Feline pancreatitis can be a very difficult disease to diagnose and often requires a combination of clinical suspicion, appropriate physical examination findings, elevations in serum feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, and changes on abdominal ultrasonography consistent with pancreatic disease. The diagnostic difficulties encountered are related to a lack of specific and readily attributable clinical signs in cats. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of pancreatitis are highest when a combination of tests is utilized; but even when such tests are employed, the diagnosis is still problematic, especially in cats with chronic pancreatitis. Therapy is symptomatic and focuses on maintaining fluid volume, controlling pain and vomiting, preventing infection, and adjusting to changes in the cat’s condition as they occur.
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January/February 2006
Pearls of Veterinary Practice|
January 01 2006
Pancreatitis in Cats: Diagnosis and Management of a Challenging Disease
Debra L. Zoran, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM
Debra L. Zoran, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
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J Am Anim Hosp Assoc (2006) 42 (1): 1–9.
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Debra L. Zoran; Pancreatitis in Cats: Diagnosis and Management of a Challenging Disease. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1 January 2006; 42 (1): 1–9. doi: https://doi.org/10.5326/0420001
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