Pancreatitis

The pancreas is a small glandular organ that lives just outside of the end of the stomach and the start of the small intestine. It produces digestive enzymes that it releases in to the intestine and insulin that is released in the blood to regulate blood sugar levels.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The inflammation causes the digestive enzymes to activate before they should. This causes the dog to feel sick. Symptoms are low appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, painful abdomen, and fever. Many cases of pancreatitis are mild and resolve with treatment at home, some can become severe requiring hospitalization for several days and in rare cases it can become life threatening.

The most common cause of pancreatitis in dogs is a sudden high fat meal. We often see a spike in this disease around holidays when meals are shared with our dogs or they get in to food that is left out. Being overweight, some hormonal imbalances and trauma can predispose dogs to this disease. Sometimes there is a backwash of intestinal contents into the pancreas that is the cause. This is the most common cause in people. Miniature Schnauzers are overrepresented as many will have altered fat metabolism.

Pancreatitis is diagnosed by performing bloodwork. There is a test called specific canine pancreatic lipase which allows us to diagnose the condition.

Treatment is often just supportive: IV fluids if they are dehydrated, pain and anti-nausea medications. The key to recovery is to feed a low fat therapeutic diet and let the pancreas rest. Pancreatitis can be acute where the dog gets a high fat meal and once they heal they can go back to their regular food. Other times it is chronic and some dogs require being fed a therapeutic low fat diet for the rest of their lives. Chronic pancreatitis can affect the ability of the organ to produce insulin and can lead to development of diabetes.

Pancreatitis can often be prevented by keeping your dog a healthy weight and making sure that they do not have access to high fat meals.

Pancreatitis in cats historically has been hard to diagnose. In recent years we have access to a specific test to diagnose it. Cats have some different symptoms with the most common being inappetence and lethargy. Only 30% will vomit. 90% of the time we are unable to diagnose the cause of pancreatitis in cats. There is a suggestion that inflammatory bowel disease may play a role. Treatment is very much the same as dogs with a special diet, pain and anti nausea medications. Some cats will require hospitalization for IV fluids and in rare cases it can be life threatening. Since we have only been able to readily diagnose this condition in cats recently, we are still learning. Since we don’t completely understand all the risk factors for this disease it is hard to make prevention recommendations other than to keep them a healthy weight.

Pancreatitis can be a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition, but with early recognition, proper treatment, and preventive care, most pets recover well. Keeping your dog or cat at a healthy weight, avoiding high-fat foods, and working closely with your veterinary team are the best ways to protect your pet’s pancreas. If you ever notice symptoms like vomiting, loss of appetite, or unusual lethargy, don’t wait—contact your veterinarian right away. Staying proactive is the key to keeping your pets happy, healthy, and by your side for years to come.