Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs and cats

Digestive system animals and humans is a complex complex, each element of which is extremely important for normal, full life your pet. If at least some organ becomes ill, all this can be forgotten. 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 distinguishes three types of enzymes that are necessary for the digestion of 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 just for the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. But the significance of the body lies not only in this. In total, scientists distinguish two most important functions:

  • exocrine.
  • Endocrine.

What does each of them imply? The exocrine role is that the organ secretes the enzymes necessary for the proper digestion of food into the intestinal cavity of the dog. Endocrine function means that insulin is synthesized in the pancreas. A hormone without which the human or animal body cannot physically absorb glucose. With its deficiency or excess occurs. deadly dangerous disease that claims many thousands of lives every year. And yes frequent complication pancreatitis in animals and humans is exactly diabetes.

Remember! With pancreatitis, there is almost always a violation carbohydrate metabolism, on which fat, protein, water-salt metabolism depends, other functions of the body also suffer. The body of the animal is 60% less nutritious, exhaustion develops.

What is pancreatitis, and what is it fraught with

- inflammation of the pancreas. Accompanied, as we have already said, serious violation all functions of the body, many of which are vital. Why iron at all internal secretion, securely hidden in abdominal cavity can inflame? After all, in the way of bacteria and other traditional factors of inflammation is reliable barrier as lymph nodes and other body defenses?

IN normal conditions enzymes involved in the process of digestion are in the cells in an inactive state. 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 body simply begins to digest itself. This further 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. Interestingly, in many cases, the lifestyle of a sick pet, its eating habits and dietary characteristics are of key importance. It is known that many dogs like to eat something spicy, sweet, they like fatter food, they love fried meat ... That's just d For animals, such treats are poison, their regular consumption just leads to inflammation. In addition, dogs often get sick, whose owners like to treat their pet for real and fictitious diseases on their own.

Pancreatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Interestingly, it is the “chronicle” of the disease that is found everywhere, and sharp species- very rarely. However, it is the pathologies in acute form, as their manifestations are difficult to ignore. pain reaction it happens that the dog just rolls on the ground and howls from 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 in Lately the tendency to "rejuvenation" of the disease is very clear. Interestingly, females get sick more often. The clinical picture, the severity of the development of the pathology completely depends on how severely the internal structures of the pancreas are affected. The larger the affected area, the more severe the pathology.

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Diagnosis of Pancreatitis in Dogs

The diagnosis is made on the basis of both visual signs and numerous diagnostic studies. For one only external symptoms disease is not to be expected. At first, the pain may be minor, short-lived and infrequent. They arise spontaneously, the dog may squeal a couple of times from discomfort, and then continue to play as if nothing happened. No wonder the owners for a long time see nothing suspicious. So in the first months and even years of the development of the disease, the pain quickly arises, but just as quickly passes. But in the future, the disease begins to progress: the pain at the same time becomes stronger, attacks occur more often.

When do seizures most often occur? Usually immediately after a meal. During this period, abundant secretion and release of digestive enzymes occur, which, coupled with the sad state of the pancreas, causes an acute pain attack in the pet. So get in the habit of watching your dog carefully during and after feedings: if he starts to behave inappropriately, talk to the veterinarian immediately, or bring your pet in for a checkup right away. The sooner you start treating pancreatitis, the more likely it is to make a full recovery.

IN without fail are taken blood tests to check the level of enzymes in her serum, determine the leukocyte count, etc. X-rays of the abdominal cavity, pancreas, duodenography (visual check of the condition of the duodenum) are also used. Only on the basis of all the information received, the doctor can diagnose pancreatitis. After that, treatment is prescribed. In especially difficult and implicit cases, a pancreatic biopsy is strongly recommended: during the procedure, a piece of organ tissue is taken. It is used for microscopic analysis, cytological studies, and (which is especially valuable) as a material for seeding on nutrient media. In general, this is the only way to accurately know the type of pathogen responsible for the development of the inflammatory process.

