Exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a toy breed dog

A 4-year-old female miniature pincher with a 40-day history of weight loss, lethargy and vomiting was referred to Small Animal Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran. The case also had severe jaundice, chronic diarrhoea and steatorrhoea. The efforts for saving the life of the case were not successful and finally the animal died of hypovolaemic shock and electrolyte imbalance. At necropsy, the body was cachectic, oedematous and severely icteric. A haemorrhagic ascitic fluid, without fibrin and clot was also noticed in the abdominal cavity. Firm tumour masses originated from pancreas were seeded to peritoneum with multiple attachments to duodenum. There were also metastasis to regional lymph nodes and liver. Based on histopathologic characteristics of the tumour, the mass was diagnosed as relatively well-differentiated exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma.