Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency(EPI)
Also known as: Exokrine Pankreasinsuffizienz · Pancreatic Acinar Atrophy · PAA · Bauchspeicheldrüsenschwäche · Pankreas-Azinus-Atrophie · …
Overview
What it is
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a digestive disorder where the pancreas fails to produce enough essential enzymes to break down food. Without these enzymes, the dog's digestive system cannot absorb nutrients properly, leading to malnutrition. Diagnosis is typically confirmed using a specific blood test called the canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) serum test.
How it presents
Owners typically notice significant weight loss despite a ravenous appetite, along with chronic, pale, or greasy diarrhea. These symptoms, which can also include eating feces, usually first appear when the dog is between 1 and 5 years of age.
Treatment
The condition is incurable and requires lifelong management, which involves adding pancreatic enzyme replacements to every meal. This lifelong therapy and diagnostic monitoring typically cost between €3,000 and €12,000 over the dog's lifetime.
How it's tested
Canines Trypsin-like Immunoreactivity (cTLI) Serumtest(cTLI)
Primary testClinical examDer cTLI-Test misst die Konzentration von Trypsinogen im Blutserum des nüchternen Hundes. Ein stark erniedrigter Wert bestätigt das Vorliegen einer exokrinen Pankreasinsuffizienz.
Issuing body: vet
Result scheme: Clear/Carrier/Affected
Affected breeds
1 of 1 breeds
Treatment cost
Estimated range of typical treatment cost. Actual cost depends on severity, clinic and region.
Frequently asked
What is Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a digestive disorder where the pancreas fails to produce enough essential enzymes to break down food. Without these enzymes, the dog's digestive system cannot absorb nutrients properly, leading to malnutrition. Diagnosis is typically confirmed using a specific blood test called the canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) serum test.
How is Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency tested?
Tests currently in our database: Canines Trypsin-like Immunoreactivity (cTLI) Serumtest.
Which breeds are most affected?
Most commonly affected: German Shepherd.