Exocrine Insufficiency

Pancreas is surrounded by the stomach and small intestine. It helps in digestion and nutrient absorption from the diet. The two sections of the pancreas include

1) Exocrine pancreas- which is involved in the breakdown of food content

2) Endocrine pancreas regulates blood sugar by releasing hormones including insulin and glucagon. Abnormality in levels of these hormones can result in conditions like diabetes mellitus. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is the failure to release digestive enzymes which results in malnutrition due to poor absorption of ingested food. EPI is either inherited or can be acquired by chronic pancreatic inflammation. If your pet is suffering from EPI, he may experience the symptoms of diarrhea, dry coat, and weight loss which results in voracious eating. For the treatment of EPI, lifelong therapy of oral supplementation of pancreatic enzymes is recommended to help with the absorption of food.