Therapeutic activities

A sick pet is first put on a strict diet, and the more pronounced the pain syndrome, the stricter the diet will be. In some cases, complete hunger is shown, but for no more than one and a half days. Drinking for a sick dog at this time is provided 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 expands, vegetable soups and liquid cereals are allowed (but in small quantities), lean varieties meat: turkey, chicken, rabbit. Also shown are the broths on these meats, which include vegetables rubbed through a sieve (not potatoes!). For the period of exacerbation, all vegetables from the diet of a sick pet are removed completely.

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Diseases of the pancreas of dogs

The pancreas is located between the layers of the mesentery duodenum and stomach, has a right and left lobe. Its excretory ducts open into the duodenum. The mass of the gland is 10-100 g, which corresponds to 0.13-0.36% of the dog's body weight. The endocrine part of the gland is only 3% and is formed by cells of the islets of Langerhans. Alpha cells secrete the hormone glucagon, beta cells secrete insulin. In addition, this part of the gland produces lipocaine, vagotonin and other hormone-like substances.

Most of the gland has an exocrine function and produces digestive juice containing the enzymes trypsinogens, chymotrypsinogens, proelastase, ribonuclease, amylase, lipase, which are involved in the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. Owing to the fact that most of glands are an exocrine organ; with the development of a pathological process, the digestive function primarily suffers. Only in chronic disease is the insular part involved (or in the case of its specific lesion). Then it breaks endocrine function glands.

Four main forms of pancreatic lesions have been described: acute pancreatitis, chronic sclerosing pancreatitis (pancreocyrrhosis), hereditary atrophy, and insulinoma. Insulinoma and atrophy occur in German Shepherds, in isolated cases in hounds and Giant Schnauzers. In dogs of other breeds, chronic sclerosing pancreatitis predominates, manifesting more often as symptoms of diabetes than exocrine insufficiency. There is no similar selectivity in the occurrence of acute pancreatitis. The incidence of pancreopathy in German Shepherds is 8 per 1000, and in other breeds - 3 per 10,000

exocrine insufficiency . The pancreas, due to its complex anatomical location, is difficult to respond to conventional physical methods research. Its condition can only be judged by the violation of the functions of other organs associated with it. Insufficiency of the function of the gland can manifest itself both in a lack of enzymes and in the inability of the digestive juice to maintain an alkaline pH in the intestine. Under these conditions, normal intestinal cavitary digestion is disrupted, microbes multiply intensively in the thin section, intestinal dysbacteriosis occurs, which further worsens the digestive processes. Violated parietal enzymatic digestion (maldigestion syndrome) and absorption of enzymatic hydrolysis products (malabsorption syndrome). Increased exhaustion increased appetite(malnutrition syndrome), the function of other endocrine glands is disrupted.

Symptoms. Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency is characterized by: polydipsia and polyuria, vomiting, flatulence (discharge of foul-smelling gases), pancreatogenic diarrhea (malodorous, with increased defecation and an increase in fecal volume, not amenable to therapy), pancreatogenic stools (polyfecalia - voluminous stools in the form of foamy, soft, porous colorless masses with sour smell, oily sheen and undigested food residues, sometimes with an admixture of blood), polyphagia up to coprophagia, flatulence of all parts of the intestine, hyperglycemia, glucosuria, hypocholesterolemia, an increase in serum amylase, steatorrhea, creatorrhea, amylorrhea, fecal acidity.

Diagnosis it is not always possible to deliver during the life of the animal. If during the examination the listed symptoms are found, there is reason to suspect pancreopathy. Ascites in combination with hyperglycemia also indicates the involvement of the pancreas in pathological process. For greater confidence in the diagnosis, one or two functional tests are performed.

Differential Diagnosis. Symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency must be distinguished from polyphagy caused by chronic enteritis, and various kinds malabsorption. For pancreopathy characterized by polyphagia against the background of progressive cachexia. The activity and performance of the animal can be maintained for a long time, which is not characteristic of chronic enteritis and hepatopathy (rapid increase in depression, temporary or prolonged loss of appetite). Pancreopathy is also distinguished by concomitant bradycardia; in contrast to enterocolitis, defecation is frequent, but tenesmus is absent.

Acute pancreatitis . Necrosis of the pancreas caused by enzymatic autolysis of tissues with hemorrhagic impregnation. The etiology has not been precisely established. Acute pancreatitis is observed when bile enters the lumen of the gland ducts. An important role is played by the activation of proteolytic enzymes in the gland itself, resulting in enzymatic digestion (autolysis) of its parenchyma with hemorrhages and fatty necrosis.

