Pancreatitis in Dogs

What is pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas.

Common symptoms to look out for:
Nausea, vomiting, fever, lethargic behaviour, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and decreased appetite.

Diagnosis:
Pancreatitis is a diagnosis of clinical context, your pets clinical history is key, a blood test can be used to help us confirm pancreatitis.

Causes:
The exact cause of pancreatitis is unknown, most commonly triggered by eating highly processed foods or a diet consisting of a high fat content, although can also be a side effect of your pets medication typically corticosteroids, in some cases pancreatitis will flare up spontaneously.

Prevention:
Putting your pet on a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight are important parts of preventing pancreatitis. Our staff are always happy to help you pick the right diet for your pet. Although our animals are great at making us feel guilty when we are eating our food make sure not to give in to temptation, there are many heathier alternative treats for our pets but these should also be given in moderation.

Initial treatment:
Treatment is dependent on your pets symptoms, often placed on intravenous fluids to correct hydration, multiple medications may be administered to make your pet more comfortable. Our team of Doctors are here to work out the best treatment plan for your pets!

Long term treatment:
Long term treatment consists of low fat diets, the two types of diet we typically recommend are Royal Canin Gastrointestinal diet & Hills Science Diet I/D low fat, both these diets are gentle on the stomach and help alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms associated with pancreatitis.

If you believe your pet is experiences symptoms of pancreatitis or want to talk to one of our veterinarians about pancreatitis please give us a call to book an appointment.