Abstract
Objective—To assess the safety of endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) in dogs by performing repeated clinical examinations and laboratory analyses of serum amylase, lipase, canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI), and canine pancreatic elastase 1 (cE1) after the procedure.
Animals—7 healthy Beagles.
Procedure—Clinical examinations were performed and blood samples obtained for serum enzyme determinations before and at intervals (10 minutes; 2, 4, and 6 hours; and 1, 2, and 3 days) after ERP.
Results—Repeated clinical examinations revealed no signs of ERP-induced complications in the 7 dogs. Results of repeated laboratory tests indicated a transient increase in serum values of amylase, lipase, and cTLI but not cE1. Mean ± SD lipase activity increased from 120.7 ± 116.4 U/L to 423.4 ± 243.1 U/L at 4 hours after ERP. Median serum cTLI concentration increased from 16.2 µg/L (range, 7.7 to 26.5 µg/L) to 34.9 µg/L (range, 16.6 to 68.3 µg/L) 10 minutes after ERP. Enzyme values returned to baseline levels at the latest on day 2 in 6 of 7 dogs. Highest values for serum amylase, lipase, and cTLI and their delayed return to baseline values were detected in 1 dog with contrast filling of the pancreatic parenchyma.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that ERP appears to be a safe imaging technique of pancreatic ducts in healthy dogs, although it induced a transient increase in serum values of pancreatic enzymes. In dogs, repeated clinical examinations and serum enzyme determinations can be used to monitor ERP-induced complications such as acute pancreatitis. ( Am J Vet Res 2004;65:616–619)