Symptoms. Acute pancreatitis occurs more often in females with impaired fat metabolism. The disease begins suddenly after eating and develops over several hours or days. In mild cases, growing weakness, apathy, vomiting, fetid diarrhea, increased body temperature, sometimes anemia, jaundice, ascites and other symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency syndrome.

Severe cases diseases (acute necrosis of the pancreas) are manifested by severe pain, quickly leading to the development of collapse and shock. Pain is accompanied by excruciating vomiting, salivation and bradycardia. The animal assumes a forced "prayer" posture: the front legs are extended forward, the chest lies on the floor, and the rear part of the body is raised. Palpation reveals acute pain abdominal wall. In the blood and urine, already in the first hours of the disease, increased content amylase. However, with necrotizing pancreatitis, the content of amylase may be normal or even reduced. In these cases, a decrease in the amount of calcium in the blood and an increase in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase have a certain diagnostic value.

Acute pancreatitis lasts for several days and may end full recovery or progress to chronic recurrent pancreatitis. In severe form, death can occur in the initial period of the disease with the phenomena of collapse, shock and peritonitis.

Treatment provides for: 1) the fight against shock - intravenous drip infusion 5% glucose solution, dextrans, blood or plasma transfusion; 2) creation of physiological rest for the pancreas: complete starvation for 2-4 days, subject to parenteral administration of Alvezin; 3) inactivation of proteolytic enzymes by antienzymatic drugs (gordox, contrical, etc.); 4) suppression of pancreatic secretion and elimination of pain (atropine and analgin with seduxen); 5) prevention of secondary infection (antibiotics).

If acute pancreatitis is suspected, it is better to play it safe and start right away. intensive treatment, since in the case diagnostic error it will not hurt, and the delay in the appointment of therapy will no longer save the patient's life. When an improvement in the condition of the animal occurs, it is recommended to slowly start feeding high-quality proteins and fat - several times a day in small portions.

Atrophy of the pancreas . The atrophied gland looks no thicker than a parchment sheet, transparent, but retains its ducts. Mostly German Shepherds are affected. The etiopathogenesis is unknown. Animals are born with a normal pancreas. Its atrophy and, as a result, exocrine insufficiency develop in the first months of life, but sometimes even in middle age. Factors causing atrophy of the gland have not been established.

Symptoms. The anamnesis of the disease is already characteristic, indicating the strongest hunger of the animal up to eating its own feces and, despite this, progressive emaciation. Along with the general symptoms of insufficiency of the function of the gland, the semiotics of the disease is supplemented by the following data: frequent defecation, the amount of feces is very increased, they are excreted in large single or multiple small scattered heaps, have a wet sheen, foamy in consistency, with an unpleasant sour smell and, depending on the content in them fat colorless gray or clay yellow. In such pancreatogenic stools, undigested grains of cereals or pieces of potatoes can be found. At times, feces may be shaped. In the abdominal cavity, the sounds of splashing and rumbling are auscultated, the large intestine filled with fecal masses is palpated. Pronounced bradycardia. The coat of a sick animal is disheveled, does not hold well, dry skin, scaly.

Diagnosis put almost unmistakably by a combination of five symptoms: a German shepherd, a sharp emaciation of the animal, irrepressible appetite, pancreatogenic stools, hypocholesterolemia.

Atrophic pancreatitis completely excludes the reserve secretory capacity of the gland. Without treatment, sick animals die.

Treatment. The main role is assigned to substitution therapy. The animal is prescribed pancreatic enzyme preparations (pancreatin, panzinorm), painkillers and antibiotics. Diet. It is recommended to give only lean meat and no fats and carbohydrates. If treatment fails, euthanasia is offered.

insulinoma . A hormonally active tumor, an adenoma, that develops from the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans and produces excessive amounts of insulin. Very rare in German Shepherds. Excessive production of insulin by adenoma causes increased destruction of glucose in the body and a state of chronic hypoglycemia.

Symptoms. Hypoglycemia leads to muscle tremors, ataxia, epileptiform seizures, and eventually to hypoglycemic coma.

