Post Pancreatitis Diet for Dogs

Although pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, often occurs without warning, a dog's diet and health can increase its chances of developing the condition. Once the dog has recovered, the owner must pay careful attention to its diet to prevent a relapse. Owners should feed a dog that had pancreatitis only certain foods.

  1. Background

    • According to CaninePancreatitis.net, the pancreas, a small organ in the lower abdomen, produces digestive enzymes and insulin, which respectively break down food and regulate glucose levels. When a dog develops pancreatitis, the digestive enzymes have gone into overproduction and will harm the surrounding tissue. At its most severe, the enzymes will digest the dog's internal organs.

    Diet

    • Immediately following treatment, veterinarians such as Houston-based Dr. Paul Young, recommend rice and ground turkey, foods that are bland and unlikely to upset the dog's stomach.

      Preventing a relapse, however, will fall to the owner; pancreatitis appears most commonly in overweight, diabetic or older female dogs. An owner can prevent relapse by monitoring the pet's diet.

      VetInfo.com recommends a low-fat diet for canines who developed pancreatitis. A veterinarian may also suggest an increase in fiber, which could require a change of dog food. The owner should remove human food, especially table scraps. It is no coincidence that pancreatitis outbreaks often occur directly after a holiday meal, according to CaninePancreatitis.net.

      Since pancreatitis affects overweight dogs, a veterinarian may also suggest a weight loss plan. If canine diabetes is a factor, monitoring the dog's sugar intake will also be important.