Pancreatitis Treatment in Dogs

Canine pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is a condition in which a dog's pancreatic digestive enzymes attack the protein and fat in pancreas itself or in the surrounding tissues. When this happens, the pancreas becomes inflamed and may bleed, releasing toxins into the animal's system.

If the pancreas becomes so damaged that it can't produce insulin, the dog may develop Diabetes Mellitus. Diets high in fat, some pesticides and drugs, and liver disease have all been associated with pancreatitis in dogs. Pancreatitis treatments include medication, diet and homeopathy.

Medication

Pancreatitis can be a very painful condition. Most pancreatic medications are prescribed for pain, including Fentanyl. Fentanyl is delivered by patch, because swallowing it can be deadly. According to Dr. Ron Hines, DVM, Fentanyl is the only drug in the opiate family FDA-approved for use in dogs.

Apply the Fentanyl patch to a shaved area of your dog's skin. Never cut a patch to fit a small dog. Instead, peel away only a part of the patch's liner. Use a whole patch if you have a medium or large-sized dog. A single Fentanyl patch will deliver pain medication for three days, but your dog probably won't begin to benefit from it for between 12 and 36 hours. After applying the patch, secure it with an elastic bandage if possible. This will keep your dog from ingesting any of the medicine.

Keep your dog away from direct heat sources like vents or heating pads when it is wearing a Fentanyl patch. If the dog is exposed to direct heat, give it Naloxone at a dose of 0.2mg per kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of weight until it breathes normally.

If repeating the treatment, discard the used patch and shave the application site. New fur will interfere with absorption of the Fentanyl.

Diet

Don't stress your pet's pancreas further by feeding it during an attack. When symptoms like fever, nausea and loss of appetite have subsided, start the dog on water in small amounts. If the dog can handle that, begin adding low-fat food like cooked egg whites or boiled rice.

As long as the regular diet wasn't high in fat, you can return to that diet when the dog's appetite has returned to normal.

Homeopathy

Administer homeopathic treatments either 20 minutes before or following a meal, when the dog's mouth is cleared of food debris. Use your dropper to get the medicine into its mouth or onto its gums. If your pet doesn't like the alcohol taste, put the dose in a small glass and let it breathe for about 20 minutes.

Crush homeopathic medicine pellets and let your dog have them in a bit of food or water. Give the dog treatments three times a day while it's showing symptoms, cutting back to two times and then once.

Dr. Holly Nash, DVM, recommends Natrium sulfate D6 as a homeopathic treatment to maintain your pet's pancreatic health.