Inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis, is a painful condition characterized by an overproduction of digestive enzymes by the pancreas, which actually begin to damage the pancreatic tissue itself. Pancreatitis is seen most often in middle-aged, overweight female dogs, although any dog fed table scraps or fatty diets can come down with it. Heredity plays a strong role in pancreatitis, with miniature schnauzers, miniature poodles, and cocker spaniels seemingly at greater risk.
Signs of pancreatitis include loss of appetite, excessive salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and marked pain in the abdominal region, especially on the right side just behind the rib cage. Because of the similarity of the clinical signs, acute bouts of pancreatitis must be differentiated from other gastrointestinal disorders such as foreign bodies and intestinal obstructions.
Dogs with pancreatitis often assume a "praying" posture, with the front legs bent and the hind end stuck up in the air, in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. With severe flare-ups, dehydration, shock and death can result if the pain and inflammation associated with the pancreatitis are not relieved promptly.
To diagnose pancreatitis, veterinarians often measure the blood levels of the pancreatic enzymes amylase and lipase, since one or both tend to be elevated during an acute attack. Yet these values can be unreliable at times. As a result, other more specific tests for pancreatitis, such as the pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) assay, may be used to confirm a diagnosis. Radiographs and ultrasound are also useful for ruling out other potential causes of the clinical signs, such as intestinal obstructions.
In the past, when treating pancreatitis, it was recommended that food be withheld for a minimum of 48 hours to prevent further digestive enzymes from being secreted by the pancreas. However, research has demonstrated that food should not be withheld in these dogs suffering from pancreatitis in order to maintain epithelial integrity within the intestines and to minimize the chances of bacterial overgrowth and septicemia. This is assuming, of course, that the vomiting caused by the pancreatitis can be controlled. A daily injection of the anti-nausea drug, maropitant (Cerenia), can be used to achieve this goal.
With pancreatitis, antibiotics are sometimes (but not always) indicated to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids may be needed if dehydration is present or if the vomiting proves difficult to control. Finally, because pancreatitis is a painful condition, your dog should receive veterinary-prescribed pain medicine until the inflammation subsides.
Pancreatitis can be a recurring problem unless certain measures are implemented to minimize this risk. Failure to do this can put your dog at risk for developing diabetes mellitus, as digestive enzymes destroy the insulin-producing cells within the pancreas.
Steps you can take to help prevent pancreatitis include the following:
1. Switch your dog to a low-fat, easily digestible diet. Foods high in fat and high in protein should be avoided. Your veterinarian can help you choose a brand to use for your particular pet.
2. Be careful when offering treats to your dog. Make sure they are low in calories and in fat.
3. Inspect your yard daily and keep a watch when walking your dog for items he/she could get ahold of and eat. Dietary indiscretion is a major cause of pancreatitis.
4. If your dog is overweight, you need to get those excess pounds to disappear through a combination of exercise and calorie-restriction. Again, your veterinarian can help you determine the ideal weight for your dog and determine the daily caloric intake needed to achieve that desired weight.
Signs of pancreatitis include loss of appetite, excessive salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and marked pain in the abdominal region, especially on the right side just behind the rib cage. Because of the similarity of the clinical signs, acute bouts of pancreatitis must be differentiated from other gastrointestinal disorders such as foreign bodies and intestinal obstructions.
Dogs with pancreatitis often assume a "praying" posture, with the front legs bent and the hind end stuck up in the air, in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. With severe flare-ups, dehydration, shock and death can result if the pain and inflammation associated with the pancreatitis are not relieved promptly.
To diagnose pancreatitis, veterinarians often measure the blood levels of the pancreatic enzymes amylase and lipase, since one or both tend to be elevated during an acute attack. Yet these values can be unreliable at times. As a result, other more specific tests for pancreatitis, such as the pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) assay, may be used to confirm a diagnosis. Radiographs and ultrasound are also useful for ruling out other potential causes of the clinical signs, such as intestinal obstructions.
In the past, when treating pancreatitis, it was recommended that food be withheld for a minimum of 48 hours to prevent further digestive enzymes from being secreted by the pancreas. However, research has demonstrated that food should not be withheld in these dogs suffering from pancreatitis in order to maintain epithelial integrity within the intestines and to minimize the chances of bacterial overgrowth and septicemia. This is assuming, of course, that the vomiting caused by the pancreatitis can be controlled. A daily injection of the anti-nausea drug, maropitant (Cerenia), can be used to achieve this goal.
With pancreatitis, antibiotics are sometimes (but not always) indicated to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids may be needed if dehydration is present or if the vomiting proves difficult to control. Finally, because pancreatitis is a painful condition, your dog should receive veterinary-prescribed pain medicine until the inflammation subsides.
Pancreatitis can be a recurring problem unless certain measures are implemented to minimize this risk. Failure to do this can put your dog at risk for developing diabetes mellitus, as digestive enzymes destroy the insulin-producing cells within the pancreas.
Steps you can take to help prevent pancreatitis include the following:
1. Switch your dog to a low-fat, easily digestible diet. Foods high in fat and high in protein should be avoided. Your veterinarian can help you choose a brand to use for your particular pet.
2. Be careful when offering treats to your dog. Make sure they are low in calories and in fat.
3. Inspect your yard daily and keep a watch when walking your dog for items he/she could get ahold of and eat. Dietary indiscretion is a major cause of pancreatitis.
4. If your dog is overweight, you need to get those excess pounds to disappear through a combination of exercise and calorie-restriction. Again, your veterinarian can help you determine the ideal weight for your dog and determine the daily caloric intake needed to achieve that desired weight.
0 comments:
Post a Comment