Amylase
Chemistry ·Also called: AMYL, AMY, serum amylase
What it is
Amylase comes from the pancreas but also from the intestine, liver and other organs. Because those other sources contribute meaningfully, a raised level in a dog or cat does not localise reliably to the pancreas.
Why your vet measures it
Its main practical limitation is that reduced kidney clearance raises it just as effectively as pancreatic disease. A dog with kidney disease will often have a high amylase and a perfectly healthy pancreas, which is why a specific pancreatic lipase test is used instead.
What a high result can mean
- Reduced kidney function, which slows clearance of the enzyme
- Pancreatitis — possible, but this test cannot confirm it
- Intestinal disease, or an intestinal obstruction
- Steroid treatment
What a low result can mean
- Not clinically significant
Dogs and cats differ
In cats amylase has essentially no diagnostic value for pancreatitis and can be normal in a cat with severe disease. Feline pancreatitis is diagnosed with a specific pancreatic lipase test and imaging instead.
Questions worth asking your vet
- If pancreatitis is suspected, should we run a specific pancreatic lipase test?
- Could kidney function explain this result?
Related terms
See this value explained on your pet's own report
Upload the lab report or X-ray and get every value explained in the context of your own dog or cat — in minutes.
Explain my pet's results