forces of the body?
IN normal conditions enzymes involved in the digestion process are in an inactive state in cells. Damage to the pancreas occurs when these substances are activated in the organ itself before they are released into the duodenum. The consequences of this are catastrophic: the organ simply begins to digest itself. This subsequently leads to abscesses, bleeding and complete necrosis of the pancreas.
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Predisposing factors of pathology
There are many reasons why pancreatitis develops. It is interesting, but in many cases the lifestyle of the sick pet, its eating habits and diet characteristics are of key importance. It is known that many dogs like to eat something spicy, sweet, they like fattier foods, they adore fried meat... That's just d For animals, such delicacies are poison; their regular consumption leads to inflammation. In addition, dogs often get sick, whose owners like to independently treat their pet for real and imagined diseases.
Pancreatitis is divided into acute and chronic. It is interesting that it is the “chronicle” of the disease that is found everywhere, and acute types- very rarely. However, it is precisely the pathologies in acute form, since their manifestations are difficult to miss. The pain reaction is such that the dog simply rolls on the ground and howls in unbearable pain. Without immediate surgical intervention the animal may be doomed.
Chronic pancreatitis, as we have already said, is much more common. As a rule, they are diagnosed in dogs aged six years and older. Although recently the trend towards “rejuvenation” of the disease is very clear. Interestingly, females get sick more often. Clinical picture, the severity of the development of the pathology depends entirely on how severely the internal structures of the pancreas are affected. The larger the affected area, the more severe the pathology.
Read also: Patella luxation in dogs: important information and rules of care
Diagnosis of pancreatitis in dogs
The diagnosis is made based on both visual signs and numerous diagnostic studies. For one only external symptoms You shouldn't hope for illness. At first, the pain may be minor, short-lived and infrequent. They arise spontaneously, the dog may yelp a couple of times from discomfort, and then continue to play as if nothing happened. It's no surprise that the owners for a long time They don't notice anything suspicious. So in the first months and even years of the development of the disease, pain quickly arises, but passes just as quickly. But in further illness begins to progress: the pain becomes more intense, attacks occur more often.
When do seizures most often occur? Immediately after eating, usually. During this period, abundant secretion and release of digestive enzymes occurs, which, coupled with the sad state of the pancreas, causes an acute pain attack in the pet. So get into the habit of carefully observing your dog during feeding and after it: if he begins to behave inappropriately, immediately talk to a veterinarian, or immediately bring your pet for an examination. The sooner you start treating pancreatitis, the greater the likelihood of a complete recovery.
It is mandatory to take blood tests to check the level of enzymes in her serum, determine the leukocyte formula, etc. X-rays of the abdominal cavity, pancreas, and duodenography (visual check of the condition of the duodenum) are also used. Only on the basis of all the information received can the doctor make a diagnosis of pancreatitis. After this, treatment is prescribed. In particularly complex and subtle cases, a pancreatic biopsy is strongly recommended: during the procedure, a piece of organ tissue is removed. It is used for microscopic analysis, cytological studies, and also (which is especially valuable) as a material for seeding on nutrient media. In general, this is the only way to accurately determine the type of pathogen responsible for the development of the inflammatory process.
Therapeutic measures
To begin with, a sick pet is put on a strict diet, and the more pronounced the pain syndrome is, the stricter the diet will be. In some cases, complete hunger is indicated, but for no more than a day and a half. During this time, the sick dog is provided with food without any restrictions. The first two weeks it is recommended to treat pancreatitis in conditions veterinary clinic(especially in difficult cases). Then, as the pain subsides, the diet is expanded, vegetable soups and liquid cereals (but in small quantities) are allowed low-fat varieties meat: turkey, chicken, rabbit. Broths made from these types of meat are also shown, which include vegetables (not potatoes!) that have been pureed through a sieve. During the period of exacerbation, all vegetables are completely removed from the diet of a sick pet.
ETIOPATHOGENESIS AND FEATURES:
Characteristics.
The pancreas, due to its complex anatomical localization, is difficult to treat with conventional physical methods research.
Its condition can only be judged by the dysfunction of other organs associated with it.
Insufficiency of gland function can manifest itself both in a lack of enzymes and in the inability of digestive juice to maintain an alkaline pH in the intestines.
Under these conditions, normal intestinal cavity digestion is disrupted, in thin section Microbes multiply rapidly, intestinal dysbiosis occurs, further worsening digestive processes.
Parietal enzymatic digestion (maldigestion syndrome) and absorption of enzymatic hydrolysis products (malabsorption syndrome) are disrupted.
Exhaustion increases with increased appetite(malnutrition syndrome), the function of other endocrine glands is disrupted.
