Successful surgical management of pancreatic torsion in a 3‐month‐old Bernese Mountain dog without evidence of long‐term pancreatic dysfunction

Abstract

Abstract To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, perioperative management and the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of a dog diagnosed with pancreatic torsion. A 3‐month‐old female intact Bernese Mountain dog presented for an acute onset of vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic mass effect cranial to the stomach. A pancreatic torsion was diagnosed during exploratory laparotomy and treated with partial pancreatectomy. Histopathology confirmed pancreatic torsion. The patient recovered uneventfully and pancreatic function and inflammation testing that was performed 14 months postoperatively showed no evidence of ongoing dysfunction. This is the first report that demonstrates long‐term follow‐up with pancreatic function testing in a patient who had a partial pancreatectomy due to pancreatic torsion. There was no evidence of long‐term pancreatic dysfunction due to partial pancreatectomy secondary to pancreatic torsion. Additionally, this is the youngest patient with pancreatic torsion to be described in the veterinary literature.

Keywords

• canine
• pancreas
• pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity
• pancreatic torsion
• partial pancreatectomy
• small animal surgery