Pancreas problems?

[Jaya and Jenna]

So the girls are getting fixed later this week, and they just had their blood tests....... well Jenna's blood cell count in her pancreas was double what it should be. The vet had wanted to take further tests, but once discovering that she is not showing any symptoms -he said that all we needed to do was change the diet.

I am very firm on the girls' food...they dont eat any human food. And ever since Jaya's incident with the raw, I have fed them exactly what the vet told me to - PD Puppy formula or MediCal Puppy formula. Jenna has always been on the chubbier side... she could eat and eat and eat... I monitor everything she eats, even the amount because I dont want her to unhealthy... she is a little more leaner now but she is still chubby.

Im just really worried.... has anyone experienced something similar?

[*sophie's mama*]

I'm don't have any experience but I wish the best for your pup. Atleast the vet had has a good prognosis. I'm sure someone has experienced this before.

[sondra2004]

Peanut had this problem too .But it was from human Food. I have found out Lamb in his dog food upsets his tummy and corn . He is now on Solid Gold Wee Bits .

[Ellie May]

Is it pancreatitis?
Ellie has had it and I have to be very careful.

She eats all human food but there are things that have to be avoided.
The diet needs to be lower fat.

[dlross]

I also give Chelsea human food, 50% beef stew meat lean with a little amount of heart, tongue, liver, & lamb and 50% vegetables & grains. When cooking I add apple or banana in the stew mixture. Chicken I found was too high on protein, once and awhile I’ll give her cottage cheese or a little bit of cheese. She’s 14 months. I had tried dog food with no avail. I sure would like to know what you cook for yr dogs…

[yorkieusa]

I really do believe yorkies tend to get it easier than most, like the little schnausers ( I can't spell it).

High fiber and low fat diet (I think under 18%) is a requirement for one with pancreatitis.

I hope your little one is ok.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by dlross

I also give Chelsea human food, 50% beef stew meat lean with a little amount of heart, tongue, liver, & lamb and 50% vegetables & grains. When cooking I add apple or banana in the stew mixture. Chicken I found was too high on protein, once and awhile I’ll give her cottage cheese or a little bit of cheese. She’s 14 months. I had tried dog food with no avail. I sure would like to know what you cook for yr dogs…

Ellie's Recipe:
1 ounce boiled white meat chicken with no skin or fat (can replace with turkey breast with no skin or fat...not dark meat. Other meats would work like hamburger but they need to be very lean...).

88 grams cooked carbs (brown rice, white rice, pasta, peeled sweet potato)

60 grams vegetables (a colorful mixture of at least two or three of these, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrot, squash)

1 teaspoon oil (canola or olive)

Vitamins and minerals (we use Balance It K for Ellie's live).
I don't particularly like the Balance It line other than Balance It K because of one of the ingredients, so I don't recommend it.

This is somewhere around 150-170 calories.
Ellie needs about 200-250 calories per day right now, so I use this recipe plus 50% per day. It depends on the size of your dog and their metabolism.

This diet is 24% protein and 18% fat.
Ellie needs lower protein and low to moderate fat...

Things like fruit and cottage cheese aren't part of her meals.
I sometimes give them as treats.

[Archie's Mom]

Archie had pancreatitis at about 7 or 8 months old and it was scarey, but we caught it early. The vet told me it doesn't always have to do with their diet -- with Yorkies it just happens sometimes. However, he had had a couple attacks of hypoglycemia before this and I think I overcompensated with feeding him too many fatty foods to interest him in his food (as a pup he was not a good eater). Archie still is prone to gastric problems -- I'm very careful with his diet. Now he only gets his kibble, and low-fat treats like carrots and apples.

[pavegas123]

My CAssie had pancreatitis really bad and was hospitalized for it. The lady who bakes doggie treats has a degree in Biochemistry and knows a lot about cats, dogs, and horses. She put Cassie on A Vegetable delux and Elvolve chicken product. The one the vet. gave me didn't help. She still puked it up. I now feed her about 6 times a day and only 3 teaspoonfulls at a time in some warm water. My little girl has trouble with more than that. About every 4 hrs. she gets hungry for more. She has been a real handful for me but very much worth it.
If you have any questions, write to me and I will help in any way I can. Patty

[lulubu]

My little LuLu has had trouble ever since I adopted her.

