If you’ve owned dogs for many years, chances are your dogs have dealt with various illnesses. Pancreatitis is a particular illness that is common in many dogs, yet until a dog owner experiences it, they are very uneducated on its signs and symptoms.
What is pancreatitis in dogs?
Just like in humans, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that causes pain and discomfort. The illness can be acute or chronic and is indiscriminate in breed, age, and gender of the dog.
Since this illness can strike any dog, it’s important to know the warning signs.
Symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs
Pancreatitis presents like a lot of illnesses, which is why many owners may misdiagnose or even not worry about the symptoms. The two most tell-tale signs of pancreatitis in your dog is persistent vomiting, typically yellow bile, and hunched back. The inflammation of the pancreas causes GI upset and the many dogs cope with the pain by hunching their back.
Other symptoms of pancreatitis include:
- Praying position – where the dog bows down on the front two legs, butt in the air
- Refusal to eat
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Restlessness/inability to get comfortable
- Shaking
- Dehydration
- Fever
If your dog is displaying a combination of any of these symptoms, it is best to seek immediate veterinary care. While pancreatitis is treatable, it can be fatal if allowed to progress.
Treating pancreatitis in dogs
The good news is that pancreatitis is a very treatable illness that mainly requires supportive care. After being diagnosed, your veterinary staff will begin treating the pancreatitis with fluids (either through an IV or subcutaneous injection). This will rehydrate and help stabilize your dog.
From there, pain medications and potentially anti nausea meds will be administered. The treatment plan will become more customized to your dog from there and may include tube feeding.
In all, pancreatitis can require overnight hospitalization of your dog and take up to two weeks to fully heal.
Causes of pancreatitis in dogs
Many cases of pancreatitis in dogs are found to be caused by their diet. Oftentimes the diet is too high in fat, which causes the excess development of enzymes by the pancreas. Even high-fat treats, given just once, can trigger an episode of pancreatitis. If your dog has a high-fat diet and experiences pancreatitis, a change to his food will need to be made in order to avoid future illness.
There are also many times when the cause for pancreatitis cannot be found. It can be a frustrating illness for many, but once you are educated on its symptoms and treatments, it can be treated.