My dog has chronic pancreatitis and greasy stools. What can I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The soft stools are not normal. Also, the most important thing is to feed a low fat highly digestible diet. My own dog has a long history of pancreatitis so I have been through this for a long time. The best diet out there for dogs with pancreatitis is the Royal canin gastrointestinal low fat diet. I would recommend that you consider switching to a more balanced prescription diet like that one. There is no known benefit in feeding a grain free diet. Good luck and have a great day!

I’m glad to hear you got Grace in for care so quick. It sounds like she is on the right track and recovering. The soft bowel movements may or may not be a problem. If they are soft, but formed and she doesn’t have an increased urgency to get outside to go, then it may just be the high fiber that is in some prescription diets we might give for pancreatitis. I’m not clear on which of the Hills diets she was prescribed, but the changes to her stool could simply be food related. That being said - if her stool is not formed and is more like a cow pie, or if she does have to go out frequently then she should be rechecked sooner than later. Sometimes there is a trial and error to find the “right” food for a patient, and we have to try different prescription diets to find what they do best eating. Either way, her stool should be formed, and if it continues, a visit to your veterinarian is warranted.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ronan. I do recommend that sees his veterinarian. Needing to go out at night indicates urgency. So even though he has not had diarrhea, he is experiencing gastrointestinal distress. He could have pancreatitis, stress induced colitis, an intestinal infection or primary GI disease. His veterinarian will gather information based on physical exam and then may recommend diagnostic testing. I hope this information helps!

Stomach gas usually occurs due to indigestion or food allergy, which could have triggered pancreatitis as well. unfortunately the options are very limited when it comes to food, i usually recommend Royal Canine low fat for pancreatitis but this is not likely to resolve the gas problem. one thing that could help though is a medication called Ulsanic, you should ask your vet about this option.

I am so sorry to hear this but glad you could get Manchitas the appropriate medical attention! A small amount of fresh blood could still normal at this point. The most important thing is how she seems to feel- returning energy, interest in food, water and moving around on her own are all good signs! As long as she is tolerating the medicine well, I would continue it. I would also closely watch her appetite and energy. Keep her food simple, either special food if they gave it to you or boiled chicken with cooked white rice! I hope this helps and she feels better soon!

Poor Quinton! Pancreatitis can become a chronic issue. Switching the diet to the Low Fat food may help. You will also need to make sure he does not eat ANY human food or get into the garbage. Any treats need to be extremely low fat. Some dogs with chronic pancreatitis benefit from daily antioxidants for dogs. Some may need a daily steroid but most don't. Make sure Quinton drinks lots of water daily. Here is a link about pancreatitis: https://www.petcoach.co/article/pancreatitis-inflammation-in-dogs/ If this trend continues, your vet may want to look for an underlying condition such as Cushing's Disease. I hope this helps and that he starts feeling better quickly.

There are no supplements for either of these conditions. However the low fat food is the gold standard for pancreatitis, and can also help with gallbladder stones as well. Gallbladder stones should have also been treated for with a long course of antibiotics and gallbladder medication (i.e. Ursodiol). If you are still looking for other natural options, then its best to consult with an alternative medicine vet. They are good at recommending alternative treatment options that may not have clinical backings, but can be anecdotal in some pets. Best of luck with your pet Rocky moving forward. Take care!