Pancreatitis in dogs: symptoms and treatment, nutrition

Pancreatitis in dogs, as well as in humans, is an inflammation of the pancreas, which is in the abdominal cavity, near the stomach and duodenum. Iron has two main purposes - the production of digestive enzymes that later enter the duodenum, as well as the production of a chain of hormones and insulin that enter directly into the blood.

Causes of pancreatitis in dogs

Circumstances that can lead to the onset of the disease:

• Overweight and too fatty food;
• A sudden change in the diet in a pet more mature years;
• A condition that is accompanied by an increased amount of fats in the blood (hyperlipidemia, Cushing's syndrome, diabetes mellitus, idiopathic hyperlipidemia of zwergschnauzers, hyperthyroidism);
• Increased number of calcium in the blood (intoxication with vitamin D, malignant tumors and hyperparathyroidism).

A direct factor in pancreatitis may be the use of certain drugs, such as:

• Novokainamid;
• Loop and thiazide diuretics;
• "Metronidazole";
• "Paracetamol";
• Estrogens;
• Sulfonamides;
• "Ranitidine";
• "Cimetidine";
• "Azathioprine";
• "Tetracycline";
• L-asparaginase.

Other reasons:

• Diseases of the bile duct, small intestine and liver;
• Damage to the pancreas;
• Poisoning with organophosphorus mixtures;
• Shock state (significant and prolonged lowering of blood pressure).

In most cases, the cause of the disease, such as pancreatitis, remains unknown in the dog.

Symptoms

In animals affected by pancreatitis, such manifestations as:

• Stoop and hunchback, as there are pains in the abdominal wall;
• Bloating of the intestine (the abdomen);
• Vomiting after eating;
• Loud rumbling of the intestinal tract;
• tachycardia;
• Acute pancreatitis in dogs is characterized by itchy skin, refusal to eat, lack of stool and sudden increase in body temperature;
• The appearance of liquid foam and thick feces with an acidic odor.

It should be noted that the initial period of the disease occurs with a normal temperature and appetite in the pet.

Sharp pancreatitis is primarily diagnosed by the dropping of drugs such as Sandostatin in conjunction with Hartman's solution and Gordox. As a result of their use, the animal's health improves rapidly. Thus, pancreatitis in dogs can be prevented.

Symptoms and treatment for chronic diseases of pets can be as follows:

• The animal eats as usual, but at the same time it loses weight;
• The dog is always moulting, its fur is unhealthy;
• The therapy of permanent pancreatitis should be performed while observing a pet's life-long diet.

Nevertheless, such signs can be manifested in other ailments. That's why, to determine chronic pancreatitis in dogs, special diagnosis is required: ultrasound of the pancreas, a blood and urine test, and an X-ray.

Treatment

Therapy of acute pancreatitis consists in the correct diet of the animal. The necessary requirement is fasting for a minimum of 24 hours, then you should give the pet food in small doses. And only the diet with low fat content should be fed. If it is proper to give food and treat a dog, then it should not become ill again (provided that the nature of the disease is not chronic).

To treat pancreatitis in dogs quickly and effectively, it is very important:

• In time to establish the disease;
• Adhere to a rigid diet;
• Treat the pet with drugs.

Medication Therapy

Pancreatitis without complications is usually treated conservatively. To date, there are no drugs whose effects are directed only at the elimination of inflammation in the pancreas. Such drugs as "Aprotinin", "Dopamine" (in minimal dosages) and many others, showed their effectiveness only in the laboratory. When testing these drugs on animals, they showed their inefficiency.

What means to give?

The main goal of drug therapy is to have pancreatitis in dogs without complications. Symptoms and treatment should be interrelated, that is, therapy is symptomatic. How to fight the disease?

