Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with acute pancreatitis showing bruising on sides like Grey
By Yuan, Lucy et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2025·School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Suspected Grey Turner's sign in a dog with acute pancreatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-year-old fox terrier was brought to the vet after two days of vomiting and panting, and was found to have fluid buildup in the abdomen. After imaging tests, the dog was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, a serious condition. On the fifth day of treatment, the dog developed bruising on the sides of its belly, which raised concerns about a serious internal issue known as Grey Turner's sign, typically seen in humans with severe pancreatitis. This case highlights the importance of recognizing such signs in dogs, as it can indicate severe internal problems that need immediate attention.
People also search for: dog vomiting and panting · fox terrier pancreatitis symptoms · Grey Turner's sign in dogs
Abstract
An 11-year-old fox terrier was presented with bicavitary effusions following a 2-day history of vomiting and panting. After referral for management of the effusions, following radiographic and ultrasonographic imaging, the dog was diagnosed with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. On Day 5 of hospitalization, the dog developed bilateral abdominal-wall ecchymosis, prompting concerns that this was an example of Grey Turner's sign (GTS), described in human medicine as a subcutaneous manifestation of intra-abdominal hemorrhage presenting as ecchymosis of the flanks and commonly associated with severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis. This is apparently the first time that suspected GTS has been described in a dog with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Recognizing GTS in dogs may alert clinicians to serious intra-abdominal pathology and prompt immediate further investigations. Key clinical message: We describe a case of suspected GTS (bilateral flank ecchymoses) in a dog, apparently for the first time. Grey Turner's sign may occur in cases of intra-abdominal hemorrhage as well as intra-abdominal inflammation in which hemoabdomen is not present. Recognizing GTS in dogs may alert clinicians to serious intra-abdominal disease and prompt immediate further investigations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40671905/