Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, which can be acute or chronic. Clinical signs may be subclinical, mild or severe, including vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. Chronic pancreatitis can be difficult to detect and likely goes un-diagnosed in many canine patients. Proactively addressing environmental risk factors and early detection of pain and discomfort that enables veterinary intervention can increase quality of life for these patients
Validity in other breeds
The genetic variants associated with this test have only been well studied in Miniature Schnauzers.
Initial research used 39 affected and 25 healthy Miniature Schnauzers as well as 23 healthy dogs of other breeds. Ongoing research will help to reveal the impact of these variants in dogs of other breeds affected by pancreatitis.
Impact of genetic variants
In the initial study, (Bishop, et.al.) Miniature Schnauzers with pancreatitis were 9.5 times more likely to carry one of the risk-variant alleles.
When they looked at only the older dogs, ages 5 and older, they were 21.7 times as likely to have at least one copy of each of the 3 risk variant alleles.
Dietary recommendations
High-fat diets, especially when combined with low-protein intake, can increase risk for pancreatitis.
- Avoid feeding high-fat diets including table scraps.
- Recommend family members take special precautions at holidays or gatherings to prevent pet from getting into the trash or accessing leftover food.
- Consider bringing the pet’s regular diet while boarding or staying away from home.
Obese dogs are at a higher risk. Monitor weight and assess body condition score regularly. Here are some tips to help owners assess whether their dog is a healthy weight at home:
- Running their fingers lightly along the side of their dog they should be able to feel the dog’s ribs.
- Looking down on their pet from above, there should be an indentation near the mid-section. If viewed from the side, their tummy should slope up, rather than hanging low.
Recognize symptoms early
Chronic pancreatitis can be difficult to detected and likely goes un-diagnosed in many canine patients5. Proactively addressing environmental risk factors and detecting pain and discomfort early may help to increase quality of life for these patients.
Warning signs of pancreatitis may not always be obvious to pet owners at onset and can be mistaken for other less serious conditions. Education of pet owners on early symptoms may expedite presentation to the veterinary clinic and improve chances of successful treatment.
Clinical signs of pancreatitis include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain – bloating, hunched back
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness / lethargy
- Fever
Other conditions may be diagnosed concurrently or subsequently to pancreatitis and may require treatment, including:
- Renal Disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Cushing’s Syndrome
Test limitations
Genetic risk variants have not been well studied in other breeds. Initial research used 39 affected and 25 healthy Miniature Schnauzers as well as 23 healthy dogs of other breeds. No affected dogs of other breeds were included in the initial study. Development of pancreatitis also depends on environmental risk factors including obesity, trauma, high-fat diets, pharmaceuticals, endocrinopathies and hypertriglyceridemia.
Science and Genetics
Researchers from Texas A&M university discovered 3 variants in the SPINK1 gene that were significantly associated with pancreatitis in Miniature Schnauzers1. Typically, these three variants are inherited together (linkage disequilibrium), but occasionally dogs may have one of the mutated alleles, while the other two are non-mutated (wild type).
Exon 2 variant, N20K:
 |
 |
 |
| Increased Risk | Standard Risk | Standard Risk |
| A/A | C/A | C/C |
| Genotype | Phenotype |
|---|---|
| No risk alleles detected at the 3 variant sites we tested in the SPINK1 gene | Potential test outcomes No increased risk for pancreatitis based on the variants tested |
| 1 copy of the risk allele at the 3 variant sites we tested in the SPINK1 gene | No increased risk for pancreatitis based on the variants tested |
| 2 or more copies of risk alleles at the 3 variant sites we tested in the SPINK1 gene | Potential increased risk for pancreatitis |
About the SPINK1 gene:
The human SPINK1 gene encodes for a protein called pancreatic secretory tryspin inhibitor. This protein is produced, stored and secreted by the pancreatic acinar cells. It has been suspected in humans that alteration of this gene could lead to dysfunction of the protein produced and result in auto-digestion of the pancreas leading to pancreatitis3.
References
- Bishop, M. A., Xenoulis, P. G., Levinski, M. D., Suchodolski, J. S., & Steiner, J. M. (2010). Identification of variants of the SPINK1 gene and their association with pancreatitis in Miniature Schnauzers. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 71(5), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.71.5.527
- NIH – National Cancer Institute. NCI Dictionary of Genetics Terms. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/genetics-dictionary/def/linkage-disequilibrium
- Rinderknecht, H. (1986, March). Activation of pancreatic zymogens - Normal activation, premature intrapancreatic activation, protective mechanisms against inappropriate activation. Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01318124
- Xenoulis, P. G. (2015, January 1). Diagnosis of pancreatitis in dogs and cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.12274
- Watson, P. J., Roulois, A. J. A., Scase, T., Johnston, P. E. J., Thompson, H., & Herrtage, M. E. (2007). Prevalence and breed distribution of chronic pancreatitis at post-mortem examination in first-opinion dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 48(11), 609–618. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2007.00448.x