ETIOLOGY:
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) can be caused by pancreatic disease or pancreatic failure. Further changes are the result of a disease process that affects the regulation of pancreatic secretion and the activity of pancreatic enzymes.
Functional exocrine apancreatic insufficiency can be defined as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency not caused by morphological disease pancreas.
Duodenal mucosal disease (DMD). It provokes EPN through the following mechanism: the hormones cholecystokinin and secretin are synthesized in the duodenum, which cause and stimulate pancreas secretion.
Mucous duodenum in addition, it has receptors, the irritation of which causes the release of these hormones. DMB also reduces the synthesis and release of the enzyme endocrinase, which activates trypsin by pripsinogen, and activation of trypsin plays a major role in the activation of all pancreatic proteases.
Causes of deficiency of pancreatic enzyme activity in the intestines:
1. INADEQUATE SECRETION OF THE PANCREAS:
Decreased pancreatic synthesis
Pancreas atrophy;
Congenital enzyme deficiency;
Decreased secretion of the normal pancreas
Duodenal mucosal disease
Nervous regulation disorders
Humoral regulation disorders
Slow secretion of normal pancreas. glands
Duodenal mucosal disease
2. REDUCED ENZYME ACTIVITY:
Duodenal mucosal disease
Enterokinase deficiency
Lack of bile acids
Decreased lipase activity
Reduced trypisinogen activity due to enterokinase.
3. INTESTINAL FACTORS DECREASING ENZYME ACTIVITY:
Extremely acidic optimum pH activity
Low gastric emptying rate
Duodenal mucosal disease
Affected by enterogastron-mediated reflex
Affected by the enterogastric reflex
Overfeeding
Decreased level of pancreatic secretion
Deficiency of bicarbonate secretion
Reduced level of proteolytic breakdown of enzymes
Bacterial proteases
Hyperreproduction of microflora caused by:
Stasis
Obstruction
Hypomobility
PATHOGENESIS:
the mucous membrane of the small intestines (especially the duodenum) synthesizes the hormones cholecystokinin and secretin, which stimulate pancreatic secretion. There are receptors in the mucosa that help the release of these hormones. The duodenal mucosa has a very high degree concentrations of receptors and endocrine secretory cells, but pancreatic secretion can also be simulated by jejunal hormones. Any chronic illness mucosa therefore inhibits the secretion of pancreatic products.
Their increased degradation by digestive enzymes has a similar effect. This occurs when proteases that are destroyed are in deficiency due to mucosal atrophy or other pathology, which makes them active and they inactivate pancreatic enzymes that are secreted in sufficient quantities.
PECULIARITIES: chronic pancreatitis and juvenile pancreas atrophy -
- the most common reasons deficiency of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Summary clinic:
1. Anorexia (lack of appetite, refusal to eat);
2. Tousled fur;
3. Diarrhea;
4. Exhaustion, cachexia, unkemptness;
5. Unusual or foul odor feces;
6. Polydipsia, increased thirst;
7. Polyphagia, extremely increased appetite;
8. Loss of body weight;
9. Vomiting, regurgitation, emesis;
10. Steatorrhea, fat in stool;
11. Enlarged borborygms, flatulence;
12. Depression (depression, lethargy);
13. Flatulence;
Symptoms Endocrine insufficiency pancreas are characterized by: polydipsia and polyuria, vomiting, flatulence (discharge of foul-smelling gases), pancreatogenic diarrhea (smelly, with frequent bowel movements and an increase in the volume of feces, not amenable to therapy), pancreatogenic stool (polyfecal - bulky stool in the form of foamy, soft, spongy, colorless mass s sour smell, greasy sheen and undigested food debris, sometimes mixed with blood), polyphagia up to coprophagia, flatulence in all parts of the intestine, hyperglycemia, glucosuria, hypocholesterolemia, increased amylase levels in the blood serum, steatorrhea, creatorrhea, amilorrhea, acidification of feces.
Diagnosis: based on:
- clinical signs;
- examination of feces for the presence of traces of muscle fibers;
- examination of feces for the presence of fats;
- tests for the level of protein processing;
- BT-PABA tests;
- 72-hour fecal tests for fats or serum trypsin-like immunoreactivities measured by radioimmunoassays;
- influence of exposure to pancreatic enzymes;
It is not always possible to make a diagnosis while the animal is alive.
If the listed symptoms are detected during examination, there is reason to suspect pancreaopathy.
Ascites in combination with hyperglycemia also indicates the participation of the pancreas in the pathological process.
To be more confident in making a diagnosis, one or two functional tests are performed.
Differential diagnosis.
Symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency must be distinguished from polyphagia caused by chronic enteritis, and various types malabsorption.
Pancreaopathy is characterized by polyphagia against a background of progressive cachexia. The activity and performance of the animal can be maintained for a long time, which is not typical chronic enteritis and hepatopathy (rapid increase in depression, temporary or prolonged loss of appetite).
