Pancreatitis is the most common exocrine pancreatic disease in both dogs and cats.
It can be acute or chronic, and many cases are of unknown origin but dietary indiscretion is believed to be one risk factor. In cats, other causes can be trauma, infection, and pancreatitis has also been associated with inflammatory bowel disease.
Nearly all cats with pancreatitis lose their appetites, but signs of pancreatitis are hard to identify. According to one recent study in cats, only 35% of cats with pancreatitis showed vomiting and only 25% appeared to have abdominal pain.