# Anyone had pets with pancreatitis?



## Hav Mom (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, it's now MoJo's turn. He developed pancreatitis today and now has an IV and antibiotics until tomorrow. Has anyone had any experience with a pet with pancreatitis? I know that in humans it is really serious but it seems that it's fairly common and not so serious in dogs/cats. The internet says it's most commonly caused by high fat content in food/treats, overweight pet, abdominal injury, or a bacterial infection caused by eating something. Since he is on a low fat diet and is a bit underweight, the only thing I can relate it possibly to is that he has been eating leaves outside for the last couple of days. It's rained off and on so the leaves seem to be fairly ucky at the moment.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Sorry to hear this. What is the vet saying?


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

what were his symptoms? how was it diagnosed? i am so sorry, I hope he is feeling better soon


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

I don't have experience but just wanted you to know I am thinking about Mojo and hope he's feeling better soon.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree, I hope Mojo is back on his feet quickly!!!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I lost a dear schnauzer to pancretitus before I got Rosie. Again the vet speculated that she had eaten something, I suspicioned sugar-free candy that the grandchilddren had. Anyway she suffered for a week and never got better. She died at the Vet's. Vomiting continously was the symptom and couldn't hydrate her. Of course it is horribly painful also. But I think ours was a rare occurance. It seems that most recover. I pray for your Mojo.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

I had a Min Pin who suffered with pancreatitis. Diet was one thing, medication another..but that was several years ago and there must be improvement in treatment now. What has the vet said?


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

I might also add that the Whole Dog Journal had an extensive article on pancreatitis a year or so ago, I think you might find it, if you searched on their site...it was extensive and there may have been updates. I am not up to date on this, so I can't say.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Hav Mom said:


> Well, it's now MoJo's turn. He developed pancreatitis today and now has an IV and antibiotics until tomorrow. Has anyone had any experience with a pet with pancreatitis? I know that in humans it is really serious but it seems that it's fairly common and not so serious in dogs/cats. The internet says it's most commonly caused by high fat content in food/treats, overweight pet, abdominal injury, or a bacterial infection caused by eating something. Since he is on a low fat diet and is a bit underweight, the only thing I can relate it possibly to is that he has been eating leaves outside for the last couple of days. It's rained off and on so the leaves seem to be fairly ucky at the moment.


I *think* Gucci may have had this after being exposed to Lawn Chemicals, the vet did tell me that yes, the dogs CAN get pancreatitis from chemical inhalants, and I remember right before she got sick, we went on a walk and the pungent strong scent of Fall lawn chemicals in the air, in retrospect, I think the lawn chemicals made her sick (not on our yard, but sniffing other people's yards) so I am far more mindful about where she puts her nose now and especially in the Spring and Fall when people treat their lawns like crazy.. 
Have you had any lawn treatments lately? Or neighbors?

I'm sorry to hear your mojo is sick  Keep us posted and sending healing vibes your way.

Kara


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi, Robin:

I am so sorry to hear that Mojo is so sick and hope that he will feel better and be home with you soon. We have been lucky so far that our little guys have not had anything serious like this, but I am glad you posted so that we have the opportunity to learn about the condition.

I found an article on WebMD [which has a section for pets]: http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-pancreatitis-symptoms-and-treatment

"*Pancreatitis in Dogs: Symptoms and Treatments*

Pancreatitis is inflammation and swelling of the pancreas. It can occur in a mild or severe form. The cause of spontaneous pancreatitis in dogs is not well understood. Dogs taking corticosteroids are at increased risk. There is a higher incidence of pancreatitis in dogs with Cushing's syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and idiopathic hyperlipemia (a disease of Miniature Schnauzers). These diseases are associated with high serum lipid levels. Pancreatitis is also more prevalent in overweight spayed females and dogs on high-fat diets. An attack may be triggered by eating table scraps or a fatty meal.

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by the abrupt onset of vomiting and severe pain in the abdomen. The dog may have a tucked-up belly and assume a prayer position. Abdominal pain is caused by the release of digestive enzymes into the pancreas and surrounding tissue. Diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, and shock may ensue.

The diagnosis can be suspected based on a physical examination. It is confirmed by blood tests showing elevated amylase and/or lipase levels, along with a new serum test called canine pancreatitis lipase immuninol reactivity and TAP (trypsinogen activation peptide). Abdominal ultrasonography may reveal an enlarged and swollen pancreas.

