Department of Veterinary Medicine

Research in Veterinary Medicine

Other relevant links

• Emmanuel College

Research description

Penny's clinical research interests centre on small animal internal medicine, with particular focuses on gastroenterology and pancreatic and hepatic disease in dogs. She and collaborators are studying aspects of chronic pancreatitis in dogs including prevalence, histological patterns and possible aetiologies and contribution to diabetes mellitus in this species. She is also studying breed-related liver diseases in dogs, including chronic hepatitis in the Labrador retriever and English springer spaniels and is the instigator and co-supervisor of a study in to a potential viral aetiology of chronic hepatitis in dogs. Comparative aspects of pancreatic and liver disease in dogs and humans are an evolving interest with potential benefits for both species.

Main collaborators

• Professor Michael Day, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol.
• Damien Mole, Centre for Inflammation Research, Edinburgh.

Key publications since 2001

• Watson PJ (2003) Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as an end stage of pancreatitis in four dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice 44, 306-312
• Watson PJ. (2004) Canine chronic liver disease: A review of current understanding of the aetiology, progression and treatment of chronic liver disease in the dog. The Veterinary Journal 167, 228-241
• Watson PJ and Herrtage ME (2004) Use of glucagon stimulation tests to assess beta cell function in dogs with chronic pancreatitis: Journal of Nutrition 134, 2081S 2083S
• Watson PJ, Wotton P, Eastwood J,Swift S, Jones B and Day M (2006). Immunoglobulin deficiency in Cavalier King Charles spaniels with pneumocystis in the UK. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 20, 523-527
• Watson PJ, Roulois AJA, Scase T, Johnston PEJ, Thompson H and Herrtage ME. (2007) Prevalence and breed distribution of chronic pancreatitis at post mortem in first opinion dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice 48 609-618
• Watson PJ, Roulois AJ, Holloway A and Herrtage ME (2011).Characterization of chronic pancreatitis in cocker spaniels. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 25: 797-804.
• Watson PJ, Archer J, Roulois AJ, Scase TJ and Herrtage ME (2010). Observational study of 14 cases of chronic pancreatitis in dogs. Veterinary Record 167: 968-76.
• Watson PJ, Roulois, AL, Scase TJ, Irvine R and Herrtage ME (2010). Prevalence of hepatic lesions at post-mortem examination of dogs and association with pancreatitis. Journal of Small Animal Practice 51: 566-72.-1318