The Best Dog Foods for Dogs With Pancreatitis

The pancreas is a V-shaped organ located behind the stomach and the first section of the small intestine, the duodenum. It has two main functions: it aids in metabolism of sugar in the body through the production of insulin, and is necessary for the digestion of nutrients by producing pancreatic enzymes. These enzymes help the body promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients from food. Acute pancreatitis is a sudden onset of pancreatic inflammation.
Causes

Multiple factors can contribute to the development of pancreatitis. Certain medications, infections; metabolic disorders including hyperlipidemia (high amounts of lipid in the blood) and hypercalcemia (high amounts of calcium in the blood); obesity; and trauma and shock can be associated with the development of pancreatitis. Middle-aged dogs appear to be at increased risk of developing pancreatitis; as a breed, Schnauzers and Yorkshire terriers appear to be more prone to pancreatitis. Nutrition also plays a role. Dogs with diets high in fat, dogs who have recently gotten in to the trash or have been fed table scraps, or dogs who 'steal' or are fed greasy 'people food' seem to have a higher incidence of the disease. In addition, dogs who have previously had pancreatitis or abdominal surgery appear to be more at risk.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of the acute form of pancreatitis in dogs include a very painful abdomen, abdominal distention, lack of appetite, depression, dehydration, a 'hunched up' posture, vomiting, diarrhea and yellow, greasy stool. Fever often accompanies these symptoms. Animals with more severe disease can develop heart arrhythmias, sepsis (body-wide infection), difficulty breathing, and a life-threatening condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which results in multiple hemorrhages. If the inflammation is severe, organs surrounding the pancreas could be 'autodigested' by pancreatic enzymes released from the damaged pancreas and become permanently damaged.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of pancreatitis is made through information obtained from the history, the physical exam, and laboratory testing. Dogs with pancreatitis generally have an increased blood levels of the pancreatic enzymes called amylase and lipase. If the liver also becomes inflamed, liver enzymes as measured in the blood may be increased. A rather new test, serum cPLI (pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity), may prove to be a valuable diagnostic aid. The white blood cell count is generally increased in acute pancreatitis. Radiography (x-rays) and ultrasound can also help in making the diagnosis. biopsy can result in a conclusive diagnosis, but is not commonly performed.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to rest the pancreas, provide supportive care and control complications. If vomiting is severe, treatment usually begins with a withholding of food, water, and oral medications for at least 24 hours. The lack of oral intake stops the stimulation of the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. Depending upon the animal's response food intake can be started again after a day or more. The pet is generally fed small meals of a bland, easily digestible, high-carbohydrate, low-fat food. Over the course of a week or more, the size of meals and quantity of food fed are increased. The dog may need to stay on a special diet for life, or it may be possible to gradually reintroduce the former diet. High-fat diets or treats should be avoided.

The second major component of treatment is fluid therapy. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are common in dogs with acute pancreatitis, and water intake is often restricted so fluid therapy is usually needed. Fluids are either given subcutaneously or intravenous.

Dogs who are experiencing severe pain can be treated with pain relievers such as meperidine or butorphanol. Antibiotics are often administered prophylactically to protect against infection.

If the pancreatitis was caused by a medication, the medication should be stopped. If it was caused by a toxin, infection, or other condition, the appropriate therapy for the underlying condition should be started.

In rare instances where there are intestinal complications or the development of a pancreatic abscess, surgery may be necessary.

Prescription Dog Foods
Once a dog is able to eat again, a low-fat diet is recommended to minimize overstimulating the pancreas. Low fat in dog food is defined as: 9 percent or less in dry food, 7 percent in moist and 4 percent in canned (wet) food. Feeding small frequent meals while your dog is recovering is less taxing on the pancreas. Dog caretakers, veterinarians and nutritionists have strong opinions on what dogs with pancreatitis should eat. Dogs recovering from acute pancreatitis are frequently maintained on an easily digestible, fat-restricted prescription diet.

Veterinarians often recommended prescription diets, either for a specific time period or for the rest of the dog's life. Some prescription diets available are: Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Digestive Low Fat LF 20 dry or canned, a diet that is restricted in fat and formulated to aid in the management of pancreatitis. Another prescription diet is Hill's Prescription Diet Canine i/d or Prescription Diet Canine w/d, foods that contain highly digestible nutrients and are low in fat. Eukanuba Reduced Fat is another food suggested at animal clinics.

Commercial Dog Food
You can buy high-quality, low-fat commercial foods that contain excellent, often organic ingredients without a prescription. They have limited ingredients and are recommended for dogs recovering from pancreatitis, overweight dogs and dogs with other gastrointestinal problems.

Some of these foods are: Wellness Core Reduced Fat (RF), a grain-free food; Canidae Platinum; Avoderm Chicken & Rice; Eagle Pack Holistic Fish Formula; Innova Lower Fat Adult Canned Food; California Natural Low Fat Rice & Lamb Meal Adult Kibble; Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Fish Dry; or Canned and Natural Balance Reduced Fat (contains rice). Kibble should be soaked in warm water or non-fat, low-salt broth, and you should serve all foods at room or body temperature.

Homemade Diets
Simple and bland meals such as boiled chicken with rice or potato, non-fat cottage cheese, chicken or turkey organic baby food are good choices for homemade dog meals. An easy diet to start with is overcooked white rice made with extra water, combined with a low-fat protein source, such as cooked skinless chicken breast, low-fat cottage cheese or boiled hamburger (boiling removes most of the fat).

According to dog nutritionists, a canine pancreatitis diet may include skinless white meat chicken, lean and low-fat ground beef, beef heart, beef kidney, beef liver, egg whites, non-fat plain yogurt, oatmeal, barley and non-fat cottage cheese. Cooked vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, dark leafy greens, winter squash and sweet potatoes can also be considered, as these foods contain low amounts of phosphorus and fat. Overcooking starchy foods such as rice or potatoes increases their digestibility.

Dogs fed a very low-fat diet may become deficient in vitamins A and E, so adding salmon oil or coconut oil to the diet will help. Salmon oil has proven to be beneficial in treating acute pancreatitis and should always be given in combination with vitamin E.

Whatever you feed, start with small amounts fed frequently, six to eight meals a day or more. Small meals stimulate the pancreas less and are less likely to trigger vomiting. If you are unable to cook for your dog, try to feed small portions throughout the day of all-natural, high-quality dog food or alternate between these dog foods and home-cooked meals.

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