Mild pancreatitis produces loss of appetite, depression, intermittent vomiting, and diarrhea and weight loss.

Fulminant necrotizing pancreatitis is an acute, extremely severe, usually fatal form of pancreatitis. In hours, your dog will go into shock. Dogs may vomit or simply show signs of severe abdominal pain. If you suspect this problem, get your dog to the veterinarian immediately!

Following an attack of pancreatitis, the pancreas may be permanently damaged. When it is, the dog may develop diabetes mellitus if the islet cells have been destroyed or may develop exocrine pancreatic insufficiency if the acinar cells have been destroyed.

*Treatment*: Dogs with acute pancreatitis require hospitalization to treat shock and dehydration. The most important step in treating pancreatitis is to rest the gland completely. This is accomplished by giving the dog nothing by mouth for several days and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance with intravenous saline solutions. Antibiotics are used to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Pain is controlled with narcotics. Cardiac arrhythmias, if present, are treated with anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Dogs who do not respond to medical treatment may require surgery to drain an infected pancreas. The prognosis for dogs with shock and spreading peritonitis is poor.

Dogs who recover from pancreatitis are susceptible to recurrent attacks, which can be mild or severe. These episodes can be prevented, in part, by eliminating predisposing factors. For example, place overweight dogs on a weight-loss program. Feed the total daily ration in two or three small servings to avoid overstimulating the pancreas. Do not feed table scraps. Dogs with high serum lipid levels (determined by your veterinarian) should be placed on a fat-restricted diet. If scarring has damaged the acinar or islet cells, your dog may need supplemental treatment such as enzymes or insulin."


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

The emergency vet thought Sissy had pancreatitis back in April....very similar experience to Kara.....the apts I lived in had treated the yard and did not tell us they were doing it or post any notices in the yard that it had been treated.....she got really ill that night vomiting and I couldn't get her to stop so ended up at the emergency vet at 2 am...they kept her until my regular vet opened the next day and my vet kept her for 4 days on an iv and meds and she seemed to get better.......afterwards my vet said she could not say for sure what had caused it....she did do some additional tests that were kind of $$$ I'm going to say $250-$300 and she had to send that blood work to Texas but nothing showed up...and Sissy has been fine since

As a side note I did call the apt mgr and asked them to please notify me and they did start sending out emails to us to let us know they were treating the yards......good luck and keep us posted...I know how scary it was for us in April........


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

That's terrible if it was the yard treatment that caused this. By law here , you have to put up signs if you've treated any lawns . Hugs and woofs Dave and Molly. I just posted Woof no. 3 , and it talks about protein . I my letter to Sabine I asked her ,under what circumstances would one need to reduce protein intake for their dogs and here's her response. ...."There are very few actually.

One thing that comes to mind immediately is a dog where kidney failure has progressed to the point where the dog is actually uremic, generally meaning lab work shows BUN over 80 mg/dl and creatinine over 4.0 mg/dl. This is where it actually makes sense to restrict protein to reduce the work load of the kidneys. I have attached a file that you might find of interest in regards to protein and kidney disease - mainly because most vets still follow long outdated information.

The other is chronic pancreatitis, because it's not only the fat content of the diet that stimulates the pancreas, protein also does."

Just wondering if you would like to contact Sabine and ask her about feeding.?"


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Chemical or medicine induced pancreatitis probably isn't as common as food induced to MOST dogs, but those of us with small breeds, dogs under 15 lbs, have to be really more mindful about it...a little whiff of insecticide is a bigger risk for a small dog than an 80 lb dog, not saying it can't happen to bigger dogs, but small breeds are more susceptible.

Dave, some lawn companies here will put little flags on lawns they treat, but if the owner treats, he doesn't have to notify or put any signs/flags out. some may, just out of kindness, but I seldom see it. I just am weary on our walks...

And now, after reading the OP about leaves, I'm now worried about tainted leaves blowing in my yard from neighbors,lol...ugh. its pretty scary seeing your babies so sick.

