BackgroundAcute pancreatitis (AP) occurs frequently in dogs, but most previous studies examining the diagnosis of AP have used data from secondary care hospitals.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the clinical utility of diagnostic laboratory tests in dogs with AP in a primary care hospital.AnimalsSixty‐four dogs with clinical signs suggestive of AP diagnosed with nonpancreatic disease (NP) or AP.MethodsMedical records were retrospectively reviewed, including diagnostic laboratory tests considered potentially useful in the diagnosis of AP. The diagnostic accuracy of amylase and FUJI DRI‐CHEM lipase (FDC lip) were investigated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). In addition, we verified whether diagnostic laboratory tests were useful for evaluating duration of hospitalization and as biomarkers for monitoring recovery.ResultsActivities of amylase and FDC lip were significantly higher in the AP group than in the NP group (P = .001, P < .001, respectively). The sensitivity of FDP lip activity for diagnosing AP was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.7–100%); the specificity was 89.5% (95% CI, 66.9–98.7%). Area under the ROC curve for FDC lip activity was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.93–1). High alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was associated with extended duration of hospitalization (P = .04). A significant difference in C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentration before and 5 days after treatment was found (P = .001).Conclusions and clinical importanceMeasurement of FDC lip activity appears useful for diagnosing AP. High ALT activity might be associated with prolonged duration of hospitalization, and CRP might be useful as a biomarker for monitoring recovery from AP.

A 9-year-old male, castrated Chihuahua was examined because of a 7-day history of intermittent vomiting. A mass in the small intestine was identified on abdominal radiography and ultrasonography. Laparotomy revealed a mass lesion originating in the ileum, and surgical resection was performed. The mass was histologically diagnosed as adenosquamous cell carcinoma. Chemotherapy with carboplatin was initiated, but the dog was suspected to have experienced recurrence 13 months after surgery and died 3 months later. To our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe the clinical course of adenosquamous cell carcinoma in the small intestine of a dog.

Background: Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes may be useful in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion (PE) and ascitic fluid (AF) aetiologies in cats since tissue damage induces their release, changing the pattern of their activity. Aim: The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of measuring lactate dehydrogenase levels and isoenzyme activities in PE or AF in cats with malignancy. Materials and Methods: The results of LDH levels and isoenzyme activities in the serum, PE and AF of 29 cats were compared among malignant group, infectious group, and non-malignant, non-infectious group. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the accuracy in diagnosing feline malignancy. Results: In PE or AF, there were significant differences in LDH level and LDH isoenzyme activities among the three groups. The combination of LDH level and LDH-1 activity in PE or AF had the highest area under the ROC (AUC) values for discriminating malignant effusion from non-malignant effusion. The AUC of the combination of LDH level and LDH-1 activity in PE or AF was 0.874. The sensitivity and specificity of using the combination of LDH level (cut-off: <2,269 U/L) and LDH-1 activity (cut-off: <4.8%) in PE or AF for predicting malignancy with the highest AUC value were 94.4% and 72.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the combination of LDH level and LDH-1 activity in PE or AF is a potential factor for diagnosing malignancy. Considering that LDH isoenzymes can be measured inexpensively and easily, LDH tests can be readily accommodated in veterinary clinical practice.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes may be useful in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion (PE) and ascitic fluid (AF) etiologies in cats since tissue damage induces their release, thereby changing the pattern of their activity. The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of measuring LDH levels and its isoenzyme activities in PE or AF in cats with malignancy. We measured LDH levels and its isoenzyme activities in serum, PE, and AF in 29 cats and compared the results between malignant, infectious diseases, and non-malignant, non-infectious diseases. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of the tests in diagnosing feline malignancy. In PE or AF, significant differences were found in LDH levels and LDH isoenzymes activities among the three groups. The combination of LDH level and LDH-1 activity in PE or AF had the highest area under the ROC (AUC) value of 0.874 for discriminating malignant effusion from non-malignant effusion. The sensitivity and specificity of using the combination of LDH level (cutoff: <2,269 U/L) and LDH-1 activity (cutoff: <4.8%) in PE or AF for predicting malignancy with the highest AUC value were 94.4% and 72.7%, respectively. Our results suggest that the combination of LDH level and LDH-1 activity in PE or AF can potentially diagnose for malignancy. Considering that LDH isoenzymes can be measured inexpensively and easily, LDH tests can be readily accommodated in veterinary clinical practice.