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- Acute pancreatitis — This is the more common form diagnosed and is usually more easily treated. However, its onset is normally more sudden and although it’s often mild, acute pancreatitis can be severe in nature, especially if the pancreas inflammation quickly spreads.
- Chronic pancreatitis — As opposed to coming out of nowhere, chronic pancreatitis develops slowly over time and is often symptomless in the early beginnings. This sometimes makes it difficult for vets to make a diagnosis and can lead to irreversible damage if left undetected for too long.
- There are two different types of pancreatitis in dogs — acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis
- Symptoms to watch out for include abdominal pain, decrease in appetite and vomiting
- It can be caused by underlying conditions, or inherited genetically
- Poor diet can also case pancreatitis
- Abdominal pain
- Collapse
- Diarrhea
- Decrease in Appetite
- Dehydration
- Depression
- Fever
- Increased heart rate
- Jaundice
- Shock
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Blunt Trauma
- Duct Obstruction
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s Disease (an overproduction of cortisol)
- Hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood)
- Hyperlipoproteinemia (an inability to break down fats)
- Hyperthyroidism (an overproduction of thyroid)
- Ischemia (disruption of blood supply to the Pancreas)
- Pancreatic Tumor
- Administering intravenous fluids and nutritional support to replace missed food and drink
- Offering antacids to treat gastrointestinal bleeding, anti-nausea medication or pain relief
- Withholding food and water for a short period to halt enzyme production in the pancreas and give inflammation a chance to reduce
- A permanent switch to a low-fat dog food diet (you can find a great list of these at Dog Food Advisor)
- Avoidance of medication known to aggravate the pancreas
- Changing the home environment to stop dogs from finding and eating fatty human foods or other toxic substances
- Pancreatic enzyme supplementation
- Regular veterinary monitoring of your dog’s pancreas and other organs
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