*We know that certain drugs and chemicals can cause pancreatitis in pets and humans. One group of these drugs are certain insecticides (organophosphates). Others that we suspect may have caused cases of pancreatitis include diuretics (furosemide), hormones (estrogen), certain antibiotics (metronidazole, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin and sulfonamides) long acting antacids (cimetidine, ranitidine), Tylenol (acetaminophen).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3598877

Some of the deadliest plants and flowers include dieffenbachia, mistletoe, poinsettias, laurel, rhododendrons, azaleas, Daphne, lantanas, holly, delphiniums, foxglove, irises, lilies of the valley, amaryllis, morning glories, and daffodils. The bulbs of daffodils, narcissus, and jonquils trigger severe gastroenteritis; hyacinth bulbs cause trembling and convulsions. Avocado leaves and unripe stems, rhubarb leaves, spinach leaves and tomato vines, stems and leaves can also be harmful.*


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## Hav Mom (Dec 29, 2010)

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and suggestions. MoJo was on IV for 2 days because he was dehydrated. Our clinic is not open 24 hrs so they leave them alone at night (from 9 til 7:30). I of course couldn't do that, nor did I want him shipped across town to the one that is open 24 hrs so I brought him home to monitor the IV overnight (I'm an RN so it wasn't a big deal). The IV was so positional though that I had to keep a really close eye on it so it wouldn't stop - so not much sleep. He was quite dehydrated because of the vomiting and diarrhea. They gave him IV ampicillin twice and sent him home on pro-gut paste and metronidazole tablets. They weren't sure what caused it but decided it was something bacterial. They also put him on a special low fat dog food specifically for pancreatitis. We got him home late yesterday. He's feeling better today. No more vomiting or diarrhea, and he has his appetite back. He's even started to "guard" his yard and street from the window and bark at everything within sight. So I think he's back. He just won't drink but I've been giving him water by syringe so he doesn't dehydrate again. 

When I got up this am I found quite soft BM by the back door along with spots of blood. This time it's Candy. She isn't anywhere near as dehydrated and after I gave her one syringe full of water she started drinking (she's been sick more than MoJo and knows she might as well give in cause I'm just going to get my way - one way or another . I just got back from the vets. They put her on the same metronidazole and pro-gut. They are pretty positive now that it is some kind of bacteria that they both got into. They are only allowed in the back yard and we don't use any kind of chemicals back there. We are going to clean up the leaves as much as possible (they were both eating them) and put everyone on the same dog food. If Moxi starts, I'm to give her some of Candy's meds until Monday. I think they are going to name that one exam room after me - I've been there each of the last 3 days  Hopefully this is it. 
Thanks again for all your support and kind thoughts. It means a lot. 

Robn


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

django had a bout of pancreatitis, we were out of town and he was with the dog sitter, she thinks he ate somehting. 5 days in ICU, the only thing i can tell you is that you have to SLOWLY introduce food back into his diet. django was on a bland diet for almost a month before he even has canned. it's a slow process, don't rush it but they do recover. you just have to be careful because i think once a dog gets it, they can be prone to getting it again if they eat the wrong thing. django only eats his canned food, treats and little turkey for his pills. i don't give him any thing else. sorry you have to go thru this, your dog will recover, just be patient.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

littlebuddy said:


> django had a bout of pancreatitis, we were out of town and he was with the dog sitter, she thinks he ate somehting. 5 days in ICU, the only thing i can tell you is that you have to SLOWLY introduce food back into his diet. django was on a bland diet for almost a month before he even has canned. it's a slow process, don't rush it but they do recover. you just have to be careful because i think once a dog gets it, they can be prone to getting it again if they eat the wrong thing. django only eats his canned food, treats and little turkey for his pills. i don't give him any thing else. sorry you have to go thru this, your dog will recover, just be patient.


 Great stuff, I know you've been there.


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## reenybean25 (Oct 10, 2012)

