Symptoms of Dog Pancreatitis & Home Treatment Tips

When your furry friend starts showing signs like vomiting yellow fluid, arching their back, experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, it's not just a simple case of gastroenteritis. These symptoms could be pointing towards pancreatitis! Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas, due to pathologically stimulated external secretions, releases digestive enzymes that damage the pancreas itself, leading to inflammation, edema, hemorrhage, and even necrosis. The symptoms are highly similar to those of gastroenteritis, making it easy to confuse the two.

Understanding Canine Pancreatitis: A Closer Look

Acute Pancreatitis Symptoms:

1. Appetite Loss: Your dog may show a decrease in appetite or refuse to eat altogether.

2. Vomiting: Frequent vomiting, which may include food or yellow bile.

3. Abdominal Pain: Your dog might adopt a hunched posture to alleviate abdominal discomfort, and they may resist or show pain when touched.

4. Fever: The body temperature might rise to around 40°C.

5. Diarrhea: Soft stools or diarrhea may be present, and sometimes, blood may be found in the stool.

6. Dehydration: Due to vomiting and diarrhea, your dog may exhibit signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth and decreased skin elasticity.

Chronic Pancreatitis Symptoms:

Chronic pancreatitis can be more subtle but persistent, including:

1. Increased Appetite with Weight Loss: Your dog may eat voraciously but experience stunted growth and weight loss.

2. Recurring Abdominal Pain: Painful episodes may be accompanied by vomiting.

3. Altered Stool: Large amounts of foulsmelling stool, often gray or yellow in color.

What Triggers Pancreatitis?

✘ Obesity or excessive intake of fatty foods

✘ Pancreatic trauma, such as from fighting or car accidents

✘ Side effects of certain medications, like sulfamethoxazoletrimethoprim, azathioprine, and potassium bromide

✘ Biliary reflux

✘ Pancreatic tumors

How to Treat Canine Pancreatitis?

When you notice your dog exhibiting symptoms like vomiting yellow fluid or diarrhea, start by withholding food. If they also vomit when drinking water, you should also withhold water. Then, promptly take your dog to a veterinary clinic for a checkup. Once diagnosed, symptoms can be relieved through injections and intravenous fluids.

• Diagnostic Tests:

Diagnosis of canine pancreatitis involves biochemical tests, complete blood count, inflammatory protein response, and pancreatitis test strips. Pancreatic biopsy or imaging studies may also be conducted.

• Treatment:

1. Injections of trypsin inhibitors to suppress pancreatic secretion;

2. Injections of antiinflammatory and analgesic drugs, such as amoxicillinclavulanate potassium, ampicillin, cefoxitin sodium, and dexamethasone;

3. Intravenous infusion of glucose and normal saline to correct water and salt metabolism disorders.

Home Treatment for Canine Pancreatitis:

1. Antibiotic and Antiseptic: Kefuroxime (amoxicillinclavulanate potassium), taken once daily.

2. Antiemetic: Cimetidine tablets, taken once daily. This H2 receptor antagonist effectively inhibits stomach acid, protects the gastric mucosa, and provides pain relief and antiemetic effects.

3. Antidiarrheal: Bismuth subsalicylate tablets, taken once daily. This antacid and gastric mucosal protective agent can inhibit intestinal peristalsis and improve diarrhea symptoms.

4. Pancreatic Regulation: Pancreatin tablets, taken once daily. Pancreatin supplements enzymes like protease, lipase, and amylase, helping to regulate the function of the pancreas' external secretions, promote digestion, and reduce the pancreas's workload.

5. Prevention of Recurrence: Feed your dog a lowfat, easily digestible prescription diet for a period to reduce the pancreas's workload. Many cases of pancreatitis are dietrelated, so avoid giving them too many fatty foods!

Note: If your dog is unable to eat at all, it is generally not recommended to treat them at home to avoid dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Additionally, if pancreatitis leads to necrosis, immediate surgical removal of the pancreas is necessary to prevent lifethreatening complications!