Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to manage sudden pancreatitis in dogs
By Lim, Sue Yee et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2024·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Management of acute-onset pancreatitis in dogs: a Narrative Review.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with sudden vomiting and abdominal pain may be suffering from acute pancreatitis, a common condition that can be tricky to manage. Treatment usually involves providing fluids to keep the dog hydrated, medications to control vomiting, and pain relief. Recently, a new drug called fuzapladib sodium has shown promise in treating this condition and has received some approval for use in dogs. While antibiotics are only used if there’s a specific infection, corticosteroids may help in some cases, though more research is needed. Most dogs can recover with the right care and monitoring.
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Abstract
Acute-onset pancreatitis (AP) is common in dogs and presents diagnostic as well as management challenges. Until recently, the management of AP in dogs was based mainly on supportive and symptomatic care. Identification and management of a possible cause of the disease is important, but the majority of cases are considered to be idiopathic. Fluid therapy that is tailored to the patient's needs is crucial to provide adequate hydration while preventing overhydration. Antiemetics are required to control vomiting and fluid loss and aid in early nutritional support. Recognition and management of complications is also crucial. Furthermore, analgesics for abdominal pain are very important. More recently, pharmaceutical modification of the inflammatory cascade has gained interest and the first specific therapeutic agent for the treatment of AP, fuzapladib sodium, has been shown to have a reasonable expectation of effectiveness in a pilot study. This drug has been licensed for the treatment of clinical signs of AP in dogs in Japan and also has achieved FDA conditional approval in the US. Antibiotics should not be used indiscriminately but are indicated for patients with aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal bacterial translocation, or evidence of another bacterial infection. Proton pump inhibitors and plasma are not routinely prescribed in pancreatitis unless specifically indicated. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided. Corticosteroid therapy, once thought to be contraindicated, may have some beneficial effects, as shown in a single retrospective study. However, further studies are required before their routine use can be recommended. Finally, a surgical approach is rarely indicated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38838711/