our little Hugo just had an onset of pancreatitis about two weeks ago. he was doing the prayer position stretch, vomiting and basically not moving when he usually is very energetic and follows me everywhere. he just stood on all fours with his tail in between his legs with a look on his face that seemed to say,"Mom, help me!". I wasn't sure what was wrong as these symptoms were all new to me because he is only 9 months old! I instantly started google-ing and in that research i immediately decided to call the vet because i thought he might have bloat which has been known to kill dogs in an hour or less! you can imagine my fright! He had a physical exam, bloodwork and x-rays done and they determined it was indeed pancreatitis. He was not hospitalized but given pain meds and anti-nausea meds. I could only feed him boiled chicken and rice for like 5 days but he recovered very well. We learned we had been giving him way too much fat and immediately changed his diet to Pedigree Healthy Weight wet food and low fat treats. We no longer give him any table scraps whatsoever. Yesterday he exhibited the same symptoms of pancreatitis and i rushed him to the vet again. This time was not as bad, however, and they sent him hom with anti-nausea meds and he was himself and eating again in an hour.
I apologize for the long post but here is my question: We have been soooooo good at not giving him anything high-fat and his symptoms still returned. Has anybody had this experience or are there any foods out there that have caused flare-ups that we should stay away from? Any advice or information that anyone can give? What treats/bones/wet or dry dog foods are best? Also, could the symptoms of this be similar to something else that my vet hasn't thought of, meaning are we treating the wrong problem? has anyone tried carrots as a treat? I am so worried he'll get sick again if i don't figure out what caused this recent flare up. We just love our little pal so much, we would be devastated if anything happened to him as I'm sure you can understand! thanks everyone!


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

Hey-you can see from a previous thread my Sissy was diagnosed with pancreatitis by the emergency vet after she came in contact with a yard which had been treated with chemicals...there were no signs posted and it was only after she became so sick that I found out. I also had just used Trifexis for the first time and ended up ditching the Trifexis after all 3 of my dogs experienced vomiting and stomach upset after continued use....personally I think it's too much chemical all at once for their little bodies to tolerate.

In any event, that was in April 2011 and she has never had any episodes since then...they also told me she was getting too much fat in her diet but she was on dry dog food only so I didn't really buy into that.......I did end up switching her food to TOTW because I wanted a grain free food and one that was a little better quality than the vet suggested. They basically get TOTW...snacks of carrots, sweet potato, apple and Pure Bites Freeze Dried Cheese and/or liver. Himalayan chews, antlers (deer and elk) and bully sticks and that's it. 



Good luck and I hope he does not have any more episodes.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I've read once they've had pancreatitis it is easy for them to get it again..I don't know if that is true, but like Sissy above, Gucci also got pancreatitis from Spring lawn chemicals, from a walk i took her on on a beautiful Sunday afternoon 

Fatty foods can cause it, bacon, turkey, ham, salty meats, etc. I would go with chicken (baked) and rice or couscous and vitamin supplements for a few weeks and make sure they are getting plenty of water. stools might be loose for a few weeks if they are used to dry food because it takes a few weeks for them to adjust their water intake down to compensate for the water they get in the fresh food, not diarrhea, but a little loose (diarrhea is reason enough to go back to the vet for an IV) 

Sorry this is happening! I personally believe that most Spring/early summer pancreatitis diagnosis are caused from outdoor chemicals, one good whiff is enough poison to hurt their little bodies, and it can even blow over from the neighbors yards.. Yesterday, I went out to get the mail and you could just smell the strong chemical lawn odor in the air, needless to say....no walk for Guccigirl yesterday.

Kara


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Their is another medication that has been found to cause pancreatitis. Its a heart worm medication called Trifexis. If anyone is giving this I would highly recommend to stop. My sisters Aussie came very close to dieing. Had all the same symptoms. It also causes dogs legs to go limp. And harms their liver.


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## reenybean25 (Oct 10, 2012)

Wow lawn chemicals! That actually makes so much sense. Lately we have been taking him on a different route for his walks. We used to take him around a path that surrounded a pond behind our house but now take him on the sidewalk in front of everyone's lawn. And it was only when taking this rout he has been sick. I have seen so many neighbors out in their yards getting their lawns ready for spring. Oh my gosh this is like a eureka moment! Thanks for all the responses I feel like I really got to the bottom of this.


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## reenybean25 (Oct 10, 2012)

Well, here we go again! Hugo was sick again today! When we called the vet I felt like they were indifferent like my husband and I were just making a big deal out of nothing. After he vomited, Hugo ran to me whining and my heart sank. I called another vet and he has an appointment Thursday. We have been SO careful with feeding him and where he goes for walks. I took away all his rawhide bones and only give him a minimal amount of low fat treats(for when he comes back from walks) I don't understand what, if anything, is triggering these episodes but I'm at my wits end and in tears everytime this happens as it makes me feel helpless to make my little munchkin feel better


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