Pancreaopathy is also distinguished by concomitant bradycardia; in contrast to enterocolitis, defecation is frequent, but there is no tenesmus.
TREATMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND PROGNOSIS:
MEDICATION:
- Mezim forte: 1-2 tblt/day for 5-7 days;
- Trizim: 1-2 tblt/day for 5-7 days;
- Cimetidine: 5-10 mg/kg/8 hours/per os;
- Neomycin (Neomicin) sulfas: 2.5-10 mg/kg/per os/6-12 hours;
Additional - symptomatic:
- Spasmolyt: initially once 1 ml/10 kg/iv;
DEVELOPMENT: acute, with a tendency to become chronic.
FORECAST: doubtful to favorable.
Pathologies in the pancreas in dogs have become more frequent in last years. It is difficult to identify them in the initial stage. The most common anomaly is considered to be pancreatitis in dogs. The complexity is explained by the fact that the pancreas provides the digestive system with the necessary hormones and enzymes. Violations can only be detected if there are characteristic symptoms. It is impossible to visually establish pathology based on symptoms. By using modern techniques and laboratory tests can determine the nature of the pathology, severity and possible treatment mechanisms.
Any dysfunction of the pancreas is fraught with serious complications. The sooner the owner notices any deterioration in the dog’s well-being, the faster the disease will be identified, and the easier and more effective the treatment.
Types of inflammatory processes in the pancreas of dogs
Animals also need to eat right
The pancreas is considered extremely important for the digestive system. She is endowed with two the most important functions– endocrine and exocrine. The first is responsible for the synthesis of insulin for the absorption of glucose. The second is for the production of enzymes that promote the absorption of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Pancreatitis leads to disruption of carbohydrate metabolism, which affects water, salt, protein and fat metabolism. Other vital systems also suffer from this pathology. The dog’s body does not receive nutrients by about 60%. Against this background, the dog begins to develop exhaustion.
Endocrine insufficiency
The pancreas (pancreas) of a dog is difficult to give in traditional methods examinations due to complex anatomical location in the body of a quadruped. Its performance and condition can only be determined by the impaired functions of the organs that are interconnected with it.
Exocrine insufficiency manifests itself in enzyme deficiency, the inability of the stomach to digest food, and maintain normal intestinal pH levels. In such conditions, in addition to digestive disorders, there is an increased proliferation of microbes, provoking the development of dysbacteriosis and the deterioration of all digestive processes. Exhaustion increases even when the dog eats heavily.
Symptoms
Problems with a dog's pancreas associated with exocrine insufficiency can be identified by the following signs:
- nausea;
- polyuria;
- glucosuria;
- diarrhea – rumbling and foul-smelling;
- polydipsia;
- pancreatogenic stool - sour smell, voluminous foamy masses with remnants of undigested food.
Diagnostics
It is rarely possible to make an accurate diagnosis of a dog during its lifetime. If during initial examination The veterinarian will be able to examine the described symptoms; he has every reason to suspect pancreaopathy in the animal. To set the final medical report The quadruped is prescribed several functional tests.
Sectional view of pancreatitis
Pancreatic atrophy
The atrophied pancreas resembles a parchment sheet - thin and transparent, retaining the ducts. This disease German Shepherd suffers more often than other breeds. The etiopathogenesis of the disease is unknown. Dogs are born with healthy organ, atrophy begins to appear in the first few months of life, but can develop in middle life.
The reasons for the development of pancreatic atrophy have not yet been established and have not been thoroughly studied.
Symptoms
Typical symptoms of this pathology:
- extreme feeling of hunger, to the point of eating one’s own feces;
- progressive exhaustion, despite increased nutrition;
- frequent bowel movements;
- increased amount of feces;
- the consistency of stool is foamy, clay-yellow in color with a sour odor;
- rumbling or splashing sounds are made from the peritoneum.
On palpation it can be felt colon full of feces. The fur of a sick animal becomes ruffled, does not adhere well, skin covering dry, scaly.
Attacks of exacerbation of pathologies in the dog's pancreas are accompanied by severe pain syndrome. You can improve your physical well-being subcutaneous injection"No-Shpy." The injection is replaced with a tablet if the dog is able to swallow it.
Treatment
Symptoms of pancreatic disease in a dog associated with organ atrophy, if they can be identified in time, are treated. The diet of a sick animal should consist of: lean meat and foods that do not contain carbohydrates or fats. We recommend specially selected replacement therapy. The dog is prescribed enzyme-based drugs - Panzinorm or Pancreatin with painkillers - and an antibiotic. If treatment does not give the desired result, euthanasia is recommended for the animal.
