The pancreas is part of the digestive and endocrine systems of dogs. It is necessary for digesting food, producing enzymes, and creating insulin.

Needless to say, this organ is vital for a perfectly balanced body and pancreatitis seriously harms your dog’s health.

Unfortunately, the dangerous side effects of prescription medications for pancreatitis can throw the body even further out of balance, which is why so many pet parents are turning to natural treatments like CBD to help ease their pet’s pancreatic issues.

But that’s not all. Diet is also key to recovery for dogs suffering from pancreatitis.

Do you want to know what exactly is pancreatitis in dogs? What are the causes and symptoms? But most importantly, what should you feed a dog with pancreatitis? And can food prevent pancreatitis in dogs?

Follow the leader :

WHAT IS THE PANCREAS?

The pancreas is a small gland located just below your dog’s stomach and attached to his small intestine. It is part of the endocrine system and the digestive system.

The pancreas has 2 main functions:

• Produce and store hormones (insulin and glucagon) to help maintain adequate blood sugar levels.
• Produce and store enzymes (trypsin and chymotrypsin) to help the body digest proteins and fats.

Since the pancreas is the organ responsible for producing enzymes that allow the body to absorb fats and other nutrients from food, it is therefore important in the digestion process.

When the pancreas is inflamed, it is called pancreatitis.

WHAT IS PANCREATITIS IN DOGS?

As in humans, pancreatitis in dogs is an inflammation of the pancreas .

When the pancreas is inflamed, digestive enzymes can also leak into the abdominal cavity, damaging the pancreas, intestines, and other surrounding organs and tissues.

There are two types of pancreatitis in dogs: acute and chronic.

• Acute pancreatitis in dogs

An acute attack of pancreatitis means that it occurs suddenly, without any previous onset of the disease. It can become fatal if the inflammation spreads to other organs.

• Chronic Pancreatitis in Dogs

A chronic disease is a disease that has developed over time, slowly and often without symptoms. This condition may result from repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis.

Acute and chronic forms of pancreatitis can be severe or mild, and both cause severe pain, although the acute version may be more painful due to its sudden onset.

 

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF PANCREATITIS IN DOGS?

There are a number of causes and factors that can lead to pancreatitis in dogs , although often the attack appears out of the blue.

Among them :

• High fat food (a major cause of pancreatitis, especially for a dog that has been given a large portion of fatty food at one time and it is not part of their regular diet)
• Obesity
• Hypothyroidism
• Certain medications or other toxins including organophosphates, L-asparaginase, azathioprine, corticosteroids, sulfonamides, potassium bromide, phenobarbital, and zinc
• Pancreatic infections
• Health problems such as Cushing’s disease, diabetes mellitus or abnormally high levels of fat in the blood
• Abdominal trauma that affects the pancreas
• Genetic or racial predisposition (eg: small breeds such as the miniature schnauzer, miniature poodle and English cocker spaniel, Yorkshire terrier, Australian Silky Terrier)
• Hypocalcemia
• Bacterial or viral infections
• Diseases of the gastric tract
• Dogs with epilepsy may also be at higher risk for pancreatitis.

In many cases of pancreatitis, no specific underlying cause can be identified.

Please note: Human food is particularly dangerous, although high-fat dog food can also cause pancreatitis. Therefore, owners should be especially vigilant during holidays and other festive occasions. Be careful not to give your companion a piece of fatty lamb or butter biscuits.

Remember, if your dog is showing signs of abdominal pain, the worst thing you can do is feed him a fatty diet. This is one of the many reasons why feeding your dog table scraps, as tempting as it may be, is not advisable.

 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PANCREATITIS IN DOGS?

Recognizing the signs of pancreatitis in dogs early and starting a proper diet can improve your pet’s chances of living a longer, healthier life and prevent future pancreatitis.

The severity of symptoms varies depending on whether the case of pancreatitis is mild or severe. These symptoms include:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Weightloss
• Dehydration
• Depression
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Arched back
• Repeated vomiting
• Abdominal pain or distension (dog appears uncomfortable or bloated)
• Weakness / lethargy

If your dog exhibits one or more of these symptoms continuously or repeatedly, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian as soon as possible.

 

CAN A DOG CURE PANCREATITIS?

When left untreated, pancreatitis in dogs can lead to serious illness , pain , and even death . Pancreatitis in dogs can also cause serious organ damage .

However, it is most often possible to prevent and treat pancreatitis with proper treatment and a suitable diet.

Find out below what to feed a dog with pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis in dogs and pancreatic cancer
Prolonged inflammation of the pancreas due to chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer in dogs.

There are several types of pancreatic cancer in dogs.

These tumors can be benign or malignant.

