Healthy Dog Series: Vancouver Veterinarians About Pancreatitis in Dogs

There are two major disorders of the pancreas, acute pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that affect the secretion of insulin.
Acute pancreatitis: this condition, often, though not necessarily, follows the eating of a large, fatty meal. In its most severe form it may cause death very rapidly, often because of shock from the severe abdominal pain. Most animal are subject to recurrent attacks of lesser severity referred to as chronic relapsing pancreatitis. Several factors are believed to initiate the disorder, including obesity, infection and disturbances of immunity. During an attack dogs show a high body temperature, vomiting and diarrhoea, which is often blood-stained.

To relieve the abdominal pain many adopt a ‘praying’ position with the hind quarters in the normal standing position but the front legs and head lowered to lie along the ground. During such an attack nothing should be given by mouth because the stimulus of substances in the digestive tract only intensifies the signs. If such an attack happens, immediately call a Vancouver vet emergency clinic as all drugs and fluids should be injected. Early treatment obviously gives a much better chance of survival.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: this condition, common in the German Shepherd Dog, arises when 90 per cent or more of the cells which produce the pancreatic enzymes in the gland have been destroyed or have disappeared. This may be the consequence of repeated or persistent damage to the cells as occurs in chronic pancreatitis or it may, more commonly, follow an inexplicable wasting away (atrophy) of the cells. This latter condition of idiopathic or juvenile atrophy is common in young dogs, usually under one year of age. The animals show poor weight gain or may lose weight, despite a good or even voracious appetite. They often indulge in coprophagia (eating their own faeces) and produce large volumes of faeces having a ‘cowpat’ consistency that are greasy and foul-smelling. The coat of these poorly nourished animals is usually dry and scurfy.

At our Vancouver Animal Hospital in Norgate we can confirm the condition by carrying out laboratory tests (preferably on the blood). The treatment will usually involve supplying, by mouth, the enzymes of which there is a deficiency, although a major problem is to ensure that the enzymes are not inactivated by aid as they pass through the stomach. These enzyme preparations will be required for the rest of the dog’s life.