What should I feed a dog with pancreatitis?

The best diet for a dog with pancreatitis is a fibre-rich, low-fat, easily digestible diet made from lean proteins and simple, easy-to-digest ingredients. This will greatly reduce the demands on a dog’s troubled pancreas.

Suitable foods include skinless chicken, turkey, white fish and small amounts of vegetables like pumpkin, green beans, sweet potatoes and courgettes.

Fatty foods, processed treats and rich table scraps should be avoided as they can trigger further inflammation and worsen the condition.

What do I feed a dog with pancreatitis?

Why a low-fat, fibre-rich, highly digestible diet is the best way to feed a dog with pancreatitis
Why pancreatitis is more common amongst overweight, senior dogs
How pancreatitis can generally be reversed with a healthy homemade diet

What is canine pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a small, hormone-producing, glandular organ that sits in your dog’s abdomen adjacent to its stomach. It fulfills two vital roles:

• As part of your dog’s digestive process, it produces pancreatic enzymes which help break down fats, starches and proteins so they can be absorbed by the body.
• It also produces hormones such as insulin and glucagon which help regulate blood sugar levels.

Pancreatitis, literally ‘inflammation of the pancreas’, is a painful and potentially life-threatening condition. It results when the pancreas leaks the digestive enzymes which normally help break down your dogs food. This effectively causes the pancreas to ‘autodigest’ or start eating itself. It is the most common canine pancreatic disease and it is on the increase.

Pancreatitis is typically characterised in one of two ways.

Chronic, which means the condition has developed over a period of time
Acute, signifying that the condition has appeared suddenly

From a clinical point of view, this distinction is of little significance. The initial symptoms are still likely to be the same. Only clinical testing will determine whether permanent damage has taken place indicating chronic pancreatitis.

Or if the disease is acute and most likely caused by a dog suddenly eating more fat than its body can cope with. That being the case, the condition is relatively easily rectified by making a permanent change to a healthy, low-fat diet.

Because of their close proximity to the pancreas, the kidneys and liver can also be affected by pancreatitis and chronic cases can even result in multi-organ failure!

What causes pancreatitis in dogs?

There are a number of potential causes of canine pancreatitis. Some consider the disease to be idiopathic — something that happens for no apparent reason. But studies show that the disease is most typically associated with a poor diet.

Pancreatitis has also been related to scavenging of course. Particularly where fatty foods are concerned. The introduction of a large volume of high-fat leftovers into a normally bland diet by misguided pet parents particularly around seasonal holidays is a prime example of that.

For a veterinarian, this would present a classic case of acute pancreatitis brought on by what the profession would term ‘dietary indiscretion’!

Obesity, traumatic injury and stress can also play a part in the development of canine pancreatitis. So too can a sedentary lifestyle.

Age can play a part too. It’s said to be more common among older, overweight and relatively inactive dogs, more commonly among females than males. Other causes can include toxins, certain drugs and endocrine diseases such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s Disease.

Conversely, any dog suffering from any of those diseases is likely to be predisposed towards developing pancreatitis in addition to their endocrinal condition.

Is breed disposition a factor in canine pancreatitis?

Yes, breed disposition can be a factor in the development of canine pancreatitis. Certain breeds of dog are considered to be more susceptible to the disease than others. Those breeds with a considered genetic predisposition to pancreatitis include:

Miniature Schnauzers
Miniature Poodles
Cocker Spaniels
Dachshunds
Yorkshire Terriers

What are the symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs?

The most common symptoms of canine pancreatitis can include:

Loss of appetite (anorexia)
Repeated vomiting
Lethargy
Abdominal pain
Dehydration
Diarrhoea
Fever
Weight loss
Distended abdomen
A hunched back

However, the symptoms of canine pancreatitis can be vague which can make the condition difficult to diagnose. The most commonly reported symptoms, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain, dehydration and diarrhoea can be indicative of so many illnesses!

How is pancreatitis diagnosed in dogs?

Naturally if you suspect your dog is suffering from something as serious as canine pancreatitis, you should immediately contact your vet. It can be life-threatening and you don’t want to take any chances.

So if your best friend is vomiting repeatedly, refusing to eat, walking around restlessly with its back arched in the air or simply refusing to get up, contact your vet right away!

Initially, your vet is likely to want to establish whether or not there is a history of dietary indiscretion. Such a history combined with abdominal pain and repeated vomiting would be clear indicators of pancreatitis. But invariably the symptoms are more non-specific.

Diagnosis is made even more difficult because dogs have a considerably higher pain threshold than do we human beings.

If my dog has pancreatitis will I have to change its diet?

You may need to change your dog’s diet if it develops pancreatitis, but that may only need to be temporary. Veterinarians typically recommend a fibre-rich, strict low-fat, highly digestible diet to prevent the pancreas from working too hard. Initial management often involves prescription diets, followed by a long-term, low-fat maintenance diet to prevent recurrence.

Key dietary management strategies include:

• Focusing on foods with fat content below 8-10% to prevent overstimulation of the pancreas.
• Because they cause less on an already compromised pancreas, a fresh food diet often works best.
• Feed more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day instead of one or two large meals to reduce the workload on the pancreas.
• Eliminate fatty table scraps such as dairy products, fatty meats and supplements like salmon oil, all of which can trigger a relapse.
• While mild cases may resolve, dogs with chronic pancreatitis often require a permanent, low-fat, high-quality diet.

Always consult a dog nutritionist for a tailored nutritional plan, as they may recommend specific, easily digestible ingredients such as boiled chicken and pumpkin during recovery.

How can I manage my dog’s pancreatitis?

Except in the case of chronic pancreatitis, pancreatitis can generally be reversed with a low-fat, fibre-rich, highly digestible diet made with a limited range of easy-to-digest, grain-free ingredients such as chicken and white fish for protein and pumpkin, butternut squash or quinoa for carbohydrate.

Pancreatitis is one of those canine health issues that, if caught early enough, can most easily be addressed purely through dietary intervention.

Fatty foods, processed treats and rich table scraps should be avoided as they can trigger further inflammation and worsen the condition.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What food can I feed my dog after a bout of pancreatitis?
A. Feed a fibre-rich, low-fat, easily digestible diet made from lean proteins (no more than 5 to 7% fat), and simple, easy-to-digest ingredients such as chicken, turkey, white fish and carbohyrates such as butternut squash and quinoa. Other suitable foods include high-fibre vegetables such as green beans, sweet potatoes and courgettes.

Q. What foods should I avoid if my dog has pancreatitis?
A. Dogs with pancreatitis should strictly avoid high-fat foods, fatty table scraps such as bacon and fatty meats, dairy products such as cheese and butter, fried foods, processed meats and fatty fish as these can trigger inflammation. A low-fat, highly digestible diet is crucial to prevent life-threatening flare-ups, particularly if a dog suffers from chronic pancreatitis.

Q. Can dogs with pancreatitis eat eggs?
A. Dogs with pancreatitis should generally avoid whole eggs due to the high fat content in the yolk which can trigger inflammation in some cases. However, egg whites are safe and nutritious, offering a low-fat, high-protein food option for dogs with pancreatitis.

Q. Can dogs with pancreatitis eat rice?
A. While a pseudo-grain like quinoa or millet might be a better option, dogs with pancreatitis can generally eat plain, well-cooked white rice as part of a low-fat, bland diet. It is often used alongside boiled chicken or white fish to manage recovery.