Chronic gastrointestinal disorders affect many canine and feline patients.  The clinical signs associated with various chronic GI disorders are similar so establishing a definitive diagnosis requires investigation. Serum cortisol, cobalamin, folate, trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI ) and pancreatic-specific lipase (PL) testing provides a baseline critical to evaluation of these patients.  Testing usually requires sample submission to specialized outside laboratories but recent technologic advances allow many of these tests to be performed as in-hospital point-of-care assays.

• Upon completion, the attendee will learn which tests are suggested to complete a gastrointestinal blood panel (serum cortisol, cobalamin, folate, TLI, PL).

• Upon completion, the attendee will learn the different test methodologies, commonly used by reference laboratories and in-clinic assays, to perform a diagnostic gastrointestinal blood panel.


• The attendee will learn the clinical GI effects associated with cortisol deficiency, cobalamin deficiency, folate anomalies, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and pancreatitis.

• The attendee will learn the current treatment approach for cortisol deficiency, cobalamin deficiency, folate anomalies, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.