My dog has pancreatitis. Are flare-ups normal on a low-fat diet?

Hi there. So sorry that Archie is having this issue. In all honesty, it is best to put him on prescription low fat diet as that is exactly what he needs. Pancreatitis is very serious. With each bout of pancreatitis the pancreas sustains more damage and can no longer work properly. Many dogs will end up with diabetes, cancer or severe digestive issues. You are FAR better off with the prescription diet instead of you guessing what to feed him. Talk to your vet about one of the prescription diets like Hill's i/d low fat (it comes in cans and dry food). ( https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-id-low-fat-canine-dry#accordion-content-054167331-0 ) Absolutely do not feed him raw meat. Red meat is too high in fat. Boiled chicken and rice is not bad but it is not a balanced diet. You are correct, the fat content should be between 6 and 10%. I would be shocked if you found that low of a fat percentage in any over the counter diet. Again, prescription diet is the way to go. If you are determined to do a home cooked diet then I suggest you work with your vet about using Balanceit.com to get a diet formulated for him that you can cook and will be balanced using their vitamin/mineral supplements. ( https://secure.balanceit.com/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! Pancreatitis can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and belly pain. It is a cause of vomiting and diarrhea but it isn't the only cause. Other causes are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, toxin ingestion, IBD, food allergy/intolerance or reaction to eating something outside or a new treat/food/people food. Since he has been low grade vomiting now for 2 days it is best to have him seen soon if it continues. It is encouraging that he is eating. I would be sure you fasted him for 12-24 hours then resume feeding with a very bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Make the meals very small. Only offer small amounts of water. If he is lethargic, won't eat and the vomiting continues even on a low grade scale he should be seen before the weekend. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Regarding probiotics, Purina's Forti Flora is very good. Pets with pancreatitis also benefit from a special low fat diet. The brand Royal Canin makes a food for pets with pancreatitis called Low Fat and it's only 7% fat (for comparison, a normal fat content for normal food is about 25% though this varies brand to brand). I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Alfe! It sounds like Alfe is having a flare up! If this has been going on for over a week I would have Alfe seen today, before the weekend. He likely needs supportive care to get through this flare up. I agree cerenia, fluids and maybe temporarily increasing his steroids (if blood work and belly X-rays are normal) may be what he needs. Hopefully he is eating at home and this can be outpatient and he'll be back to himself quickly! I hope this helps and I wish you and Alfe the best!

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.

I would recommend restarting the omeprazole and taking Quigley back to this vet when they reopen after the holiday. He may need some pain medication, anti-nausea medication, or further hospitalization to help deal with the pancreatitis. It can be hard to get that under control. If he stops eating, it would be wise to take him to the emergency room over the holiday. Best of luck, I hope Quigley is feeling better soon!

Hello, thank you for your question about Abu. Based on your description of Abu's episode and current intermittent diarrhea I would be suspicious that he may have a mild underlying GI problem. Generally, cat's GI systems are very sensitive, and often when they go through a bout of pancreatitis it can sometimes become a chronic issue leading to occasional diarrhea/vomiting. Some cats have a condition called triaditis, where they experience pancreatitis and concurrent inflammation in their intestines. This would explain Abu's moodiness and his diarrhea. Cats with this condition often need to have anti-nausea and anti-diarrheal medication intermittently to help them cope with their symptoms. It is often challenging to completely cure this condition. I would recommend having Abu reevaluated by your veterinarian to ensure that he is still comfortable and not experiencing a full re-lapse. Your veterinarian can then discuss potential medication options for your to have at home. Hope this helps, good luck!