Salycylate--induced pancreatic injury in the cat: a preliminary study

The effect of intravenous aspirin on the exocrine pancreatic secretion was investigated in a feline isolated pancreaticoduodenal preparation. The study group received a 500 mg/kg bolus dose of aspirin intravenously. Duodenal washouts were collected for six hours. The serum and perfusate aspirin content increased significantly after aspirin administration (p = 0.01). However, the pH, bicarbonate, sodium, potassium and calcium content in the duodenal outflow did not show significant changes between 0 and 6 hours. A significant difference in the perfusate calcium content was present between ASA treated and control cats starting at the end of the first hour of the experiment (p=0.005). Histopathological examination of the pancreas revealed marked erythrocyte extravasation in the ASA treated animals. It is suggested that the ASA- related increase in the calcium secretion of the pancreas should be regarded as an indication of aspirin induced pancreatic damage.