Prevalence and Histopathologic Characteristics of Pancreatitis in Cats

Abstract

Abstract. Despite the high prevalence of feline pancreatic disease, no detailed description on the histopathologic nature of this disease is currently available in the literature. In this study we characterize the distribution and histopathologic changes commonly found in feline pancreases, correlate the lesions with age and gastrointestinal GI and extra-gastrointestinal disease, and compare the pancreatic lesions in cats with those in humans. The entire pancreas was removed and examined from 115 cats presented for necropsy irrespective of the cause of death. Histologic sections from left limb, right limb, and body were scored for lesions of acute (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) with a scoring system based on similar systems used in human and veterinary literature. The lesions of CP in cats resemble CP in humans, with fibrosis being more prominent than inflammatory changes. Cystic degeneration gradually increased as other lesions of CP were more prominent. A distinct nodular change of zymogen depletion and acinar cell dysplasia not associated with pancreatitis was prominent in 15.6% of the pancreases. Histologically, AP consisted of neutrophilic inflammation associated with interstitial edema and necrosis of mesenteric fat.An overall prevalence of 67%, and 45% in clinically normal animals, was identified. CP was found in 69 (60.0%) pancreases, and 58 (50.4%) had CP only, with a significant correlation between age and occurrence of CP. There was a statistically significant higher prevalence of CP in the left limb in animals with gastrointestinal disease. AP was present in 18 animals (15.7%) of which 7 animals had AP only (6.1%).

ANIMAL MODELS OF DISEASE: Classification and etiology of diabetes in dogs and cats

“…The cause and effect relationship of pancreatitis and diabetes in cats is difficult to define. Histological abnormalities consistent with pancreatitis were found in 22-57% of diabetic cats and in 60 and 67% of nondiabetic cats (Kraus et al 1997, Goossens et al 1998, De Cook et al 2007, Zini et al 2012. According to the currently available data and the impression of the authors, pancreatitis is not a frequent cause of diabetes mellitus in cats.…”

Ultrasonographic Findings of the Pancreas in Cats with Elevated Serum Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity

“…Healthy cats often have histologic lesions consistent with chronic pancreatitis (45%; 18 of 41). 11 In part, the challenge of antemortem diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats is due to the lack of a reliable noninvasive diagnostic test for the disease. Histopathology is currently considered the gold standard for diagnosis, but noninvasive methods of diagnosis have recently been evaluated.…”

Exocrine Pancreas in Cats With Diabetes Mellitus

“…13, 14). In addition, the frequency and scores of pancreatitis based on the method developed by De Cock and coworkers 5 did not differ between diabetic cats with and without ketoacidosis. In particular, chronic pancreatitis was observed in 8 of 15 (53.3%) diabetic cats with ketoacidosis and in 12 of 22 (54.5%) diabetic cats without ketoacidosis (P ¼ 1.000); the median score of chronic pancreatitis was 2.0 (range, 0-7) in the former and 1.5 (range, 0-9) in the latter (P ¼ .791).…”

“…In addition, pancreatitis may not be evenly distributed in the left and right lobes or body of the pancreas in cats. 5 Because of the retrospective nature of the study, it was possible to obtain only a single sample from the pancreas. Absence of standardization in preparation of samples and collection from every part of the organ might have therefore caused failure to detect pancreatitis.…”

“…The lymphocyte score and the count of neutrophils and macrophages in the exocrine pancreas were used in addition to the morphologic scoring system of De Cock and coworkers to improve the diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats. 5 The latter scoring system was developed to provide a standardized approach for histopathology of the pancreas in cats. The grading system is based on a point system (0-3, with the latter as maximum) for lesions that typically occur in acute and chronic pancreatitis.…”