Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a maldigestion and malabsorption syndrome caused by too little production of digestive enzymes by the pancreas. In cats it is rarer than in dogs and often looks different: weight loss without a dramatic, greasy diarrhoea, and a cobalamin deficiency that can decide whether the cat recovers.
Key facts
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency at a glance- Species and system: cat; exocrine pancreas (digestive system).
- Cause: chronic pancreatitis is the most common cause in cats; clinical signs appear only after about 90% or more of exocrine function is lost.
- Classic presentation: an adult cat with weight loss, a poor coat and loose stools, sometimes with a reduced appetite.
- Diagnosis: serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) at or below 8.0 mcg/L in the cat.
- Treatment: powdered pancreatic enzymes with every meal, plus cobalamin.
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
11 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Don't confuse EPI with
- Treatment and management
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 3 self-test questions and 6 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.