View of a dog feeling unwell
Insulinoma
Infrequently, this pathology is also diagnosed. Insulinoma in dogs is a hormonally active neoplasm. Develops in the form of islets of Langerhans and consists of beta cells. Produces insulin in excess amounts, and this is fraught with chronic hypoglycemia and accelerated glucose synthesis.
Symptoms
The disease is accompanied by:
- ataxia;
- epileptic convulsions;
- muscle tremors;
- insulin shock (hypoglycemic coma) in the last stages of its course.
Treatment
A dog with this pathology undergoes a partial pancreatectomy - surgery. Before him, the dog must be on therapeutic diet. Surgery performed under general anesthesia.
The pancreas is very important for a dog’s life. She is entrusted with the main functions of the dog’s life and cannot be joked with. Any inflammation of the pancreas in dogs must be treated competently and in a timely manner, so you need to be attentive to even the most minor deterioration in the animal’s well-being.
Dropper for dehydration
Pancreatitis
The etiology of this disease has not yet been established and has not been fully studied. Acute pancreatitis in dogs is organ necrosis, which can be caused by enzymatic autolysis and impregnation of the same pathogenic muscle cells.
Symptoms
Signs of pancreatitis in dogs appear suddenly and develop rapidly (from several hours to several days). In mild forms the concern is:
- vomit;
- nausea;
- ascites;
- increasing pain;
- apathy;
- jaundice;
- heat;
- anemia;
- foul (smelly) diarrhea.
Visual examination of the animal by a veterinarian
Symptoms of pancreatitis in a dog with severe form:
- cruel, unbearable pain, which can cause a state of shock or collapse;
- drooling with bradycardia;
- the dog takes a supplicating pose: stretches its forelimbs forward, places its torso (stomach) on the floor or ground, slightly raises its hindquarters.
Palpation reveals acute pain in the peritoneum, especially on its walls. Laboratory analysis of urine and blood shows high levels of amylase, and immediately - almost in the first minutes of the development of the disease.
Necrotizing pancreatitis is considered last stage– pancreatic cells die. Total pancreatic necrosis leads to the death of the animal.
The disease can result in a complete recovery of the dog or acquire another recurrent form of progression - chronic pancreatitis, which is no less dangerous. In heavy and running forms: in the presence of peritonitis, a state of shock or collapse, the disease is fraught fatal in the first days and even hours of the development of the disease.
It must be remembered that pancreatitis in a puppy is more difficult to tolerate and the consequences will be more severe. Therefore, children are at risk.
Drug treatment of pancreatitis
Diagnostics
A competent diagnosis is only half the path an animal will have to go through to recovery. The problem with laboratory tests in quadrupeds is different than in humans. In humans with pancreatitis, the amount of lipase and amylase immediately increases. In a quadruped with the same diagnosis, amylase and lipase levels may be within normal limits.
To provide an accurate medical report, the dog is additionally prescribed:
- ultrasound examination of the peritoneum;
- X-ray;
- biopsy from the internal walls;
- laboratory analysis of urine.
In addition to these studies, the dog undergoes a visual examination by a veterinarian. Then only the sick animal is prescribed drugs, the regimen and duration of administration are determined.
Feeding a sick animal
Treatment
- On the first day of detection of the disease, the dog is placed on starvation diet. It is permissible to give the dog only water, in small quantities.
- You can treat a sick dog with antibiotics only in cases where a veterinarian advises it.
- To avoid dehydration, the animal is given an intravenous drip with saline solution.
- In case of acute pancreatitis, painkillers, antiemetics and antibacterial drugs, as well as anti-inflammatory.
Treatment of pancreatitis in dogs at home should be prescribed by a veterinarian after diagnosis. accurate diagnosis. The treatment regimen and medications should be prescribed by a specialist after passing all tests and diagnostics. You need to understand that this disease is very dangerous and experimenting with the dog’s health is unacceptable.
Complications and consequences
Symptoms and treatment of pancreatitis in dogs must be identified promptly. This disease is very insidious and fraught with consequences:
- In advanced stages, pancreatitis can progress to pancreatic necrosis, then to peritonitis. And here you cannot do without surgical intervention. Otherwise the dog will die.
- Sometimes veterinarians may detect complications such as blood poisoning and sepsis.
- Very rarely, but there are cases of constriction of the bile ducts.
- Another complication of chronic pancreatitis is the development of diabetes mellitus.
Regular medical examinations to prevent the development of pancreatitis
It is dangerous to let all inflammation of a dog’s pancreas take its course. Prevention is easier than treatment - every owner of a four-legged animal should know this. You need to be attentive to your pet, take a closer look at its well-being more often, and conduct preventive medical examinations. At the slightest deterioration, it is necessary to urgently show it to the veterinarian.
