Pancreatitis is the most common disease of the exocrine pancreas in cats, but it is hard to diagnose: the signs are vague, the blood tests are imperfect, and many cases are low-grade and chronic. It often occurs together with inflammatory bowel disease and cholangitis, and the most dangerous complication of a few days without eating is hepatic lipidosis.
Key facts
Pancreatitis at a glance- Species and system: cat; digestive system (exocrine pancreas).
- Cause: in most cats (over 95% according to the ACVIM consensus) no cause is found.
- Forms: acute necrotizing, acute suppurative and chronic (lymphocytic) pancreatitis; chronic disease is far more common at necropsy.
- Classic presentation: lethargy and poor appetite, sometimes with dehydration, hypothermia, vomiting or icterus; abdominal pain is often not obvious.
- Key test: feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI); amylase and general lipase tests are not useful.
- 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
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 7 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.