If the pancreatitis was that severe, it's not a surprise that your pup isn't willing to eat on his own yet. If he has been on IV fluids while hospitalized, he is well hydrated and it is as important - or maybe even more important - to make sure he stays that way. Watch his fluid intake and encourage him to drink often. When my last yorkie was recovering from pancreatitis, his appetite was slow to come back also. I would start with a very small amount of food (a couple of tablespoons maybe) thinned with water and through the syringe. Wait an hour or two to make sure he tolerates it well, and if there is no vomiting, you can offer more. Feeding very small amounts of food frequently will be easier on his pancreas than trying to feed a regular meal all at once. You can gradually increase the amount you're feeding him at a time over the next few days, and also slowly space the meals a little further apart as his appetite comes back and he is more willing to eat on his own. Remember, no treats, snacks or table food. When your pup is not eating, it is very tempting to offer other things to try to spark the appetite but that can be very dangerous for a dog recovering from pancreatitis. Even after my little guy was finally willing to eat on his own (it took at least 4-5 days), I still fed him 4 to 5 small meals per day for at least two to three weeks.
If your vet has given you different instructions, you should follow them to the letter. I'm only offering what our vet advised and what worked for us because I also know what it feels like to be handed a handful of syringes and a few cans of food with no real instructions. Its a scary and helpless feeling.
Try not to feel discouraged. Humans recovering from pancreatitis often spend up to a month in the hospital. It is not an easy recovery and pushing your dog to recover faster than he's ready is likely to cause a relapse.
Diana |