Mycobacterial Pancreatitis

A 5-year-old castrated male German shepherd dog was referred for evaluation of unexplained hypercalcaemia. The owner’s chief complaint was polyuria/polydipsia. On laboratory testing isosthenuria, monocytosis, hypercalcaemia, and azotaemia was identified.

There were no significant abnormalities on clinical examination. On abdominal ultrasonography a mottled echogenic mass in the right cranial abdomen in the region of the pancreas was evident. Fine needle aspirate cytology of the mass showed clumps of glandular cells and macrophages. Survey thoracic radiographs were within normal limits.

Further diagnostics
On exploratory laparotomy a pancreatic mass and regional lymphadenomegaly was diagnosed. Granulomatous nodular pancreatitis and lymphadenitis was diagnosed on histopathology. Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed occasional intra-cellular bacteria.