Life Expectancy for a Cat With Chronic Feline Pancreatitis

A diagnosis of chronic feline pancreatitis does not mean an automatic death sentence for your cat. The acute form of the disease kills more quickly, although when felines recover from acute pancreatitis they generally recover completely. Life expectancy of the chronic feline pancreatitis patient depends on the severity of the disease, other health issues affecting the cat, and the age at diagnosis.

Chronic Feline Pancreatitis

The pancreas produces insulin, aiding in the body's sugar metabolism, along with pancreatic enzymes needed for nutrient digestion and fat absorption. Inflammation of this organ results in pancreatitis. Contact your veterinarian if your cat becomes notably lethargic, stops eating and drinking, loses weight, vomits excessively or exhibits signs of abdominal pain. Because symptoms of pancreatitis mimic many other diseases, diagnosis is sometimes a process of elimination through a chemistry panel, urinalysis and complete blood count.

Causes

In many cases, there's no easy answer to what causes pancreatitis in the individual cat. Possible causes include trauma, parasite-borne infections, complications from inflammatory bowel disease and exposure to insecticides and herbicides. Certain medications cause the disease in humans and canines but have not been definitively linked to feline pancreatitis. These include the antibiotic tetracycline; the diuretic furosemide, or Lasix; the heart medication procainamide and the seizure control drug valproic acid. If your cat requires medication for any of these conditions, ask your veterinarian about pancreatitis risks. Many cats diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis, a specific type of liver failure, also experience pancreatitis.

Treatment

Life expectancy may depend on how much time and money you are able to spend on your pet. Treatment for severe chronic pancreatitis requires replacements of the digestive enzymes with substitutes made from pig and cattle pancreases. While a cat may live for many years under this regimen, the products are expensive and treatment is ongoing. Cessation of treatment means the death of the animal. Cats with chronic pancreatitis often develop diabetes, which requires daily or more frequent insulin shots. Dietary changes and nutritional supplementation may also improve the feline patient's quality of life.

Prognosis

Prognosis and life expectancy for the chronic feline pancreatitis patient varies, with cats that exhibit mild forms of the disease able to live for years with proper treatment. However, chances of cats dying from severe cases of the disease are approximately 50 percent. Your veterinarian can give you an idea of your cat's life expectancy based on disease severity. For best results, take your cat to the vet for regular checkups; but if the cat becomes symptomatic at any time, don't wait before bringing it in for veterinary attention. The difference in treating mild rather than severe chronic feline pancreatitis may be the difference between life and death for your cat.