Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lipase levels in dog belly fluid help diagnose acute pancreatitis
By Guija de Arespacochaga, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary medicine. A, Physiology, pathology, clinical medicine·2006·University of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of lipase activity in peritoneal fluid of dogs with different pathologies--a complementary diagnostic tool in acute pancreatitis?
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 44 dogs with various health issues had their abdominal fluid tested for lipase activity, which helps diagnose acute pancreatitis. The results showed that dogs with acute pancreatitis had much higher lipase levels in their abdominal fluid compared to those with other conditions like trauma or tumors. This suggests that measuring lipase in abdominal fluid could be a helpful tool for vets when diagnosing acute pancreatitis, especially since other tests might not always provide clear answers.
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Abstract
A clinical diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is often difficult to obtain. Histopathology remains the gold standard, whereas clinical signs, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, even in combination, may be insufficient. In a prospective study, lipase activity in ascitic fluid of various aetiologies was determined in 44 dogs in order to investigate its performance in cases of acute pancreatitis. Data of simultaneously determined blood lipase activities were available in 27 dogs. Lipase activity was measured by a colorimetric assay. A complete peritoneal fluid analysis was performed. Dogs were divided into four groups, according to their final diagnosis: acute pancreatitis (A), abdominal trauma (B), abdominal neoplasia (C) and others (hepatic or cardiac diseases) (D). Dogs with acute pancreatitis had a significantly higher peritoneal lipase activity than those in other groups (P < or = 0.024), while no significant difference was found between the other groups (P > or = 0.734). Blood lipase activity as well as protein content and total cell count of the ascitic fluid did not show any significant difference between groups. Data show that determination of lipase activity in dogs that develop ascites may be useful in complementing the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16533326/