Question:
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs and is there a change in
vital signs ie; temp, blood pressure etc. What tests determine if dog
has pancreatitis?
I brought my dog in for possible bloat. Vet thought she had pancreatitis
after bloat was ruled out and all vital signs were normal. Blood work
came back negative but vet said ultrasound was only way to be sure.
Ultrasound was negative.
Answer:
Signs of pancreatitis include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia/inappetance,
abdominal pain, bloody stools, depression, shock, and death, although of
course not all of them are always exhibited. The temperature, in my
experience, is usually normal to below normal but could theoretically be
elevated due to colonic inflammation I suppose. Blood pressure could be
normal or low (shock) or high (due to pain, prior to shock).
Tests for pancreatitis include physical exam, radiographs, abdominal
ultrasound, serum amylase and lipase, trypsin-like immunoreactivity, and,
um - well, that's all I think of off the top of my head.
*I brought my dog in for possible bloat. Vet thought she had pancreatitis
*after bloat was ruled out and all vital signs were normal. Blood work
*came back negative but vet said ultrasound was only way to be sure.
*Ultrasound was negative.
I am trying to determine if my vet did the appropriate tests and what
was really wrong with her. After the blood work came back negative
(bloodwork did not include lipase) they were still insistant that she
be hospitalised and have an ultrasound the next day. The whole time all
her vitals were normal. Brought her in because she had dry heaves and
was pacing. Thought she had bloat. Exam and x-rays were negative for
bloat but vet thought she may have pancreatitis because they saw air in
her small intestine in the x-rays. Vet never determined cause of
distress and dog has been fine ever since (last 2 months).
