Peanut Butter

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by Bluebells

I can see why anyone with a dog who has a particularly sensitive stomach or who has had a previous pancreatitis attack would need to be extra cautious against any fatty food. I will definitely do some more research into pancreatitis in yorkies. Right now, I’m inclined to think the tiny amount (a smear of less than a quarter of a teaspoon) of peanut butter is okay for him, since he’s had it daily for over two months with no ill effects, but things could change as he gets older.

My Tibbe used to be able to eat half a tablespoon of Peanut Butter in his tiny kong toy, too, adored it. Tibbe had a cast iron stomach - could have bites of almost anything, eat normal dog food, until he was about 4 1/2 - 5 years or so, well-developed, happy, healthy - until suddenly he wasn't. He began having mushy then thin then diarrhea stools any time he ate anything that wasn't bland kibble. My feisty little firebrand became lethargic, retched frequently, often brought up bile, eschewed food for a couple of days when he became himself again, active, racing around and hungrier than 3 dogs. He'd then eat and the next day, back to lethargy, vomiting/frequent dry retching or producing bile only and diarrhea. It was awful to see him suffering so! I blamed myself for not being as careful with him diet-wise as I'd learned early to be with little Jilly.

Changing him to prescription food, forbidding any human food tidbits, using Rx. kibble for treats helped but we had to know the cause for sure though we knew the likely differential diagnoses. Proceeding with the full work-up, lab work, bile acids studies and then, the $500+ for nuclear scintigraphy followed by a sonogram over at the North Dallas Equestrian Center, trying to rule out Portal Vein Shunt, did rule it out, according to the two neuroradiologist vets there who read both tests, reviewed Tibbe's chart & examined him.

They said he'd need a liver biopsy for a definitive diagnosis, but all of his rather sudden GI problems, the lethargy, the nausea, were very consistent with and likely from microvascular dysplasia, MVD for short, a genetically inherited disease, fairly common among Yorkshire Terriers and apt to show up later in life, even after years of normal health and regular dog food and even after the occasional tidbit of human food. Thought he could be managed medically w/out the anesthesia and biopsy test, which we could always do later if need be. I read yards of literature about liver, pancreatic diseases, even scientific abstracts, to be as informed as I could, asked many questions here on YT, found lots of answers, support.

So, Tibbe's whole diet became focused on just that Rx. food and lots of innovation to cook it various ways to keep it interesting but B4 long, he became a voracious eater, healthy, feisty, his old self again all day all week long, no bouts of vomiting/retching or diarrhea except for every 4 months or so, he'd have a GI upset, sleep all day, need nausea medication. After a couple of more years, those episodes stopped and he enjoyed vital health, was always pushing me for work and play the rest of his time here.

So, everyone should feed their Yorkie as they see fit and is responsible for the little one's well-being but it's just a note to inform those who don't know what can develop down the road to some Yorkies, even those from responsible Yorkshire Terrier breeders. I never could ask if his human food meat, fatty-food tidbits or peanut butter made his condition hasten.