Localization of Pancreatic Inflammation and Necrosis in Dogs

Abstract

Few studies of the prevalence of histologic lesions of the exocrine pancreas in dogs have been reported, and none of them systematically evaluate the localization of these lesions. The purpose of this study was to describe the anatomic localization of pancreatic inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis in dogs presented for postmortem examination. Seventy-three pancreata from dogs presented for postmortem examination were evaluated and investigated for the presence of suppurative inflammation (SI), pancreatic necrosis (PN), and lymphocytic inflammation (LI). Sections that showed evidence of SI, PN, or LI also were evaluated for pancreatic fibrosis (F). The tendency for a preferred localization for SI, PN, and LI was evaluated by chi-square analysis. A total of 47 pancreata with histologic evidence of pancreatitis (SI, PN, or LI; F alone was not considered evidence of pancreatitis) were identified. Twenty-four (51.1%) had SI, 23 (48.9%) had PN, and 34 (72.3%) had LI. Of the 47 dogs with SI, PN, or LI, 28 (59.6%) had F. The distribution of SI, PN, and LI between the right and the left limb of the pancreas and among the 5 anatomic regions was random, based on a goodness-of-fit test. We conclude that pancreatic inflammation tends to occur in discrete areas within the pancreas rather than diffusely throughout the whole organ. These findings suggest that a single biopsy is insufficient to exclude subclinical pancreatitis and that there is no preferred site for pancreatic biopsy collection unless gross lesions are apparent.

Effect of Pancreatic Tissue Sampling on Serum Pancreatic Enzyme Levels in Clinically Healthy Dogs

“…The types of lesions that were present were similar to those known to be present in dogs randomly presented for postmortem. 5,11 Nodular hyperplasia was found in fewer samples than has been previously reported, 6 and this finding is likely because of the young age of the dogs in the present study. The extent of necrosis, hemorrhage, and fibrin present in the necropsy samples adjacent to the biopsy sites was striking and likely represents an acute change induced by biopsy sampling that has not been previously documented.…”

“…Furthermore, histopathologic lesions of pancreatitis in dogs can be focal and randomly distributed, making even the reference standard, a biopsy diagnosis, problematic. 5,7 Additional, minimally invasive tools for the evaluation of pancreatic disease are still needed. Fineneedle aspiration (FNA) of the pancreas and laparoscopic biopsy may prove to be useful, but little is currently known about the utility, safety, or complications of these techniques.…”

Cytologic findings and diagnostic yield in 92 dogs undergoing fine-needle aspiration of the pancreas

“…Ideally, these studies would incorporate long-term clinical followup to help address the challenges of histologic diagnoses, including safety. 13,14 No clinical complications were noted in a retrospective study of laparoscopic pancreatic biopsy in 20 cats and dogs; however, a study of surgical pancreatic biopsy in 44 dogs and cats reported complications in 10 animals, including 5 cases of postsurgical pancreatitis. 15,18 Clinical complications of pancreatic FNA in this case series were very low at 6.3%.…”

“…11,16 Even histologic diagnosis is problematic in canine pancreatitis because focal and randomly distributed lesions can be present in apparently healthy dogs. 2,13,14 Pancreatic cytology is another relatively noninvasive diagnostic tool, although concerns about iatrogenic injury and lack of data regarding the probability of obtaining a diagnostic sample are currently limiting. A retrospective case control study, published in 2014, of 73 cats undergoing ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the pancreas, found no difference between study and control cats in the rate of complications within 48 hr of the procedure, survival to discharge, or length of hospital stay.…”

Chronic pancreatitis in dogs: A retrospective study of clinical, clinicopathological, and histopathological findings in 61 cases

“…Recent published information on canine chronic pancreatitis is almost exclusively based on histopathology studies (Newman et al, 2004;Watson et al, 2007). In those studies, histopathologic findings suggestive of chronic pancreatitis were present in an unexpectedly large number of dogs, ranging between 34% and 64% of all cases examined (Newman et al, 2004;Watson et al, 2007).…”