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Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) in Dogs
What is the function of the pancreas?
The pancreas has two separate and distinct functions, which are its endocrine and exocrine functions. The pancreas produces enzymes that digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. This is the exocrine function of the pancreas.
What is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?reatic insufficiency in dogs, epi, epi in pets, epi in dogs, epi symptoms, epi treatment, what is epi
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is the inability to produce sufficient pancreatic enzymes needed to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. This difficulty in digestion leads to poor absorption of nutrients which commonly causes weight loss despite a normal or increased appetite.
Affected dogs often have large volumes of pale, fatty feces. This condition is called steatorrhea or fat in the stool.
What causes this pancreatic insufficiency?
The causes of EPI can be congenital (present from birth), inherited (genetic), or acquired as the result of pancreatic infection, inflammation, or injury. The condition is seen more commonly in German shepherd dogs, rough coated collies, Cairn terriers, akitas, West Highland white terriers, Welsh corgis, border collies, Australian heelers, Shetland sheepdogs, and Australian shepherds. It is suspected to be an inherited condition in German shepherd dogs.
The main cause appears to be a progressive loss of pancreatic cells, but chronic pancreatitis can also result in EPI. This may be due to an autoimmune condition in which the body’s own immune system attacks the pancreatic cells, or chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). It may also be secondary to cancer, either in the pancreas or in the surrounding tissues.
The pancreas has two separate and distinct functions, which are its endocrine and exocrine functions. The pancreas produces enzymes that digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. This is the exocrine function of the pancreas.
What is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?reatic insufficiency in dogs, epi, epi in pets, epi in dogs, epi symptoms, epi treatment, what is epi
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is the inability to produce sufficient pancreatic enzymes needed to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. This difficulty in digestion leads to poor absorption of nutrients which commonly causes weight loss despite a normal or increased appetite.
Affected dogs often have large volumes of pale, fatty feces. This condition is called steatorrhea or fat in the stool.
What causes this pancreatic insufficiency?
The causes of EPI can be congenital (present from birth), inherited (genetic), or acquired as the result of pancreatic infection, inflammation, or injury. The condition is seen more commonly in German shepherd dogs, rough coated collies, Cairn terriers, akitas, West Highland white terriers, Welsh corgis, border collies, Australian heelers, Shetland sheepdogs, and Australian shepherds. It is suspected to be an inherited condition in German shepherd dogs.
The main cause appears to be a progressive loss of pancreatic cells, but chronic pancreatitis can also result in EPI. This may be due to an autoimmune condition in which the body’s own immune system attacks the pancreatic cells, or chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). It may also be secondary to cancer, either in the pancreas or in the surrounding tissues.
