Abstract
During 3 years 28 cases of acute pancreatitis were diagnosed in dogs. In 26 of these dogs, the disease was fatal. The most frequent symptoms were vomiting, anorexia and lethargy. Two thirds showed tenderness upon abdominal palpation. Ascites was found in 3 cases. Of the blood, parameters, serum amylase level was elevated in 86 % and lipase in 89 % of the cases. Sixteen dogs were uremic and half of the dogs were hyperglycemic. Two thirds of the dogs had leukocytosis. Using stepwise multiple regression the best blood parameters explaining acute pancreatitis were leukocytes together with lipase and glucose. In an attempt to find a more specific serum test for dogs to diagnose acute pancreatitis serum phospholipase A2 (PLA(2)) activity was measured. In sixteen out of the 28 dogs with acute pancreatitis, serum PLA(2) activity was increased. The ascites fluids were rich in PLA2. Serum PLA(2) is more often increased in the severe necrotizing pancreatitis (80 %) than in the milder forms of acute pancreatitis (44 %). All dogs with increased serum PLA(2) had also increased serum amylase and lipase activities. The dogs with an increased serum PLA(2) and dogs with ascites had fat necrosis in the vicinity of the pancreas. Experimental pancreatitis was induced in 4 dogs by injecting Na-taurocholate and trypsin into the pancreas. In these cases, very high PLA(2) activities in the serum and ascites fluids were detected, but none seemed to be present in the urine samples.