Diagnosis suggest on the basis of three signs: German Shepherd, hypoglycemia below 2.8 mmol / l, epileptiform convulsions. Differentiate from severe liver dystrophy and insufficiency of the function of the adrenal cortex. Only diagnostic laparotomy can serve as the final confirmation of the diagnosis.

Treatment. If an insulinoma is detected, a partial pancreectomy is performed. Before surgery, therapeutic diet: 1/3 meat and 2/3 starch jelly, 4-6 portions per day.

Operation technique. General anesthesia is performed in the dorsal position of the animal, and then laparotomy along the white line in the supra-umbilical region. Examine organs. Allocate the proportion of the gland affected by the tumor. Separate with tweezers glandular tissue at some distance from the tumor and expose the intralobular artery. Ligate and cross the arteries. Remove the affected part of the gland. The wound of the abdominal wall is sutured.

ETIOPATOGENESIS AND FEATURES:

Characteristics.
The pancreas, due to its complex anatomical localization, is difficult to respond to conventional physical research methods.
Its condition can only be judged by the violation of the functions of other organs associated with it.
Insufficiency of the function of the gland can manifest itself both in a lack of enzymes and in the inability of the digestive juice to maintain an alkaline pH in the intestine.
Under these conditions, normal intestinal cavity digestion is disturbed, in thin department microbes multiply intensively, intestinal dysbacteriosis occurs, which further worsens the digestive processes.
Violated parietal enzymatic digestion (maldigestion syndrome) and absorption of enzymatic hydrolysis products (malabsorption syndrome).
Exhaustion increases with increased appetite (malnutrition syndrome), the function of other endocrine glands is disrupted.

ETIOLOGY:
exocrine pancreatic insufficiency(EPN) can be caused by pancreatic disease or its functional insufficiency. Further changes are the result painful process, which is reflected in 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 a morphological disease of the pancreas.
Duodenal mucosal disease (DMB). It provokes EPN but by the following mechanism: the hormones cholecystokinin and secretin are synthesized in the duodenum, which cause and stimulate the secretion of the pancreas.
The mucous membrane of the duodenum also 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 with pripsinogen, and trypsin activation plays a major role in the activation of all pancreatic proteases.

Causes of a deficiency in the activity of pancreatic enzymes in the intestines:

1. INADEQUATE PANCREAS SECRETION:
Decreased pancreatic synthesis
Atrophy of the pancreas;
Congenital enzyme deficiency;
Decreased secretion of the normal pancreas
duodenal mucosal disease
Nervous regulation disorders
Violations of humoral regulation
Slow secretion of normal pancreas. glands
duodenal mucosal disease

2. REDUCED ENZYME ACTIVITY:
duodenal mucosal disease
Enterokinase deficiency
Deficiency of bile acids
Reduced lipase activity
Reduced trypisinogen activity due to enterokinase.

3. INTESTINAL FACTORS OF ENZYME ACTIVITY DECREASE:
Extremely acidic optimal pH activity
Low gastric emptying
duodenal mucosal disease
Affected by the enterogastrone-mediated reflex
Affected by enterogastric reflex
Overfeeding
Decreased pancreatic secretion
Deficiency in bicarbonate secretion
Decreased proteolytic breakdown of enzymes
Bacterial proteases
Hyperreproduction of microflora caused by reasons:
Stasis
Obstruction
Hypomotility

PATHOGENESIS:
mucous small intestines(especially the duodenum) synthesizes the hormones cholecystokinin and secretin, which stimulate pancreatic secretion. There are receptors in the mucosa that help release these hormones. The duodenal mucosa has a very a 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 the proteases that are being destroyed are deficient due to mucosal atrophy or other pathology, making them active and inactivating pancreatic enzymes that are secreted in sufficient quantities.

