Canine & Feline Specific Assays Cat

Feline Pancreatic Lipase (fPL)

Feline pancreatic lipase (fPL) is a cat-specific blood test that measures an enzyme made by the pancreas. A high level may mean the pancreas is inflamed, a problem called pancreatitis.

Sample: Serum
Quantity: 3 mL
Report: Confirmed when you book
Collection: Free in Bhopal

What this test checks

Pancreatic lipase in the cat's serum
Signs of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
How the level compares with the lab's normal range
Change in the level over time if the test is repeated

Benefits of this test

Gives a result that points to the pancreas in cats whose signs are easy to miss.
Helps the vet tell pancreatitis from other causes of poor appetite and tiredness.
Needs only a simple blood sample from the cat.
A normal result makes pancreatitis less likely, so the vet can look for other causes.
Can be repeated later to follow the cat's progress, if the vet wants to.

Often discussed at these ages:Senior Cat

When your vet may advise it

A cat has stopped eating or is eating much less than usual.
A cat is very tired, hides away or looks dehydrated.
A cat vomits again and again or has diarrhoea.
A cat seems to be in belly pain, for example by crying out or sitting hunched.
A cat with a liver or gut problem becomes more unwell.
Your vet wants to check the pancreas along with blood counts, liver and kidney tests.

About this test

Pancreatitis, which means inflammation of the pancreas, is hard to spot in cats. A cat may only seem tired, eat less or hide, and vomiting or belly pain can be mild or missing. Because the signs are so vague, a blood test that points to the pancreas is helpful.

The fPL test measures feline pancreatic lipase in serum, the clear liquid part of blood. Lipase is an enzyme, a substance that helps digest fat, and the pancreas makes it. When the pancreas is inflamed, more lipase can enter the blood. This test is made for cats and reads only the lipase that comes from the pancreas.

Vets often ask for it when a cat has a poor appetite, vomiting or tiredness. A high result points towards pancreatitis, while a normal result makes it less likely. Cats can also have gut or liver problems at the same time, so the vet looks at the whole picture.

How to prepare

Follow your vet's advice about fasting, and see a vet soon if your cat has stopped eating. We can collect the sample free anywhere in Bhopal, and reporting time is confirmed when you book. From other cities, your vet can send the serum to our Bhopal lab by courier or bus parcel, and we stay in touch by phone or WhatsApp.

Reading the result

The report compares your cat's value with the normal range. A registered veterinarian uses it together with your cat's signs, history, other tests and, where needed, an ultrasound to decide on the next steps.

Questions about fPL

Why is pancreatitis hard to spot in cats?

Because cats often show only quiet signs, such as tiredness, low appetite and hiding. Vomiting and belly pain may be mild or missing. For this reason vets often use a specific blood test like fPL, along with other tests, to look at the pancreas.

What does a high fPL result mean?

A high fPL suggests that the pancreas may be inflamed (pancreatitis). It cannot name the cause, so your vet reads it with your cat's signs, other blood tests and, often, an ultrasound before choosing the next step.

How is fPL different from a routine lipase test?

fPL looks only at lipase from the pancreas, while a routine lipase test can also be raised by causes outside the pancreas. The fPL test is made for cats, so it points to the pancreas more clearly.

Which other tests may my vet ask for along with fPL?

Vets often add a blood cell count (CBC) and a biochemistry panel to check liver, kidneys and sugar, and may advise an ultrasound of the belly. Cats can have pancreas, gut and liver problems together, so several results are read together.

Before you book this test

Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.

Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.

Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.