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Feline Pancreatitis Feline Pancreatitis What does the pancreas do? The pancreas has two main functions. It produces digestive enzymes which are released into the duodenum to aid in digesting starches and proteins. The other function is the secretion of insulin and glucagon which help to regulate sugar metabolism. It is a pale pink glandular organ that sits under the stomach and alongside the duodenum. In pancreatitis, it is the digestive parts of the pancreas that we are most concerned with. Feline Pancreatitis is very dangerous The pancreas has various safeguards in place to contain the digestive enzymes located in the pancreas. When the pancreas becomes inflamed it can no longer keep those safeguards in place and digestive enzymes can leak into the body. These enzymes start to digest parts of the body starting with the pancreas and the liver. Toxins released from this tissue destruction make it to the blood stream where the can cause a body wide inflammatory reaction. In rare instances this damage can cause respiratory failure, Diabetes, and even brain damage. What Causes Pancreatitis? Unfortunately, we usually can never find out what the cause is. There are some risk factors that have been noted. Feline Pancreatitis Trauma An active feline distemper infection Toxoplasma (a particular parasite) History of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Exposure to certain pesticides called organophosphates Use of certain medications. Signs of Pancreatitis In dogs and humans, this condition is associated with a lot of nausea and abdominal pain. According to one recent study in cats, only 35% of cats will vomit and only 25% show any abdominal pain. In cases fever is present however, other times the temperature will actually drop. Lethargy and appetite loss are the only consistent signs of this disease in cats. Diagnosis The first step in diagnosis is typically a complete panel of blood work and possibly a urinalysis. These tests will not show pancreatitis but often will show changes in the liver. (Remember that the pancreas is very close to the liver, which releases enzymes when it has incurred damage.) Radiographs may or may not be recommended because the pancreas is very hard to visualize on x-ray, but may be needed to rule out other conditions. There are other blood tests that can be done in indicating pancreatitis such as PLI (Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity) and SPEC-FPL (Specific Feline Pancreatic Lipase). These blood tests although helpful are not for every patient. PLI has to be performed at particular laboratories and it can often take several days to a week to get results. SPEC-FPL is only currently available from 1 laboratory. Results are often available within 48 hours. If the cat is not responding to supportive therapy, referral to a veterinary specialty clinic may be recommended to ultrasound. Ultrasound often can reveal an enlarged pancreas surrounded by fluid which confirms the diagnosis of pancreatitis. Treatment Treatment typically consists mainly of supportive therapy. If the cause of the pancreatitis is known, removal of the cause is important. Fluid therapy along with relief from pain and nausea with medications are the typical therapy. Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease will later develop pancreatitis in these cases treatment Feline Pancreatitis includes medications for IBD such as steroids, antacids, or low residue diets. In some cases Plasma transfusions seem to be helpful however these need to be performed at a veterinary specialty clinic. Prognosis How an individual cat will do in the long run often depends on the severity of the illness. If the cat survives an acute episode there is a good chance that it can go on the live a normal life. Chronic cases of pancreatitis can wax and wane for years and often require permanent diet changes and medication.