PECULIARITIES: chronic pancreatitis and juvenile atrophy of the pancreas -
- the most common causes deficiency of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

General clinic:
1. Anorexia (lack of appetite, refusal to eat);
2. Tousled wool;
3. Diarrhea;
4. Exhaustion, cachexia, neglect;
5. Unusual or fetid odor feces;
6. Polydipsia, increased thirst;
7. Polyphagia, extremely increased appetite;
8. Loss of body weight;
9. Vomiting, regurgitation, emesis;
10. Steatorrhea, fat in the feces;
11. Enlarged borborygmas, flatulence;
12. Oppression (depression, lethargy);
13. Flatulence;

Symptoms. Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency is characterized by: polydipsia and polyuria, vomiting, flatulence (discharge of foul-smelling gases), pancreatogenic diarrhea (malodorous, with increased defecation and an increase in fecal volume, not amenable to therapy), pancreatogenic stools (polyfecalia - voluminous stools in the form of foamy, soft, porous colorless masses with a sour smell, greasy sheen and undigested food residues, sometimes with an admixture of blood), polyphagia up to coprophagia, flatulence of all parts of the intestine, hyperglycemia, glucosuria, hypocholesterolemia, increased serum amylase, steatorrhea, creatorrhea, amylorrhea, acidity faeces.

Diagnosis: based on:
- clinical signs;
- Examination of faeces for the presence of traces of muscle fibers;
- Examination of faeces for the presence of fats;
- tests for the level of protein processing;
- BT-PABA tests;
- 72-hour fecal fat or serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity measured by radioimmunoassay;
- impact of exposure to pancreatic enzymes;

It is not always possible to make a diagnosis during the life of the animal.
If during the examination the listed symptoms are found, there is reason to suspect pancreopathy.
Ascites in combination with hyperglycemia also indicates the involvement of the pancreas in the pathological process.
For greater confidence in the 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 of malabsorption.
Pancreopathy is characterized by polyphagia against the background of progressive cachexia. The activity and performance of the animal can be maintained for a long time, which is not characteristic of chronic enteritis and hepatopathy (rapid increase in depression, temporary or prolonged loss of appetite).
Pancreopathy is also distinguished by concomitant bradycardia; in contrast to enterocolitis, defecation is frequent, but tenesmus is absent.

TREATMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND PROGNOSIS:

MEDICAL:
- Mezim forte: 1-2 tbt / day for 5-7 days;
- Trizim: 1-2 tbt/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/v;

DEVELOPMENT: acute, with a tendency to chronicity.

FORECAST: doubtful to favorable.

Pathologies in the pancreas in dogs have become more frequent in last years. It is difficult to identify them at the initial stage. The most common anomaly is considered to be pancreatitis in dogs. The difficulty is explained by the fact that the pancreas provides the digestive system with the necessary hormones and enzymes. Violations can only be detected if characteristic symptoms. It is impossible to visually establish pathology by signs. By using modern techniques and laboratory tests can determine the nature of the pathology, the severity and possible mechanisms of treatment.

Any dysfunction of the pancreas is fraught with serious complications. The sooner the owner notices any deterioration in the health of the dog, the sooner the disease will be detected, the easier and more effective the treatment.

Varieties of inflammatory processes in the pancreas of dogs

Animals need to eat right too.

The pancreas is considered extremely important for the digestive system. She is endowed with two essential 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, carbohydrates.

Pancreatitis leads to a violation of carbohydrate metabolism, on which water, salt, protein and fat metabolism depends. Other vital systems also suffer from this pathology. The dog's body lacks useful substances by about 60%. Against this background, the dog begins to develop exhaustion.

endocrine insufficiency

Pancreas (pancreas) of the dog is difficult to traditional methods of examination due to the complex anatomical location in the body of a quadruped. You can learn about its performance and condition only by the disturbed functions of the organs that are interconnected with it.

exocrine insufficiency manifests itself in a deficiency of enzymes, the inability of the stomach to digest food, to maintain normal intestinal pH. Under such conditions, in addition to digestive disorders, there is an increased reproduction of microbes, provoking the development of dysbacteriosis and the deterioration of all digestive processes. Exhaustion increases even when the dog eats heavily.

Symptoms

Pancreatic problems in a dog associated with exocrine insufficiency can be identified by the following signs:

  • nausea;
  • polyuria;
  • glycosuria;
  • diarrhea - rumbling and offensive;
  • polydipsia;
  • pancreatogenic stool - sour smell, voluminous foamy masses with remnants of undigested food.

