Further evaluation of bentiromide in the diagnosis of canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the bentiromide test in differentiating between dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and those with primary intestinal disease (PID). A secondary objective was to correlate the results of the commonly used diagnostic techniques with the results of the bentiromide test. This test consists of the oral administration of a synthetic peptide that is cleaved only by chymotrypsin. A subsequent rise in the plasma concentration of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) indicates the degree of cleavage, providing an in vivo assessment of chymotrypsin activity. Fourteen dogs with EPI and five dogs with PID were categorized on the basis of clinical signs, laboratory evaluations, and histologic examination of intestinal biopsies. Six normal dogs served as controls. The bentiromide test clearly identified the dogs with EPI and distinguished them from the dogs with PID and the control dogs. The results of the bentiromide test correlated well with the results of the clinical and laboratory evaluations. On the basis of these observations and conclusions, recommendations for the pragmatic application of the bentiromide test are offered.