How To Treat A Dog With Pancreatitis

Introduction

Pancreatitis is a condition during which a dog’s pancreas becomes inflamed. Although it can be serious and even fatal if left untreated, it can also be managed with the proper treatment. By following these steps, you’ll help your pet rebound from pancreatitis and make a full recovery.

Remove access to food and water so that your dog’s digestive system can rest.

To give your dog’s digestive system a chance to rest, you’ll need to remove food and water for 24 hours. The length of time required will depend on the severity of your dog’s pancreatitis. For example: if they are vomiting, you may want to wait longer; if they are dehydrated or have severe diarrhea, then this may warrant a longer period without food or water.

Make an appointment for you pet with a veterinarian.

It is important to visit your veterinarian as soon as possible. He or she will be able to diagnose and treat the condition, as well as prescribe medication for treatment.
Your vet can also provide advice on diet and exercise that may help alleviate symptoms of pancreatitis, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.
The vet will also give you a course of action to follow at home: how to monitor your dog’s progress; what signs indicate it’s time for another appointment; whether there is anything you can do yourself (such as administering medications) or whether you should have someone else do it instead; etc.
In addition, the vet may advise you on how best to prevent recurrence of pancreatitis in your pet

Ask your vet to run blood tests on your dog.

Blood tests can help your vet determine the severity of your dog’s pancreas inflammation and rule out other conditions that may be contributing to it. Blood tests will also help your vet monitor whether or not his or her treatment is working, as well as determine if there are any other health concerns that need to be addressed. If you have any questions about these blood tests or what they mean, be sure to ask!

Give your dog any medications prescribed by the vet.

Your vet may prescribe medication for your dog. Medication can help with the following:

Inflammation and pain (anti-inflammatories, like Rimadyl or Metacam)
Nausea (antiemetics, such as Compazine or Phenergan)
Diarrhea (loperamide, such as Imodium)
Appetite loss (glucocorticoids to stimulate appetite, like Prednisone)

Medication can also help with weight loss and blood sugar levels if they become low. Your vet may also prescribe other medications depending on what’s causing the pancreatitis in your dog—for example, if it’s due to cancerous growths in the pancreas.

Follow the vet’s recommendations for feeding.

Your vet will likely recommend a bland diet for your dog during treatment. This means that you should feed your dog food with little or no fat, salt, and meat. You can buy a special prescription diet from the vet, or make your own concoction using these guidelines:

High protein content
Low fat content
Very little salt (less than 0.3% of the total weight)
Lots of carbohydrates

Keep up with medications prescribed by the vet.

Any medication prescribed by your vet is important to keep up with, but this is especially true for those used to treat pancreatitis. You may have been told to increase your dog’s water intake, but if you don’t give it any medication, the illness will not be resolved. If you cannot take care of your dog while they are sick, ask a friend or family member to watch them until they get better.

Pancreatitis is a serious condition, but treating it with care can help your pet return to good health.

Pancreatitis is a serious condition, but treating it with care can help your pet return to good health. If you suspect your pet has pancreatitis, get them to the vet as soon as possible.

If you want to learn more about how to treat dogs with pancreatitis, keep reading!

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you understand the role your dog’s pancreas plays in their overall health, and how pancreatitis affects them. We also hope that we have given you some tips on what to do if your dog is suffering from pancreatitis.