Certain breeds of dogs are considered predisposed to developing pancreatitis including Miniature Schnauzers, Cocker Spaniels, and some terrier breeds. Miniature Schnauzers as a breed tend toward developing hyperlipidemia, an excess of circulating fats in the blood.
What foods should you avoid giving a dog with pancreatitis? High-fat diets like red meat, organ meat, potato and starchy foods, sugary goods, table scraps, and dairy fats are all to be avoided when your dog is diagnosed with pancreatitis.
The most common cause of pancreatitis for our pets is eating fatty foods. Around the holidays this includes turkey (especially the skin), fat scraps, gravy, bacon, or items with lots of butter.
The exact cause of pancreatitis is unknown, although it may be triggered in some cases by a fatty meal or corticosteroid administration. However, in many cases, it appears to occur spontaneously.
Dogs that eat a highly-processed diet are also more at risk of pancreatitis due to the high-fat, low-protein composition of dry dog biscuits. The lack of nutrients in dry food not only impacts the dog's immune system, but it can also cause persistent low-grade inflammation of the pancreas and other digestive organs.
One of the top choices for dog foods for pancreatitis is Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Low Fat Canned Dog Food. This product has a 4.6-star rating on Chewy with over 500 customer reviews and contains a low-fat formula to support digestive health.
The first is to choose a food that is easy to digest. This means avoiding foods that are high in fat and fiber. Some good options for dogs with pancreatitis include boiled chicken, rice, cottage cheese, and plain yogurt. You should also avoid giving your dog table scraps or fatty treats.
Boiled chicken, low fat beef, egg whites, yogurt, barley and cooked vegetables are also considered safe foods for pancreatitis patients.
Pancreatitis can present as a sudden-onset (acute) illness or as a more long-term (chronic) illness. A dog that has acute pancreatitis will have more serious clinical signs, such as: Severe lethargy. Abdominal pain.
The most common scenario in which a dog develops pancreatitis is after eating a relatively high-fat meal, such as barbecue meat or a holiday ham. The clinical symptoms typically begin within the next 12 to 24 hours.
Avoid giving them food items that trigger pancreatitis such as fatty scraps. If you have the means to buy premium low fat dog foods, make sure to do so. Pancreatitis treatment in dogs may often have to be life long. If you want to keep pancreatitis at bay, make sure to keep all rancid or spoiled foods away from reach.
Pancreatitis in Dogs: Prognosis and Recovery
Many dogs will fully recover and go on to live normal, happy lives. However, the risk of another bout of pancreatitis at some point in the dog's life remains high.
If your dog develops pancreatitis it is very likely your vet will recommend a low fat dog food, usually Hill's Prescription i/d Low Fat or Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat.
This means that the pet becomes sick after a meal of something very rich and fatty. I would say that the top five foods I have seen trigger pancreatitis are (in no particular order) chicken wings, steak, rotisserie chicken, barbecue and ribs.
Do not feed a high-fat diet or add fat to the diet. Avoid giving human foods. While some foods such as carrots and green beans are considered dog-safe, others like grapes and raisins are toxic.
How Long Can Dogs Live With Pancreatitis? Dogs who have a mild bout of pancreatitis can recover fully without any long-term effects. If they remain safe and healthy, they should be able to live a long and full life.
Acute Pancreatitis
If a dog has been given different foods, for example at Christmas, with excess fat and carbohydrates, or if the dog / household is stressed, (e.g. if in kennels) this can cause a sudden acute attack.
Prognosis. Most mild cases of pancreatitis recover after 2 to 3 days of therapy and have a good prognosis. The more severe cases have a guarded prognosis and often require a hospital stay of a week or longer.
Diet, particularly high fat diets. Hereditary disorders associated with fat metabolism. Medications. Prior surgery.
Choose a dog food that isn't too high in fibre, contains easily digestible ingredients and added pre/probiotics to help stable digestive function. Pre/probiotics help support digestion by increasing 'good' bacteria in the gut; these can become depleted if your dog suffers from pancreatitis.
Eggs are great for dogs with pancreatitis if they aren't cooked with butter, oils, or milk. We recommend avoiding giving the yolks to dogs with pancreatitis as these can be harder to digest. A dog with pancreatitis can eat egg whites.
Fish is a high-quality protein source that is easily digestible and doesn't overload your dog's pancreas. However, it is recommended to feed fish which is low in fat. For example, Salmon may not be a good choice since it is an oily fish and has a higher fat content in comparison to others.
Thus often times we look for low-residue, low fiber, and highly digestible dog food for dogs with pancreatitis. Examples of carbohydrates that can be a good choice in recipes for dogs with pancreatitis are those with low fiber such as white rice, white potatoes, instant oats, whole wheat bread, and pearled barley.
A common recommendation is to start with one-quarter of the dog's resting energy requirement divided into four meals throughout the day. In other words, the dog would get four meals consisting of about 1/16 of what it would normally eat spread over 24 hours.