Why is my dog shaking and lethargic after pancreatitis treatment?

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!

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.

You will need to take your dog back to the vet for a recheck. The veterinarian should prescribe pain medicine for your dog. If he has not had an ultrasound exam yet, this may be the time to have one, in order to check out whether he has an abscess or tumor on his pancreas. By now he should not be in pain anymore, especially since his body functions have returned to normal (no vomiting, no diarrhea, and eating and drinking.).

With pancreatitis, it is typically caused by them eating something that they were not supposed too. Usually from human food. I agree that changing Shadow's diet to a bland diet and keeping him on antibiotics (not long term) will be beneficial for him. Pancreatitis can be serious and is usually painful. Most dogs do very well on exactly what your vet is doing while more severe cases require intensive treatment and hospitalization. Here is some information on Pacreatitis. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pancreatitis-in-dogs I hope Shadow feels better soon and thank you for using PetCoach.

No, this dose is within the normal range for tramadol from dogs. You can give as little as 0.5 mg/lb to 4.5 mg/lb every 8-12 hours safely. The amount he is being given is likely due to the amount of pain Binx is in, as higher doses are given when the dog is in great pain. I hope this helps and he feels better soon!

The wound looks perfect. Sonetimes they shake because of the after egfects of aneasthetic, but strong pain killers such as tramadol can make dogs feel strange. I would suggest stopping the tramadol now and see how she gets on.