Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with acute pancreatitis caused by zinc poisoning
By Mikszewski, J S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2003·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Zinc-associated acute pancreatitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought to the vet after showing signs of vomiting and abdominal pain. The dog had ingested pennies made after 1982, which contain zinc, leading to acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). This condition is rare in dogs but can occur due to zinc toxicity. The vet treated the dog with supportive care, and while the prognosis can be serious, the dog was monitored closely and showed improvement over time.
People also search for: dog vomiting after eating pennies · zinc poisoning in dogs · pancreatitis treatment for dogs
Abstract
Zinc-induced haemolytic anaemia is a common phenomenon in dogs in the USA following the ingestion of pennies minted after 1982. A case of acute pancreatitis secondary to zinc toxicosis in a dog is described. Acute pancreatitis has been reported in humans, following the ingestion of liquid zinc chloride, but zinc-associated pancreatitis has not been reported previously in the dog. The mechanism of toxicity is unknown, although the pathophysiology may relate to the role of the pancreas in zinc excretion. Acute pancreatitis as a sequela to zinc toxicosis in the dog represents a complication that may prolong hospitalisation and worsen the prognosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12703870/