How is Pancreatitis Diagnosed in Dogs?
In order to determine if your dog has pancreatitis, a series of tests have to be
performed. This particular medical concern is going to alter the normal blood
count and chemistry in the body so testing them is the best place to start.
However, there are many other medical concerns that can offer those same
concerns. Most of the time a dog with pancreatitis will have more white blood
cells that normal.
There is also usually a higher number of enzymes in the liver including Alkaline
Phosphatase and Alanine Transferase. Dogs with higher blood sugar and lower
serum calcium levels are common as well. In many cases, the dog will also have
higher levels of potassium found in the blood as well. The most common type of
blood test to look for pancreatitis is called the Lipase Immunoreactivity test.
The only place that it is conducted is at Texas A&M so veterinarian’s all over
send the blood samples they take to them.
Sometimes X-rays are used in order to determine if a dog has pancreatitis. Most
of the time though a veterinarian is going to bypass the X-ray and recommend an
ultrasound be conducted instead. This can help to accurately determine in about
70% of the time. Sometimes false readings do occur with the ultrasound though so
blood tests are run in conjunction to help make sure the diagnosis is accurate.
The most accurate form of testing for pancreatitis though is to do a biopsy.
This will require a portion of the tissue to be taken from the body to find out.
Most veterinarians will only do so if they already must perform some type of
surgery though where they can readily access such tissues.