1. Infusion therapy. Performed to remove dehydration and electrolyte disorders. For these tasks, droppers with colloidal and crystalloidal fluid are used. If the infusion treatment is wrong, it can lead to the opposite result and the deterioration of the animal's condition. The use of colloidal mixtures (plasma, solutions of polysaccharides and "Dextran 70") to resume fluid volume is the main point in the therapy of the disease.
2. Analgesics. Anesthesia is needed to relieve abdominal pain. The most active analgesic for animals is "Butorfanol", which is injected intramuscularly every 8 hours.
3. Proton pump inhibitors and H2-histamin blockers. Medications of this series ("Omeprazole" and "Famotidine") are used to reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
4. Spasmolytics. Means of this type are used to eliminate muscle contraction of the main pancreatic duct. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure in the canals of the pancreas. To do this, 2% solution of papaverine hydrochloride, "No-shpy" and 24% solution of "Eufillina" are injected.
5. Corticosteroid preparations. Applied if pancreatitis in dogs is accompanied by a shock condition.
6. Antiemetic medications ("Cerucal", "Serenia" and "Ondansetron") are prescribed for pets with unrestrained vomiting.
7. Antibiotics. They are prescribed if there is a risk of bacterial infection. If the animal has clinical and laboratory sepsis, then use aminoglycosides, "Ampicillin" every 8 hours and "Penicillin G" every 6 hours.

In addition, when pancreatitis is required to monitor the level of glucose in the blood.

Surgery

In order to treat pancreatitis in dogs by surgery, the following indications are needed:

• Clogging of the bile ducts;
• The formation of pseudocysts and ulcers in the pancreas.

To determine such anomalies, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is done in most cases. In addition, an operation can be performed, when intensive therapy of pancreatitis is performed, and the condition of the pet continues to be complicated.

Acute pancreatitis is usually completely reversible, and further treatment is not required.

What to feed a dog with pancreatitis?

There are special dietary rules that need to be adhered to when treating a pet's disease:

1. Small portions of food.
2. Frequent feeding (the animal should be given food every 3-4 hours).
3. All products must be crushed to prevent spontaneous trauma to the gastric mucosa.
4. The volume of carbohydrate-containing and fat-containing foods in the diet should be reduced.
5. The menu should dominate protein food (fish, cottage cheese and meat).
6. It is forbidden to feed a sick pet with fish and rich meat broths.
7. All sour food is excluded from the diet.
8. Fried food is also unacceptable.
9. Ready meals should be given not very hot or not very cold.
10. With increased painful sensations, therapeutic fasting is prescribed (no more than 2 days).

The main rule of feeding dogs with pancreatitis is the reduction of fatty foods in the diet. This is due to the fact that fats give a considerable load on the pancreas, and during the period of its inflammation, pain begins.

It should be borne in mind that even after the completion of treatment, the animal may feel uncomfortable when taking fatty foods.

What products are allowed to give in case of illness?

Nutrition of dogs with pancreatitis can be carried out by special forages specially created for them. The composition of feeds includes all the necessary elements required for an unhealthy pet.

It often happens that an animal, accustomed to tasty and different, but harmful products, does not want to eat dietary food. In this situation it is necessary to show perseverance and not to adjust to the dog. Hunger in any case will make itself felt, and the pet will have to eat what will be given.

In addition to feed, the animal is allowed to give dietary meat (chicken, turkey or rabbit). It can be boiled, rubbed with a blender or meat grinder and mixed with rice or millet porridge. In very small doses, you can feed the dog with chopped vegetables in the form of puree. It is allowed to include in the diet low-fat sour-milk products (milk and cottage cheese).

Do not forget that giving the pet should be small portions, so as not to increase the load on the pancreas, as well as not to provoke another attack of the disease.

What products are banned?

Pancreatitis in dogs involves the rejection of certain foods, namely:

• Smoked products, hot cheeses, sausages;
• Fresh rye bread;
• Fatty fish and meat;
• Beef and mutton fat;
• Vegetables (corn, radish, spinach, cabbage, sorrel, greens), grains and legumes.

The organism of any pet is individual, the development of pancreatitis can also be varied. In this regard, it should be borne in mind that a rational diet, its duration and composition can be prescribed only by a veterinarian. Therefore, do not self-medicate.