PANCREATITIS IN DOGS.

Dogs on a diet of fatty foods or that suddenly had access to fatty foods like bacon are prone to inflammation of their pancreas. The pancreas is a smaller organ located next to the stomach and produces important hormones that are responsible for digestion and energy metabolism. Some of the hormones that the pancreas secretes are insulin and digestive enzymes in response to metabolic needs within the body and in response to eating. The digestive enzymes that the pancreas secretes are very destructive to tissue because they are meant to break down food that is being eaten so it can be more easily absorbed in the intestinal tract. Pancreatitis essentially means “inflammation of the pancreas” and refers to inflammation of the actual organ and associated tissues. Pancreatitis in dogs is usually triggered by eating fatty foods such as bacon or other fat containing foods, unlike in cats where the actual trigger for the inflammation in the pancreas is not always easily identified. The consequence of inflammation in the pancreas is that the destructive digestive enzymes are leaked within the tissues of the pancreas itself leading to destruction of the pancreas. This destruction of the pancreas will lead to intestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhea and significant pain. Pancreatitis can be diagnosed with a cPLI blood test in dogs and an inflamed pancreas can typically be seen with an abdominal ultrasound. Pancreatitis is a potentially fatal illness and should be treated aggressively when diagnosed. The treatment for pancreatitis for dogs is a period of fasting to allow the pancreas to heal, fluid therapy to address dehydration, pain medications, and anti-nausea medications to stop the vomiting. Typically, once a dog stops vomiting and can eat they can start taking oral medications and be sent home. After the initial recovery stage, these dogs will be placed on a bland diet for a while to reduce the amount of fat that the pancreas is exposed to while healing. Once a dog has had pancreatitis they are more prone to getting it again, so avoiding fatty foods with these dogs is vital for prevention of recurrence. The consequence of frequent bouts of pancreatitis is the destruction of the cells within the pancreas that secrete insulin leading to insulin insufficiency and diabetes mellitus. Keeping dogs away from fatty foods is highly recommended to reduce the probability of pancreatitis.