Pancreatitis in Dogs

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that produces digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon. In dogs it is a common and potentially serious condition that ranges from mild and self-limiting to severe and life-threatening. **Mechanism.** Normally the pancreas secretes digestive enzymes in an inactive form that only switch on once they reach the small intestine. In pancreatitis these enzymes activate prematurely inside the pancreas and begin digesting the organ's own tissue, causing inflammation. Pancreatic lipase breaks triglycerides into free fatty acids, which in excess are toxic to the pancreatic acinar cells — one reason dietary fat is a major trigger. **Dietary triggers.** A frequent cause is the ingestion of a high-fat meal or fatty table scraps — bacon, sausage, fried foods, butter, full-fat dairy, cheese, fatty meat trimmings, and the like. This is why feeding dogs greasy human food (including mushrooms or vegetables cooked in heavy oil or butter) carries risk in susceptible dogs. Obesity, certain breeds (e.g., Miniature Schnauzers), some medications, and metabolic conditions also raise risk. **Signs.** Common symptoms are vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain (a hunched posture or 'prayer position'), lethargy, diarrhea, and dehydration. Severe cases can lead to systemic complications. **Management and prevention.** Treatment is largely supportive — fluids, pain control, anti-nausea medication, and a low-fat diet. Preventively, dogs prone to pancreatitis are kept on moderate-to-low fat diets and away from fatty scraps; smaller, more frequent meals reduce the fat load per meal.