Pancreatitis in Dogs and Cats

Research shows that pancreatitis in pets is one of the most common illnesses owners face.

Pancreatitis is a painful, potentially deadly inflammation and swelling of the pancreas.

A healthy pancreas produces insulin, as well as unique enzymes that aid in the digestion and absorption of fats and proteins. These enzymes would be dangerous to the pancreas, but the organ has internal defenses that protect it.

These defenses start to collapse when the pancreas is inflamed and swollen, which can make it start to be broken down by its own enzymes.

The pancreas is very easily damaged and is also slow to heal.

Although rare, pets that recover from acute pancreatitis may have recurrent bouts of this diseases and even develop chronic pancreatitis.

Naturally, you don’t want this to happen to your dog or cat. Fortunately, studies haven shown that there are plenty of ways to diagnose and treat pancreatitis in pets before it becomes a major health issue, and sometimes, prevention is also possible

Acute Treatment

Dogs

The mainstay of treatment of dogs with acute pancreatitis is to STOP anything orally, get them on IV fluids, medication for pain and vomiting. Once the vomiting resolves and the pancreatic enzymes levels have dropped, then food is introduced.

Cats

For cats the pathology and treatment is different. The four main goals of treatment for feline pancreatitis are the management of dehydration, nausea, pain and nutrition. 

Early nutritional support is key in the treatment of feline pancreatitis. Studies have shown that the earlier a cat gets back to eating, the better the prognosis for a good recovery. If anti-nausea and pain medications do not improve appetite, appetite stimulants such as mirtazapine, which is available as a pill and a transdermal preparation applied to the inside of the ear, may be used.

How to Prevent Pancreatitis

There is no absolute preventative measure for acute pancreatitis in dogs and cats.

However, a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise, feeding the appropriate pet food and doing it the right way, and keeping your pet hydrated is the best way to go about this.

Staying away from junk foods and all the medications that may cause pancreatitis is advisable. Get your cat OFF kibble, and on to a high protein canned cat food.

If your pet displays any symptoms of pain or persistent nausea, it is important to get him to the vet. In some cases this is a dog or cat which is ADR (Ain't Doing Right) .... yes that is a veterinary sign :-)

Diagnosed early, pancreatitis and its associated diseases are much easier to treat than late developments of the disease. Pets who receive good treatment often achieve fast and full recoveries.

Dog and Cat supplements

Certain supplements for pets exist that may help with either preventing acute pancreatitis in dogs and cats, or assisting in controlling the effects of chronic pancreatitis

Digestive enzymes

Giving digestive enzymes to pets may be one of the ways to treat and possibly prevent pancreatitis in dogs and cats

Studies have shown for certain pancreatic enzyme supplements to be very effective in treatment of pancreatitis in dogs while others were not at all effective

Ezyme supplements for dogs that have demonstrated the best results include:

• Festal

• Panteric Granules

• Cotazym

• Converzyme

Supplements with pancreatin may help with ensuring that a dog’s pancrease doesn’t get overloaded. There is some evidence showing that pancreatin may work best on dogs with pancreatitis.

This same supplement is also used in cats with pancreatitis.

As the research shows, pancreatic enzyme supplements for dogs are highly individualistic. Your dog may or may not respond to supplement treatment. If there’s no response, then another enzyme supplement may be used instead as long as there are no adverse effects.

Omega-3s

Fish oil supplements may also help dogs and cats with acute pancreatitis.

Although efficacy on chronic pancreatitis is unknown, research has shown that fish oil given to dogs can help with lowering blood lipids and assisting with pancreatitis in dogs.

Choosing pet food with added enzymes and a healthy balance of Omega-3s and -6s is a good idea, but adding additional fish/krill oil supplements to a pet’s diet may increase the chance of faster recovery or prevention.

Vitamins

Studies suggest that antioxidants for pet's may assist with pancreatitis. Vitamins given to dogs and cats work well alongside other pancreatitis treatments.

A growing body of research shows positive effects of Vitamin B12. It seems that giving Colabamin (Vitamin B12) to dogs helps with pancreatitis recovery

Antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin A have also shown positive signs in pets with pancreatitis, but further research is required

Probiotics

There’s some evidence that gut flora may have an impact on inflammation of your pet’s pancreas.

Improving your dog’s ratio of good bacteria through canine probiotics supplementation may assist with treating or preventing canine pancreatitis