They estimated her age at the pound. She was well cared for, not overweight, and seemed healthy.

However once I got her home, she really had problems and I had to learn what not to give her - table food.

Now she only eats what I supervise. The vet thought she might have pancreatitis even though her blood test came back only slightly elevated on one enzyme only.

Without a firm diagnosis, and under vet supervision I have put her on a low fat diet. She still had problems.

So I bought an ebook, which suggested low fat and low purine diet.

However several sources including the ebook suggest that professional dog food product has so much meat byproduct that it is really not good for anyone, even a dog. I have taken her off of purines, to bring a low purine diet (no spinach, fish or cauliflower and other high purine foods)-- even though this is a customary dietary treatment for cushing's disease I'm trying it anyway. Also, I have found a supplement for her which provides the nutrients she needs and says it helps dogs with skin problems and pancreatitis.

She has been on a homemade food diet with supplement now for 3 weeks and she has fewer problems. But I'm suspicious that she has not been doing 100%.

She has classic symptoms:
- swollen distended abdomen (even after losing 2.5 lbs!)
- greasy yellow stools
- attacks with diarrhea
- barking in pain with hunching

She also has sebacious cysts all over her body, and I'm constantly grooming her skin to make sure a plugged pore doesn't become a cyst.

I am still wanting to know what more I can do to make her well.

[pavegas123]

My Cassie is doing very well on the food that Anita told me to have her eat. Evolve chicken, with brown rice formula and Vegetarian Delux. I only feed her 2 teaspoons of the chicken and one of the vegetable delux. I add warm water to it and make it like a thick soup. She just loves it and thrives on it. Anita said NO PEOPLE FOOD AT ALL for her. Once you get her calmed down she will be easy to keep level. Anita has a folder full of cured pancreatitis Yorkies. The Evolve you can call them for information or just go to a Natural store for dog food and they will carry this. 1-800-331-5144 is their number and it can be ordered on the internet. The Vegetarian Delux is made by Evangers Super Premium. They are both excellent products with nothing but prime foods, no preservatives which are deadly. Anita's phone number here in Vegas is 1-702-228-3121. She would be glad to help you on the phone. She is very well educated in Biochemistry and for dogs, cats, and horses. She saved my baby and has made her life so much better. Tell her Patty told you to call her. I feel so bad about Lulubu. It hurts me to know she is in distress since I have been through so much with my Cassie darling. Let me know what you do. OK? Love to lulubu

[lulubu]

Here is what LuLu is eating lately:

I mix it in a batch,
and put it in ice cube trays,
so she gets 2x day feedings,
3 ice cubes per meal,
steamed to defrost and allowed to cool
and mixed with her antioxident supplement
I add a supplement, NuVet Plus Canine wafer, one per day,
which I split up and give 1/2 a wafer each meal.

1 lb white meat 98% fat free chicken breast or turkey breast
white meat only, no dark meats or sweet meats

1/2 as many vegetables
no spinach or cauliflower or high purine veggie

1 cup cooked white rice (no brown)

Steam the meat & veggies, and blend with enough water to puree.
Steam the rice, and mix all in mixing bowl.
Freeze in ice cube trays, and steam just before serving.

I give 3 cubes steamed and cooled per day.
Plus a little kibble, low fat low purine.

[lulubu]

Thank you!
I will talk to Anita and try this food.

[pavegas123]

I am so glad I got through to you. I love little Lulubu even though I do not know her. I love all animals and I thank God for giving them to us so we can see what unconditional love really is. Let me know how it goes will you? My Cassie goes over into sickness if I give her anything outside her diet. Anita will help you. She is like us. She loves them too.
Patty

[lulubu]

I will be in touch with Anita hopefully this week - I was away on vacation for a while. So I'm sure we'll touch base this week so I can order this food and put LuLu on it and try it out. Thanks, Patty! I'll report back about how LuLu responds...