The most common form of malignant pancreatic cancer in dogs is called pancreatic adenocarcinoma. These tumors do not respond well to treatment and are often not detected until the cancer has already spread.

The other common form is pancreatic adenoma. These are benign tumors that do not spread. In rare cases, this can cause problems, but the outlook for dogs with pancreatic adenomas is excellent.

HOW DOES A VETERINARIAN DIAGNOSE PANCREATITIS IN DOGS?

If you suspect your dog has pancreatitis, take him to your veterinarian immediately .

Because it is often confused, your veterinarian can perform a variety of tests and may first check for gallstones and reflux.

An X-ray, ultrasound, and blood test will also check for elevated enzymes or trauma to the pancreas and surrounding organs.

The vet may also test insulin levels, as the pancreas can impact insulin production in the body.

Here’s what your veterinarian may need to validate pancreatitis in your dog:

• Your Dog’s Medical History
• Blood tests to measure pancreatic enzymes
• Physical exam including stomach, heart, temperature
• X-rays or ultrasound, to rule out other causes
• Fine needle aspiration of the pancreas

 

HOW TO TREAT PANCREATITIS IN DOGS?

Treatment for pancreatitis will depend on the dog’s symptoms and any abnormalities detected during the veterinary consultation.

The main goal of treatments is to relieve your dog’s pain and provide for his physiological needs while giving the pancreas time to heal.

Treatments to control nausea and pain are often necessary.

Research has found that dogs with pancreatitis who quickly resume eating food have an improved prognosis.

Therefore, veterinarians routinely use anti-nausea medications to treat vomiting so that sick dogs can eat again as soon as possible.

Often a veterinarian will also prescribe pain management treatments because there is no other quick and easy way to resolve the problem.

For example, your veterinarian may suggest anti-inflammatories , but it should be noted that these can have dangerous side effects (convulsions, tremors, drowsiness, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, etc.), or even fatal.

Your veterinarian may also prescribe dog antibiotics to treat an underlying infection. But again, antibiotics can be dangerous for your dog.

To avoid the harmful effects of certain pain medications, many dog ​​parents are now turning to natural alternatives like CBD , which is scientifically proven to relieve pain , be an effective and safe anti-inflammatory, and strengthen the immune system .

Severely affected dogs may ultimately need to be hospitalized for an extended period of time and require more aggressive treatment with feeding tubes, plasma transfusion, or surgery.

WHAT SHOULD YOU FEED A DOG WITH PANCREATITIS?

One of the most important things you can do to prevent or treat pancreatitis is to change your dog’s diet . Here are the steps to take when dealing with pancreatitis in dogs and what you should feed them:

Step 1: A period of digestive rest before feeding your dog again

Before feeding your dog anything , it is important to start with a rest period.

Indeed, since pancreatitis is essentially just inflammation, the best thing you can do to relieve symptoms is to rest the pancreas and remove any stimulation from food.

You can fast your dog for 24 hours . This immediately relieves the burden on the pancreas.

At the same time, give him very small sips of room temperature bottled water. Count to 5, then remove the water. Repeat every hour if your dog tolerates it. Instead of counting, you can also give about 3 tablespoons of water for a medium-sized dog (give less for small breeds and more for large breeds).

Step 2: Remove all aggravating factors

During your dog’s illness, it is imperative that you remove all dry dog ​​food, commercially canned food , fatty foods , and pet treats from your dog’s daily routine.

Also, remove any unnecessary chemicals (flea treatments, dewormers, etc.) and other aggravating medications while your dog is sick.

Even anti-inflammatories and steroids should be questioned (under the supervision of a veterinarian) as they can further weaken your dog’s health.

Step 3: Slowly start feeding your dog again

Once you have given the pancreas time to rest and you notice that the symptoms have improved or disappeared, begin feeding your dog a small amount of simple food, such as bone broth, several times a day.

Be sure to cool the broth and skim off any fat that settles on top before feeding it to your dog, to keep the fat to a minimum.

To give the body time to gradually recover, it is recommended to cook food for three days.

Feed your dog 6 to 8 times the first few days, in very small amounts.

If your dog’s symptoms have resolved, you can cook food less each day until you adopt a completely raw diet if you wish (it is important that this is gradual and monitored by a veterinarian).

Step 4: Change your dog’s diet

Proper nutrition is absolutely crucial in managing chronic pancreatitis and preventing future acute episodes.

Some people recommend a low protein diet for a dog with pancreatitis.

However, this is not a good idea . By decreasing protein, they have to increase the carbohydrate content, which is an aggravating factor in pancreatitis in dogs, or increase fat, which is paradoxical given the disease. Low-fat food is the order of the day.