Your dog is vomiting, refuses to eat and is acting strangely. Could your dog have pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that produces insulin and enzymes to metabolize sugar and digest nutrients from food. According to PetEducation.com, pancreatitis can be caused by "[c]ertain medications, infections [and] metabolic disorders," but can also be caused by food.
Dogs with diets high in fat, dogs who have recently gotten in to the trash or have been fed table scraps, or dogs who 'steal' or are fed greasy 'people food' seem to have a higher incidence of the disease.
-- PetEducation.com
"When a lot of fat passes through the pancreas, the organ becomes inflamed and can be very painful," Dr. Ahna Brutlag of PetPoisonHelpline.com tells Pet News Examiner.
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis?
- Vomiting -- usually occurring in a delayed onset a couple of days after a dog ingests high-fat foods; while vomiting once or twice is not unusual, continued vomiting may be a sign of pancreatitis;
- Abdominal pain
- A dog that is not moving around a lot
- A dog that refuses to lie down, but stands in an awkward position with its shoulders hunched
Which dogs are most susceptible to pancreatitis?
- Miniature schnauzers
- Yorkshire terriers
- Shelties
- Fat or obese dogs
"Pancreatitis can be hard to treat if caught too late, but caught early, it can be treated aggressively with IV fluids and antibiotics and the dog should be okay," says Dr. Brutlag.
For more information, visit PetPoisonHelpline.com, a 24-hour service.
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