Has anyone dealt with pancreatitis lately?

Sola has been hit with a case of pancreatitis.

We have been through a plethora of scares over the years. This is a new one for us. I have heard from a number of sources that the usual suspect is a high fat diet or large feeding of high fat foods - especially human food.

Yet we feed California Natural, and healthy treat bars. The dogs don't eat any junk, or table scraps. I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and if so, did you make any dietary changes that helped in the long term? We're hoping to spare her another bout of this.

Thanks in advance...

Do you start topics just so you can post links to your blog?

I have no experience with pancreatitis, sorry to hear your dog is going thru this.

But I must say, I was actually about to post the same thing at CP -- every thread you start, all just happen to be links to your blog...

I was hoping someone might actually have had some experience with this...

My dog doesn't have pancreatitis, but he has some other problems that are covered in articles about that. Maybe something in these could help.

Canine Pancreatitis
The District of Columbia Academy of Veterinary Medicine

Good luck in pinpointing just what is causing attacks. GI problems can be so challenging and you are right that they are painful.

This was incredibly helpful -and contained some info I have not found elsewhere. Thank you so much!

I almost lost Mary the first time she had an attack. WE were sent from our clinic to another clinic and i thought she was dying in front of me. THe vet took ahold of my arm ( i was a dripping tears and having a melt down) and said "nonono this is fixable!" 24 hours of iv and follow up meds and she was as right as rain. My grandaughter had fed her half a loaf of english muffin bread and that was what triggered it. I was told it is very common in old dogs. I have found that any variation in her diet is not a good thing. She does not get scraps anymore, even half a marshmallow (we toasted them for her in her younger days) set her off. IF i see she is drinking water like it's running out of style i pull it and give her nothing for a day. THat usually calms things back down. I keep antispasmatic pills and an antibiotic on hand so if it starts i can treat her quickly. WE have had some minor attacks since but nothing like that first one. IT must be incredibly painful, the burning stomach from hell.

Wow you have been through it. I almost got the impression from your post that drinking too much water can trigger an attack. Is that your understanding?

By the way, Sola bounced back yesterday. Finally!

No, too much water isn't going to trigger an attack. When the dog is guzzling down huge amounts of water, it's a possible symptom. In a pancreatitis attack, all food and water should be withheld ~ if needed, fluids and nutrients are given subQ. Anything ingested, including water, will worsen a pancratic attack as it causes the digestive system to respond.

And yes, I have dealt with pancreatitis also. When Morgan went to the vet, the vet walked into the exam room and stopped in the doorway and almost started to cry. The vet kept her for the day, monitored her, gave her IV meds, then sent her home with me for the night. They didn't expect her to survive through the night.

Goodness, I feel for both of you. We have had a much easier go of it by comparison. Our vet told us we caught it very early - Sola is high energy, but was lethargic and depressed, so we went to the vet and happened upon the problem.
Thanks for sharing this, I understand that we now have to watch her a little more closely than we used to.

Mary just started drinking water like crazy and then vomiting and she didn't stop vomiting. It was like all her life force was draining out of her it was really awful. I was really stupid too because it didn't dawn on me right away to take away the water. If she ever acts too hungry or too thirsty i know an attack is coming on. SHe will have the runs with her minor episodes. Her first attack was all stomach loss and not bowel. IT is scary but once you know how to manage the diet it gets easier. Catching it early is everything.

Losing goodies i think is the hardest part for her. She is a live to eat kinda girl. Since she is fully deaf now it is easier to sneak the other two a bite without her knowing it. I do put a very small amount of broth or a little sprinkle of parmasean cheese on her food so she can think she is having something special. A taste is better then nothing at all.
I am glad yours was not as bad as Mary's. SHe is so old that i thought whatever it was it was going to take her away from me. WE have been managing now for over a year.

Okay Zack my poodle has had tummy issues most of his life. he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis at 1 year of age. We had been feeding crap food like Purina. Anyways we then went to diamond naturals and he had another flare up shortly after (but pancreatitis was never confirmed, but a parasite was)

Anyways the vet wanted us on Hills prescription diet, one problem Zack is allergic to some of the ingredients and has issues with corn. Zack refuses to touch anything twice that upsets his stomach.

We have been feeding California Naturals since November 2008 and we haven't had a single flair up or anything.

So it helped him to be on that diet but maybe its too high in fat for your dog. Have you tried the low fat formula?

Its scary. When Zack had that first flare up he lost so much weight, wouldn't eat or drink, and coughed up blood. Its very scary. Good luck on all this and hopefully with the proper channels you dog will feel better soon

Mary is having an attack of it today. I gave her the last two pills, the antibiotic and the antispasm pill. SHe has ice chips to lick .She is hot and miserable. Bless our vet i wrote about it in dog chat, he will be there for us in the morning. SHe hasnt' had one this bad in quite a while. My grandaughter swears she didn't feed her anything and i know i didn't. She might have found something in the yard, don't know what started it.

((((((((smkie)))))))
((((((((mary))))))))

I hope she feels better soon.

Thanks for this info. We are considering a food switch, but our vet said California Natural is great food. We'll probably switch to the reduced fat version next week when it's time to replenish. Sola has been back on her old diet for three days now (we never fed table scraps or any junk treats) and she is acting like she is two again - very encouraging!
I will use all of your experiences as guidance as we watch her closely in the coming weeks and months...

Very sorry to hear this. Sounds like a mystery case like ours. Please let us know what you learn, I hope she is feeling better very soon!