Feeding a Dog with Pancreatitis

1. Grain Free:
Pancreatitis is quite common due to how many poor-quality foods there are. These poor-quality foods are often full of cheap bulking ingredients such as grain; cereals, maize, rice etc. A dog is has difficulty digesting grains, which leads to the Pancreas being overworked trying to break it down, causing inflammation. There are many grain free foods available, so be sure to choose a premium quality food that does not contain any grain.

2. Repairable:
The Pancreas is a self-repairable organ. With the right diet in place and avoiding the wrong ingredients, it can repair over time. The key to a successful recovery is a high protein, grain free diet. If you are dry feeding, look for a ‘80/20’ complete food. This is a dry food that contains a minimum of 80% animal ingredient, with no filler ingredients such as grain or rice.

3. Low-Fat Diet:
Dogs with pancreatitis are typically recommended a low-fat diet. A low-fat diet certainly helps, as it prevents the Pancreas from working too hard trying to break down the fats. What is more important than the quantity of fat – is the source of these fats. A premium quality 80/20 food as described above may have a higher fat content than a Veterinary prescription diet, however these will be healthy fats from a high animal content as opposed to inferior quality fats from carbohydrate sources such as rice. High fat diets can aggravate a diseased pancreas, but they are not usually the cause of the condition. It’s important not to feed a fat-free diet to dogs, as some nutrients can only be absorbed in the presence of quality fats and oils.

4. Acute vs Chronic:
Dogs with acute pancreatitis will often recover fully with no lasting damage to the pancreas. In this case, most dogs can slowly transition back to a quality diet suitable for their age and lifestyle. Dogs with chronic pancreatitis have permanent and progressive changes within their pancreas, so they need to be fed and managed differently. Food for a dog with chronic pancreatitis must be highly digestible, resulting in less work for the pancreas.

5. Frequent, Small Meals:
Rather than feeding one or two large meals, consider offering smaller more frequent meals throughout the day. This can help reduce the workload on the pancreas during digestion.

6. Treats:
If your dog has a severe case of Pancreatitis, you should consider stopping treats all together. Otherwise, try to only feed healthy, natural low-fat treats such as White Fish Jerky or pure single animal ingredient treats such as Dried Sprats or Venison Cubes.

7. Hydration:
Ensure that your dog stays well-hydrated. Adequate water intake is essential, especially if your dog has experienced vomiting or diarrhoea.

8. Monitor for Reactions:
Always transition gradually when making any changes to your dogs’ diet. Keep a close eye on their response to the diet. If there are signs of digestive upset, consult your food manufacturer for adjustments.

9. Supplements:
Consider feeding certain supplements especially during a recovery phase. Digestive enzymes, omega-3 fatty acids or a general digestive supplement containing prebiotics and probiotics can help balance and support your dogs’ digestive health.