DIETARY FAT-INDUCED ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN A DOG: DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH AND MANAGEMENT

Acute pancreatitis in dogs, characterized by sudden pancreatic inflammation and autodigestion, most commonly affects middle-aged to older patients. It typically results in abdominal pain, inappetence, and vomiting. While the underlying cause is often idiopathic, consumption of high-fat diets is a well-recognized trigger. A one- year-old male Shih Tzu was presented with acute abdominal signs, including anorexia, vomiting, and cranial abdominal pain, following four months on a high-fat paneer-based diet. While abdominal radiography was unremarkable, ultrasonography revealed a thickened, hypoechoic right pancreatic lobe with surrounding hyperechoic mesenteric fat, suggestive of acute pancreatitis. Routine haematological and biochemical parameters, including serum amylase and lipase, were within normal limits; however, the serum canine-specific pancreatic lipase (Spec cPL) concentration was significantly elevated at 410 µg/L, confirming the diagnosis. Supportive management and dietary correction to a low-fat prescription diet resulted in complete clinical resolution by the seventh day. Follow-up Spec cPL concentration normalized to 55.9 µg/L within twenty days, and no recurrence was observed over a one-year period. This case highlights dietary fat as a key trigger and underscores the importance of prompt diagnosis using Spec cPL and ultrasonography, alongside targeted nutritional management for successful recovery.