Learning about Pancreatitis in Dogs

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Learning about Pancreatitis in Dogs

As loving and concerned dog owners, we all want what’s best for our dogs health.  when we notice that our dog’s behaviors or appearance change, we tend to dig up all of the information we can find online for what ever the cause of the health issue may be.  If you suspect that you have to perhaps help treat pancreatitis in dogs, here is some information to get the treatment process started.

Why is the Pancreas important?

Humans and dogs both have a pancreas.  this organ is tucked right up under the stomach and the first part of the small intestine.  The reason why we need a pancreas:

a)    Exocrine production: Enzymes we need in order to digest our food

b)    Endocrine production: Enzymes required to produce hormones such as insulin, a key player in our ability to store sugars and amino acids

What are the Symptoms of Pancreatitis in dogs?

Pancreatitis in dogs is referring to the inflammation of the pancreas.  when this occurs, then there is a leaking of the two digestive enzymes mentioned above. as a result, the pancreas actually begins to digest or “eat” itself.

Pancreatitis in dogs can either be acute (meaning it happens suddenly and quickly) or it can be one of the slowest developing of the dog diseases.  both are equally life threatening and require immediate treatment.

Some of the most prominent symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs include:

-        Lack of appetite

-        Vomiting

-        Swollen and painful abdomen

-        Fever, or a lowered body temperature

-        Depression

-        Diarrhea

-        Dehydration

What causes Pancreatitis in Dogs?

A lot of the time, your veterinarian will not be able to narrow down a cause behind the pancreatitis.  Some risk factors you may want to consider include:

-        Fatty foods

-        Obesity

-        Hyperlipidemia

-        Suffering from another disease, such as Cushing’s disease in dogs and diabetes

-        Bacterial or viral infections

-        Drugs/medications

-        Contaminated food and water sources

How to Treat Pancreatitis in Dogs

The dog will probably need to stay at the veterinarian’s office for an overnight stay or two.  The vet will take care of your dog’s fluid and nutritional needs and make the dog comfortable by practicing pro-active pain management by use of medications.  your vet will also look over your dog to make sure that no other diseases are the cause for the pancreatitis.

Your dog’s pancreas will need to “rest”, which means that no food or water will be provided to your dog by the mouth for up to 5 days.  all nutritional needs and fluids are entering into your dog’s body via intravenous.  Most dogs will only need treatment for 1 or 2 days, though it depends on the severity of the problem.

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The main symptom of sudden (acute) pancreatitis is sudden moderate to severe pain in the upper area of the belly (abdomen). Occasionally the pain is mild. but the pain may feel as though it bores through the abdomen to the back. Sitting up or leaning forward sometimes makes the pain less. Other symptoms of an attack of pancreatitis are:

?Nausea and vomiting.
?Fever.
?Fast heart rate.
?Sweating.
?Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
?Shock.
Long-term (chronic) pancreatitis also causes severe pain in the upper abdomen. as the condition progresses, fat may be released into your stools, indicating that your body is not absorbing fat and protein. as a result, you may have diarrhea and lose weight. You also could develop diabetes if your pancreas no longer produces enough insulin.

Other conditions that have similar symptoms include bowel obstruction, appendicitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The link I used is below. I hope this helps.
Good luck.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum. The duodenum is the upper part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. These enzymes help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in food. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body use the glucose it takes from food for energy.

Normally, digestive enzymes do not become active until they reach the small intestine, where they begin digesting food. but if these enzymes become active inside the pancreas, they start "digesting" the pancreas itself.

Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and lasts for a short period of time and usually resolves. Chronic pancreatitis does not resolve itself and results in a slow destruction of the pancreas. either form can cause serious complications. in severe cases, bleeding, tissue damage, and infection may occur. Pseudocysts, accumulations of fluid and tissue debris, may also develop. and enzymes and toxins may enter the bloodstream, injuring the heart, lungs, and kidneys, or other organs.

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis:
Severe abdominal pain
Upper abdominal pain
Central abdominal pain
Abdominal swelling
Abdominal tenderness
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Sweating
Rapid pulse
Dehydration
Low blood pressure
Shock
Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis:
Back pain
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Diabetes -
Malabsorption -