10/09/2025
We've had a sudden surge in cases that we have diagnosed with Pancreatitis.
As the name implies, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and can be a VERY serious condition, sometimes sadly even resulting in death, so fast and aggressive treatment is needed to stop the pancreas from misbehaving.
Unfortunately, the pancreas is a VERY grumpy cantankerous organ, but a vital organ none the less. It produces enzymes needed for normal digestion of food as well as producing Insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Nestled snuggly next to the small intestine and in very close proximity to the stomach and liver too. The signs of pancreatitis can often be quite non specific and the following signs can be attributed to the ACUTE (sudden) version of this condition:-
🐶Lethargy.
🐶Vomiting and / or diarrhoea - both of which can be quite profound.
🐶Sensitive / Painful belly when touched (usually just at the base of the sternum).
🐶Dehydration to varying degrees, depending on the severity of the vomiting and diarrhoea.
🐶Sometimes even collapse.
🐶The ACUTE version is often quite serious and needs to be attended to very quickly by your vet.
The CHRONIC (longer term) version usually simmers undetected by the pet owner and the dog usually doesn't show very obvious signs that something is wrong, until the pancreas, being the grumpy organ that it is, decides it's had enough, which is when your dog may show these signs:-
🐶Just not their usual self, can be a bit lethargic.
🐶Decreased appetite, not showing their usual gusto for meal times either.
🐶Weight loss that can initially be quite gradual and may go unnoticed. (This is also one of the many reasons why we ask you to weigh your pet every time you come into the practice).
🐶They can also have a sensitive belly when touched.
🐶This version is not as common as the ACUTE version.
Dogs that are going through a spell of pancreatitis can often demonstrate the "prayer position" whereby they stretch their front legs out with their head low to the ground and their back end up in the air. Now most dogs will do this when they have been lying down for an extended period of time, or from sleeping, but it will tend to be once and then they get on with their day, however, a dog potentially dealing with the niggling irritation n their belly, would do this a number of times consecutively and possibly multiple times during the day and the owner may notice this as being unusual behaviour.
Theoretically any dog could get pancreatitis but thankfully this isn't necessarily the case. Miniature Schnauzers however are especially prone to this condition.
There are a host of potential causes of pancreatitis, but FAT and fatty foods have certainly been implicated in most cases. The sudden ingestion of a larger than normal amount of fat could be all that it takes to seriously annoy the pancreas and it retaliates in a very aggressive way. So as lekker as braai vleis is over the weekend while watching the rugby, rather don't give your dog that fatty piece of boerewors or the fat off the lamb chop or the wedge of Camembert off the cheese board or the extra wet and fatty biltong. Sure, accidents happen and dogs will be dogs and won't hesitate to help themselves to some unattended braai vleis, so keep your eyes peeled and your vleis out of reach!! Even getting hold of one of your kids peanut butter sandwich they didn't eat at school could spark off this condition.
If your dog displays any of the above mentioned signs, especially after a weekend where they may have had too much fatty food, get them to your vet to have them checked out. Thankfully we have a simple blood test that we can run in-house and within 10 minutes we get the printout. This particular test quantifies the levels of Pancreatic Lipase, which is specific to the pancreas, and if this enzyme level is elevated, then this means the pancreas is having a tantrum and immediate intervention is necessary. This particular test isn't necessarily available at all vet clinics so make sure your vet is able to run this test. We are able to run it here at Watercrest Veterinary Clinic
The affected patient would be hospitalised and placed on a drip and given a number of different symptomatic medications such as potent anti-nausea and very strong pain killers, as this can be an extremely painful condition. Once the patient is stabilised, a LOW FAT diet would be introduced. Once a patient has had an episode of pancreatitis, there is a very high probability that they could get more episodes in the future. The most effective way to help prevent this would be dietary management which would mean a LOW FAT diet indefinitely.
This also means NO fatty treats / food that might include:
🍕🧀Dairy products as a group, so NO cheeses of any sort, no pizza, no yoghurt (especially double cream).
🌭NO processed meats like vienna sausages or polony. Boerewors is also a NO NO. NO biltong or droewors.
🥩🥓NO bacon rinds, NO lamb chop fat, NO pork crackling.
🥜🥑NO peanut butter, NO avo.
🍞NO Liver spread or liver pate.
Don't worry, there are plenty other options for them to eat 😁😁😁😁Ideally a prescription LOW FAT food is the best way to ensure dietary control, but other options can include white chicken meat (boiled), any lean mince including ostrich, boiled pasta or rice and depending on your pets dietary palette, pumpkin or butternut and various other veg could be an option too.
If this condition is caught early, the prognosis for recovery is very good, but bear in mind that the smallest, seemingly insignificant event of fat ingestion could spark it off all over again, this is why dietary control and monitoring is so so important.
Get in touch with us if you'd like to know a bit more about this complex condition. [email protected] or send us a WhatsApp and we'll get back to you.
