Feline exocrine pancreatic disorders

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Comparative Pathology
• Feline Health

Background:

• Disorders of the exocrine pancreas are frequent in cats, with pancreatitis being the most common.
• Feline pancreatitis often presents with nonspecific clinical signs and laboratory findings, making diagnosis difficult.
• Other exocrine pancreatic disorders in cats include exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and less common conditions like pseudocysts and abscesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of common feline exocrine pancreatic disorders.
• To highlight the diagnostic utility of serum feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI) in pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
• To discuss the treatment strategies and prognoses for various feline pancreatic diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on feline exocrine pancreatic diseases.
• Analysis of clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and treatment outcomes.
• Emphasis on the role of abdominal ultrasonography and serum fTLI measurements.

Main Results:

• Pancreatitis in cats is often idiopathic, with nonspecific clinical signs and normal serum lipase/amylase.
• Elevated serum fTLI concentrations are characteristic of feline pancreatitis.
• Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) presents with weight loss and maldigestion, and is associated with subnormal serum fTLI and low cobalamin.
• Pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a poor prognosis due to frequent metastasis at diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of feline pancreatic disorders requires a combination of clinical evaluation, advanced imaging, and specific biomarkers like fTLI.
• Management focuses on supportive care, addressing underlying causes, and specific treatments like enzyme supplementation for EPI.
• Early recognition and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes in cats with exocrine pancreatic diseases.