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Fat malassimilation in three cats
Author(s) -
NICHOLSON A.,
WATSON ADJ,
MERCER JR
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1989.tb09761.x
Subject(s) - exocrine pancreatic insufficiency , cats , medicine , pancreatitis , gastroenterology , malabsorption , endocrinology , biology , physiology , pathology
SUMMARY Three cats were thin despite eating well. Steatorrhoea was confirmed in each by 72‐hour fat assimilation tests. Fat digestibility in all 3 increased twofold when the diet was supplemented with pancreatic enzymes, suggesting the possibility of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. However, examination of stained faecal smears gave evidence of both maldigestion and malabsorption of fat, without maldigestion of starch, and only one case had indications of protein maldigestion. In the latter cat, fat digestibility normalised with pancreatic enzyme supplementation and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency was considered likely. However, at post‐mortem examination enteropathy and pancreatitis, but not exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, were found. The cause of fat malassimilation in these cats was unknown. The evaluation of malassimilation in cats is difficult because investigative tests used in other species are either unsuitable or have not been evaluated in cats.