Dog with pancreatitis still in pain after 5 days. Is it normal?

Pancreatitis is a serious disease and a dog can die from it. So you need to give her time to recuperate. It will take more than two days for her to become healthy. Make sure she is hydrated and feed her only small amounts of the gastrointestinal food, but offer it often. Eventually she will start eating better. If she still is wobbly and not improved by Monday you should take her back to the vet for a recheck.

I'm so sorry to hear about Nena! Pancreatitis is sometimes a tough disease to deal with. Buprenorphine is actually one of my favorite pain medications for pancreatitis patients and is generally a good choice. However, like all opiate-type medications, it can cause dysphoria which is characterized by vocalizing, not seeming to know where she is, or howling at "nothing". This can happen with frequent dosing or if a patient is a little more sensitive to this drug than the average pet. Just to be safe, double check the dose you are giving and call your vet if there is any concern. Consider giving half of your prescribed dose to see if she seems better or worse. In addition to buprenorphine, I often prescribe a medication like cerenia (maropitant) which is an anti-nusea medication that also has good pain relieving effects for the abdominal organs. If Nena is not on cerenia already, call and ask your vet if it would be appropriate for her. Usually with a few days of pain and nausea control and the fluids, most pancreatitis cases do improve - though I've seen a few that required more intensive care for 4-6 days. Hang in there! You are doing a great job. Don't be afraid to call your vet's office too if you have concerns or just want to discuss treatment further. Best of luck to you and Nena!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Vomiting and inappetence are concerning signs when it comes to pancreatic biopsies as it may be a sign of pancreatitis after the biopsy or this may possibly due to the underlying pathology they are trying to figure out with the biopsy. This may also be due to pain itself. If this was just due to pain, you should be seeing improvement within 1 hour after a methadone injection. I would recommend you check in right away with your veterinarian who performed the biopsy as they have more information on the case and can give you more specific recommendations. I am hoping that everything is fine.

He should stay in the hospital as long as possible on IV fluids/medications. Sometimes it takes a week or longer before they start getting better. Was an abdominal ultrasound done? That would be a good idea. He should be held off food until he is better. At the hospital the vet can feed him nutritionally through the IV catheter with something called TPN. He should be given food orally. This would be my suggestions. Pancreatitis cannot really be treated at home.

This doesn't sound normal to me. I would be concerned that he is uncomfortable since he can't sit still. I would recommend taking Taz back to the veterinarian for a recheck. Sometimes, pancreatitis requires in hospital treatment. They would put him on IV fluids and offer nothing by mouth. This allows his pancreas to rest. They will also give him some pain medications. Have patience, sometimes pancreatitis takes a while to recover. Some of these dogs will be very sensitive to anything that is high fat, so a strict diet is needed after treatment. Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Dogs with pancreatitis are incredibly nauseous and very painful. He is likely eating what he feels up to eating. It's ok for a few days until he starts feeling perky again, then you can get him back to his normal dog food.

Hello, I would expect Walter to still be a bit lethargic and weak at this point. The fact that he is eating, not vomiting, then passing firmer stool is wonderful! This makes me believe he is on the right track for recovery. We worry about blockages when they are not eating, vomiting, and have diarrhea. His attitude and energy should bounce back to normal within the next week. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.