Diagnostics

It is not often possible to make an accurate diagnosis of a dog during life. If during initial examination the veterinarian will be able to consider the described symptoms, he has every reason to suspect pancreopathy in the animal. To set the final medical report the quadruped is given several functional tests.

Sectional view of pancreatitis

Atrophy of the pancreas

The atrophied pancreas resembles a parchment sheet - thin and transparent, preserving the ducts. The German Shepherd suffers from this disease more often than other breeds. The etiopathogenesis of the disease is unknown. Dogs are born with a healthy organ, atrophy begins to appear in the first few months of life, but can develop in the middle period of life.

The reasons for the development of pancreatic atrophy have not yet been established and have not been studied for certain.

Symptoms

Typical symptoms of this pathology:

  • the strongest feeling of hunger, before eating their own feces;
  • progressive wasting despite increased nutrition;
  • frequent bowel movements;
  • increased amount of feces;
  • the consistency of feces is frothy, clay-yellow in color with a sour smell;
  • rumbling or splashing sounds are made from the peritoneum.

Feels on palpation colon full of feces. The coat of a sick animal is ruffled, does not hold well, skin covering dry, scaly.

Attacks of exacerbation of pathologies in the pancreas of a dog are accompanied by a strong pain syndrome. Improve 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 atrophy of the organ, if they can be detected in time, are treated. The diet of a sick animal should consist of lean meat and foods that do not contain carbohydrates or fats. Recommended specially selected replacement therapy. The dog is prescribed drugs based on enzymes - "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. It develops in the form of islets of Langerhans, consists of beta cells. It produces insulin in excess, and this is fraught with chronic hypoglycemia, accelerated glucose synthesis.

Symptoms

The disease is accompanied by:

  • ataxia;
  • epileptic convulsions;
  • muscle tremor;
  • insulin shock (hypoglycemic coma) in the last stages of the course.

Treatment

A dog with this pathology undergoes a partial pancreatectomy - surgical intervention. Before him, the dog must be on therapeutic diet. Surgery performed under general anesthesia.

The pancreas is very important for the life of a dog. The main functions of the life of the dog are assigned to it and you can’t joke with it. Any inflammation of the pancreas in dogs should be treated competently and in a timely manner, so you need to be attentive to even the slightest deterioration in the well-being of the animal.

Dehydration drip

pancreatitis

The etiology of this disease has not yet been established and is not fully understood. 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, develop rapidly (from several hours to several days). In mild forms, they are concerned about:

  • vomit;
  • nausea;
  • ascites;
  • growing pain;
  • apathy;
  • jaundice;
  • heat;
  • anemia;
  • foul-smelling diarrhea.

Visual inspection 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;
  • salivation with bradycardia;
  • the dog assumes a pleading pose: stretches the forelimbs forward, the torso (belly) is placed on the floor or ground, back lifts slightly.

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 end in a complete recovery of the dog or acquire another recurrent form of the course - 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 with death in the first day and even hours of the development of the disease.

It must be remembered that pancreatitis in a puppy is more difficult to tolerate, the consequences will be more severe. Therefore, babies are at risk.

Medical treatment of pancreatitis

Diagnostics

Proper diagnosis is only half the path that an animal will have to go to recovery. A problem with laboratory tests in tetrapods it is different than in humans. In a person with pancreatitis, the amount of lipase and amylase immediately increases. In a quadruped with the same diagnosis, the values ​​of amylase with lipase may be within the normal range.

To establish an accurate medical conclusion, the dog is additionally assigned:

  • ultrasound examination of the peritoneum;
  • x-ray;
  • biopsy from the inner walls;
  • laboratory analysis of urine.

In addition to these studies, the dog is subjected to a visual examination by a veterinarian. Then, only the sick animal is prescribed drugs, the scheme and duration of administration are determined.

Feeding a sick animal

Treatment

  1. On the first day of the discovery of the disease, the dog is put on a starvation diet. It is permissible to give the dog only water, in small quantities.
  2. You can treat a sick dog with antibiotics only in cases where it is advised by a veterinarian.
  3. To avoid dehydration, the animal is placed on an intravenous drip with saline.
  4. At acute course pancreatitis, pain medications, antiemetics and antibacterial drugs and also anti-inflammatory.

