pancreatitis

[jlepolifka]

I took my fur baby to the vet this morning after waking up and finding that he had thrown up more than 5 times overnight. They did an x-ray and upon finding nothing they tested him for pancreatitis. The test came back positive and he is now hospitalized for treatment. I feel so badly for my little guy and I'm so worried about him.

Please share any stories or helpful tips on how to help my little guy and keep him comfortable when he comes home.

Thanks,

[Cherie6446]

I'm very sorry that your little one has this problem. All I can recommend is to follow the vet's instructions to the tee. NO FAT!! His diet will have to change forever.
My Gina's disease was not caught in time and she died last Feb. It was heart wrentching. My husband gave her some beef brisket (without my knowledge) with some fat attached and that started the whole process. He feels terrible that he basically killed her because he loved her so much. They were inseparable and it has been really hard.
My prayers are being sent to you and your little guy for a full recovery.
Cherie

[107barney]

Pancreatitis is a tough one. Barney has had it twice, and he is now on a very low fat diet for life. Once your baby comes home, it is very important to follow all the advice the vet gives you. They may or may not change his diet. Please keep in mind that pancreatitis is caused not only from a high fat diet -- pancreatitis can be set off by anything that serves as its trigger, and not all triggers are known. For example, when Barney had pancreatitis last March, he was placed on a bland diet for 6 months. He was allowed NOTHING extra. He now can occasionally have some other food items that are low fat but we are very careful. Even something like bananas or other high sugar foods can trigger it, so fat is not the only culprit.

Please keep us posted!

[shodanusmc]

Maxine had it 2 times, but since we switched her to Iams Low Residue, she has not had a bout for 7 years. It is quit scary for sure. We have never, ever hiven her any table food, scraps, fat, etc. Both bouts also started with rumblings in her stomach, so loud you could hear them We now give her a bit of MYLICON® and gas is gone. A crying baby doesn't always mean colic - it could be infant gas. whci stops the gas, cuts down on the stress, and knock on wood, she is a healthy 14 year old pup that loves to take on a 140 pound beast.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by shodanusmc

Maxine had it 2 times, but since we switched her to Iams Low Residue, she has not had a bout for 7 years. It is quit scary for sure. We have never, ever hiven her any table food, scraps, fat, etc. Both bouts also started with rumblings in her stomach, so loud you could hear them We now give her a bit of MYLICON® and gas is gone. A crying baby doesn't always mean colic - it could be infant gas. whci stops the gas, cuts down on the stress, and knock on wood, she is a healthy 14 year old pup that loves to take on a 140 pound beast.

Steve do you know what the min crude fat is in Iams Low Residue? I'm trying to find a back up kibble for Barney, and so far everything is too high for him. I'd like to ask about this for him, since you've had such great results with Maxine.

[shodanusmc]

I just checked the back of her 5 pound bag. Min Crude Fat 9%, Min Crude Protein 22%, and Max Fiber 4%. It works because it is easily digestable. Now it may not work for everyone, but it sure worked for Maxine. Iams Low Residue

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by jlepolifka

I took my fur baby to the vet this morning after waking up and finding that he had thrown up more than 5 times overnight. They did an x-ray and upon finding nothing they tested him for pancreatitis. The test came back positive and he is now hospitalized for treatment. I feel so badly for my little guy and I'm so worried about him.

Please share any stories or helpful tips on how to help my little guy and keep him comfortable when he comes home.

Thanks,

I am so glad you took action and got this baby some vet care. As others suggested, follow your vets instructions and when in doubt about something call them and ask. Well wishes to you and your little one.

[Her Name Is Rio]

Rio had pancreatitis last summer and was hospitalized overnight. Bullet had just joined our family and was eating Orijen puppy which Rio also was nibbling on. It turned out to be way too high in protein and fat for Rio. Now they both eat Canidae all life stages Lamb and Rice which is less rich than Orijen. They are picky eaters so luckily they both like the Canidae and it's been smooth sailing since (knock on wood). We NEVER give table food and the only treats they get are low fat/low protein. Good luck to you and your furbaby!

[south]

Zoey has been through it twice since she found us. From pooping (pure liquid) blood to vomiting bile everywhere, we thought we would lose her both times. The treatment is unfortunately to not allow them to eat or drink until their levels come down to normal levels. He will need fluids (preferably with vitamins) in the meantime. It took Zoey over a week before she was able to eat start eating/drinking again. Anything (water or food) that passes through the digestive system will cause the pancreas to work. The goal is to let it rest and heal. So NO food or water orally until his levels come down to normal ranges. You must keep him hydrated in the meantime with fluids, whether IV or subq daily, or more frequently as the vet instructs. Also, antibiotics & painkillers to help the healing & the hurt. When he can start eating again, try white rice alone, or white rice with a small amount of chicken (no fat or bones, just white meat) a little at a time. Hand feeding was the only way to get Zoey eating again. Been about 6 months since the last bout now. He can beat it though, just be patient and diligent.

After he heals, ask you vet about a prescription diet. Z does nothing but ID now. She doesn't care for it, but so far so good.

[JesStang]

Tristan had it about 5 or 6 years ago. He had to stay at the vet for 4 days!

I don't know if you feed your dog people-food or not (you shouldn't...) but definitely don't now! Only hard treats from now on also. The soft ones have a lot more fat than the hard ones. Make sure your dog food isn't high in fat either. You have to do this for the rest of his life, not just for a short time.

Besides that, just do what the vet says and give him lots of love when he gets home. He'll be beter in no time.

[chestermama]

a good low fat food is solid golds holistique blend it is 6% fat, I believe, my friends dog has pancreatitis and she done very well on it, better quality food than iams

[jlepolifka]

Thank you everyone so much for your stories and insight. Bear came home after one night but was still very lethargic for a couple of days. He seems to have his energy back and is enjoying the ID wet food that the vet gave us. I think the hardest things he's having to get use to is the loss of his milky bones, Dingos and training treats.

He's still very dehydrated but has absolutely no interest in drinking water (he usually loves it). I'm so worried about it I've begun giving him drips of it from a syringe that the vet gave us for a med that he doesn't take anymore (of course I throughly cleaned out the syringe before doing this).

Does anyone have any suggestions for the water/hydration issue??

Thanks!!

[Ellie May]

If he is still dehydrated, then he needs to stay at the vet's for an IV. Very dangerous when they do get dehydrated. Is he better? Or is he used to kibble? Canned has so much moisture, so he may not need to drink when eating it.

[Vinniedoggy]

Vinnie had pacreatitis years ago. It was not so severe that it required hospitalization, but he did have to stay on a bland diet for a few weeks. In his case, I caused it by feeding him pork chops. He now eats mostly Nature's Variety and only gets lean cuts of meat when I home cook. Lesson learned, but it's very common and usually easy to treat. Good luck!

[valerieam]

Originally Posted by shodanusmc

Maxine had it 2 times, but since we switched her to Iams Low Residue, she has not had a bout for 7 years. It is quit scary for sure. We have never, ever hiven her any table food, scraps, fat, etc. Both bouts also started with rumblings in her stomach, so loud you could hear them We now give her a bit of MYLICON® and gas is gone. A crying baby doesn't always mean colic - it could be infant gas. whci stops the gas, cuts down on the stress, and knock on wood, she is a healthy 14 year old pup that loves to take on a 140 pound beast.

How much mylicon do you give her?

I had a phone consult with a vet this morning who specializes in nutrition. Pippin has IBD which can be triggered with food. I asked about treats and she said I could give little pieces of plain rice cakes. You might want to ask if yours can have those.