The pancreas is a vital gland responsible for digestion and hormone production, primarily insulin and glucagon. Common diseases affecting the pancreas include pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, often diagnosed through various fecal and blood tests. These tests assess digestive enzyme levels and the pancreas's ability to process nutrients, which is crucial in evaluating pancreatic health.

1. Pancreas Function Tests

2. What Is the Pancreas
The pancreas is a gland that serves
important functions related to digestion
and the production of certain hormones
The pancreas is located within the upper
abdominal cavity in close proximity to
the stomach, liver and small bowel
.
The pancreas composed of two parts or
lobes. The right lobe is located near the
descending part of the duodenum,
which is the first segment of the small
bowel (intestine). The left lobe of the
pancreas lies next to the stomach

3. The Maine functions of pancreas are
1
-
The hormonal functions which including
A-production of insulin which responsible
for carbohydrate metabolism
B-production of glucagon which have its
activity confied to liver glycogen
2
-
the excrocine function which responsible
for production of digestive enzymes
(Pancreatic juice ) such as amylase, trypsin
and lipase
,
Pancreatic juice responsible for digest
proteins, carbohydrates, and especially fats
.

4. Common Diseases of the Pancreas
Pancreatitis
.
One of the most important, and
potentially dangerous, diseases is
inflammation of the pancreas.
Pancreatitis is a common disease of
dogs, and often arises when foods high
in fat content are eaten. It usually
causes loss of appetite, vomiting,
abdominal pain and depression. In
severe cases, the condition can be
fatal
.

5. Diabetes mellitus
.
A serious disease of the pancreas is
diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes.
This common disorder of dogs
represents an underproduction or
excessively low secretion of insulin.
Inadequate production of insulin
causes the blood sugar to become too
high. Although the circulating level of
glucose is high in the blood, many cells
cannot use it for energy, and serious
side effects develop
.

6. Pancreatic cysts and abscesses
.
These are less common diseases of the
pancreas. Pancreatic abscesses are
small pockets of infection that may
develop as a complication of
pancreatitis
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
.
A condition represents a deficiency in
digestive pancreatic enzymes and
leads to an inability to digest food
properly. This disease occurs much
more often in dogs than in cats

7. Pancreatic function tests include
1
-
Microscopic examination of feces for
detection of fat, undigested protein or
starch
.
2
-
Examination of feces for presences of
trypsin
3
-
Serum lipase determination
4
-
Serum amylase determination
5
-
Blood glucose and glucose tolerance
determination
6
-
Absorption test
.

8. Examination of feces
1
-
Detection of fat :Fat appear in feces in the form
of neutral fat globules( orange or red color )
which can be detected microscopically by stain
the diluted fecal sample with Sudan III
2
-
Detection of fatty acids :Fatty acids can be
detected by heating a mixture of fecal smear
with 4 drops of 36% acetic acid
3
-
Detection of undigested starch : starch can be
detected by staining the fecal smear with 2%
Tincture iodine ,undigested starch will appear
blue color
4
-
Detection of protein:under microscopic
examination muscle fibers appear light yellow

9. Examination of feces for presence of trypsin
1
-
Gelatin tube test
…
Technique
..
1
-
add 9 mL of water to few feces
2
-
warm 2 mL of 7.5%gelatin solution to 37C
3
-
add 1 mL of 5% sod.bicarbonate and 1 mL of
the fecal dilution and mix
4
-
prepare a blank by placing 2mLof gelatin and
1 mL of 5% sod.bicarbonate & 1mL of D.W in
a second tube
3
-
Incubate both tubes at 37C for one hour
4
-
refrigerate the tubes for 20 mints and read the
results
Failure of sample to solidify gelatin indicate
precense of trypsin

10. Film test
.…
1
-
add few fecese to 9mL of 5%
sod.bicarbonate
2
-
place a drop of dilute feces on apiece of
x-ray film or place a strip of film in the
diluted feces
3
-
incubate at room temperature for 2.30 h
or at 37c for 1 h
.
4
-
Rinse off both pieces of film
5
-
clearing of the test film where it has
been soaked with the fecal mixture
indicates the presence of trypsin and
functional pancreas

11. Serum lipase determination(Sperctrophometer)
Interpretation
…
Elevated levels occur in
..
Acute pancreatitis
Glucocorticoid therapy
Glutacorticoid administration
Renal failure
Other pancreatic pathology (neoplasia and ,
abscessation)
Hepatic disease

12. Serum amylase determination
(Spectrophotometer)
Only alpha amylase is found in animals.
Pancreas, liver and small intestine are the main
sources of serum amylase. In the healthy dogs
and cats most amylase is derived from the small
intestine
.
Interpretation of results
…
Elevated values occur in
Acute Pancreatitis
Renal failure
Glutacorticoid administration
Pancreatic neoplasia and abscessation.
Corticosteroid administration
Urinary tract obstruction
Intestinal obstruction and other intestinal pathology

13. Blood glucose and glucose tolerance
determination(as in liver function test)
Absorption test
…
The capacity of an animal to absorb
dietary fats may be utilized as a method
for measuring pancreatic deficiency
Animals are fasted overnight and then
fed a diet containing a high quantity of
fat or are given 3 to 5 ml/kg of corn oil
or Lipomul .One and two hours after the
meal serum samples are collected and
observed for the presence of visible
lipedemia