Treatment of pancreatitis in dogs at home should be prescribed by a veterinarian after staging accurate diagnosis. The treatment regimen and drugs 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 health of the dog is unacceptable.

Complications and consequences

The symptoms and treatment of pancreatitis in dogs must be determined in time. This disease is very insidious and fraught with consequences:

  1. In advanced stages, pancreatitis can turn into pancreatic necrosis, then into peritonitis. And here you can not do without surgical intervention. Otherwise, the dog will die.
  2. Sometimes veterinarians can state complications such as blood poisoning, sepsis.
  3. Very rarely, but there are cases of constriction of bile ducts.
  4. Another complication of chronic pancreatitis is the development of diabetes mellitus.

Regular medical examinations as a prevention of the development of pancreatitis

It is dangerous to let all the inflammation of the pancreas of a dog take its course. It is easier to prevent than to treat later - every owner of a four-legged must know this. You need to be attentive to your pet, look closely at his well-being more often, and conduct preventive medical examinations. At the slightest deterioration, it is urgent to show it to the veterinarian.


anesthesiologist-resuscitator

pancreatic function

The pancreas is a small, light pink glandular organ located under the stomach along the duodenum. The pancreas secretes a number of hormones, in addition, the exocrine glands secrete enzymes that help digest food. Without enough digestive enzymes in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, nutrients from food cannot be digested and absorbed. As a result, weight loss or chronic diarrhea (diarrhea) with gray fecal masses develop, or both symptoms are noted. Dogs often have a dull coat with a lot of dandruff, and coprophagia (eating their own feces) can occur.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

In dogs this disease is not congenital pathology, but note genetic predisposition. Probably in this case there is an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. The pathogenesis (mechanism of development) of the disease includes autoimmune destruction of pancreatic tissue and atrophy of the acini. The affected areas of the gland decrease in size and cease to function.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs can develop at any age, but is more common in dogs younger than 4 years of age. German Shepherds and Rough Collies are prone to this disease. According to statistics, 70% of dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency are german shepherds, and 20% Rough Collies.

In cats the cause of the disease is usually pancreatitis, no genetic inheritance has been identified.

Diagnostics

Abroad, and today in our clinic, TLI is primarily used for this - a test for trypsin immunoreactivity in blood serum. In addition, an ELISA test for fecal elastase can be used. Both of these tests are species-specific. Also, for the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency, the doctor uses the maximum data about the animal, taking into account its breed, age, symptoms, data on the presence of the disease in the parents, analysis of feces for the digestibility of food.

Treatment

Therapy consists in the appointment of pancreatic enzymes. The drugs are given to animals with food, the action of powdered drugs is more effective than tablets. It has been proven that enzymes must be given directly during feeding.

Some animals are good therapeutic effect observed at joint application enzymes and antisecretory drugs (blockers of H2-histamine receptors), which reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and thereby protect enzymes from the action gastric juice. For the same purpose, proton pump blockers (omeprazole, etc.) can be used.

Patients with pancreatic insufficiency must diet food. The best diet- easily digestible food. Such feeds are poor in fiber and fats, which is especially important for underweight animals.

Because in pancreatic insufficiency most nutrients is not absorbed into the blood, they are actively consumed by intestinal microorganisms. As a result, the population of bacteria progressively grows. This process adversely affects the health of the animal. One consequence is vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to clinical picture anemia and neurological disorders. At the beginning of treatment, a course of antibiotic therapy is recommended, followed by periodic injections of vitamin B12. In some cases, additional administration of vitamins E and K 1 is necessary.

Treatment must be continued throughout the life of the animal. If you stop the introduction of enzymes, the symptoms of the disease will return again. A positive response to treatment is an improvement in the condition one week after its initiation.

The described tactics of treatment, as a rule, are very effective. But it's important to know that:

    about one in five dogs may not respond to treatment,

    most animals never gain normal weight.

In such cases, it is important to make sure that other diseases that may accompany pancreatic insufficiency (bacterial overgrowth) or cause similar symptoms (for example, inflammatory disease intestines, infiltrative enteritis). In some cases, this requires a biopsy of the intestine and pancreas.

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