Update on Pancreatitis in Dogs

From a clinical perspective pancreatitis can be broadly categorized as acute, recurrent acute or chronic. It can be further classifi ed according to its effect on the patient as mild or severe, nonfatal or fatal, and also by the presence of sequela such as abscess formation. Histologically, acute pancreatitis is characterized by fi ndings that range from pancreatic edema to necrosis, variable infi ltrates of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells, and local changes such as peri-pancreatic fat necrosis and thrombosis. Acute pancreatitis may resolve or persist and can be complicated by secondary infection and pseudocyst or abscess formation. It is tempting to equate mild acute pancreatitis with pancreatic edema, and severe or fatal pancreatitis with pancreatic necrosis, but this relationship has not been critically examined in patients with naturally occurring pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by fi brosis and low grade mononuclear infl ammation and may be a sequela of recurrent acute pancreatitis or a subclinical disease process that may present as diabetes mellitus or exocrine pancreatic insuffi ciency (EPI).