Dog Disease - Canine Pancreatitis

Canine pancreatitis is a dog disease causing the pancreas of the dog to become swollen and inflamed. The swelling and inflammation in the dog’s pancreas is very dangerous for your pet, and can cause a lot of discomfort to the dog. The swelling and inflammation is caused by an excessive amount of digestive fluid produced in the pancreas of the dog. This fluid in over abundance causes the pancreas to start eroding and damaging the pancreas in the long run. When that begins to happen your pet will also have a lot of irritation in the pancreas, and this can also cause severe pain and suffering for the dog. Like any other disease, a timely diagnosis and treatment will always help the dog’s condition.


Classifications of Pancreatitis
  • Acute pancreatitis does not cause lasting damage to the pancreas or other organs of the dog. Acute pancreatitis is usually very severe but can be treated quite effectively with proper medical care.
Further classification of Acute Pancreatitis

· Mild pancreatitis is a mild form of the disease which will not cause any damage to the dogs pancreas or other organs.

· Severe pancreatitis is a form of acute pancreatitis that can cause long lasting damage to the pancreas and other organs surrounding the pancreas due to the excessive pancreatic fluids.


  • Chronic Pancreatitis is usually mild but will keep reoccurring despite of being treated; this classification of the disease in your dog can leave lasting damage in the pancreas and surrounding organs of the pet.

Factors causing Pancreatitis

There are several factors that can cause pancreatitis in your pet, it is best that these factors are avoided in order for the dog to be healthy, these factors are:

  • Obesity
  • High fat diet
  • Corticosteroids
  • Trauma
  • Diabetes

Symptoms of Pancreatitis

The most common symptoms of pancreatitis are
  • Vomiting
  • Refusal to take food
  • Depression in your dog
  • Lethargy
  • Swelling of the abdomen
  • Diarrhea

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog please consult your vet at the earliest so the dog can be properly diagnosed and its treatment can commence.

Treatment for Pancreatitis

Once a diagnosis is made and it is established that your dog is suffering from pancreatitis your vet will tell you the best way to treat the disease, but here are some treatment options available to you.
  • Fasting
  • Nutritional therapy
  • Anti nausea medication
  • Pain medication
  • In extreme cases surgery

An early diagnosis and treatment can save the life of your dog if it is suffering from any dog disease so observe its behavior and habits and be alert to its heath, consult a veterinary at the first sign of any medical problems.