Zinc-associated acute pancreatitis in a dog

Zinc-induced haemolytic anaemia is a common phenomenon in dogs in the USA following the ingestion of pennies minted after 1982. A case of acute pancreatitis secondary to zinc toxicosis in a dog is described. Acute pancreatitis has been reported in humans, following the ingestion of liquid zinc chloride, but zinc-associated pancreatitis has not been reported previously in the dog. The mechanism of toxicity is unknown, although the pathophysiology may relate to the role of the pancreas in zinc excretion. Acute pancreatitis as a sequela to zinc toxicosis in the dog represents a complication that may prolong hospitalisation and worsen the prognosis.