What is Pancreatitis?
During digestion, the pancreas produces enzymes that break down sugars, fats, starches and proteins. Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed.
What should you feed dogs with pancreatitis?
High levels of fat and protein in a diet stimulate the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. In order to give the pancreas of dogs with pancreatitis some rest and a chance to recover, it is recommended to feed a diet with a reduced amount of fat and protein.
The recommendation for the amount of fat in the diet is 10% - 15% fat on a dry matter basis. Dry matter basis is the percentage of a nutrient ignoring the moisture content – so what the percentage would be with all of the moisture removed.
The recommended protein level in a diet for dogs with pancreatitis is 15% - 30% on a dry matter basis. Because they will be getting less protein, it is important to they get high quality proteins – meaning ones that are easily digestible and with the right balance of amino acids.
Pancreatitis can create a cycle of inflammation. EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources can help with this inflammation by supporting the body’s natural anti-inflammatory process.
Concurrent conditions
Sometimes dogs with have both pancreatitis and another condition. This will have an effect on the their nutritional needs.
CONCURRENT CONDITION | ADDITIONAL NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS |
Hyperlipidaemia: |
Even lower dietary fat level at under 10% DM and/or high level of omega-3 fatty acids |
Obesity: |
Low fat level and a low energy density |
Diabetes mellitus: |
Low carbohydrate or high-fibre diet with complex carbohydrates |
Exocrine pancreas insufficiency: |
Highly digestible diets |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) |
Highly digestible, hypoallergenic diets, preferably with increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids |
Food sensitivity |
Hypoallergenic diet |
SPECIFIC is the range of nutrition from Dechra Veterinary Products and has a range of diets, available through your vet, designed to provide the right the nutritional profile to support dogs and cats with medical conditions. The diets available for the support of dogs with pancreatitis are these
DIETS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PANCREATITIS |
|||
|
Dry Diet | Wet Diet |
Characteristics |
Adult |
|
|
Fat levels: – 10% - 15% (dry matter) |
Puppy |
|
|
If your dog has pancreatitis and another condition then these are the diets that can help
DIETS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BOTH PANCREATITIS AND CONCURRENT CONDITIONS IN DOGS |
|||
|
Dry Diet | Wet Diet |
Characteristics |
Hyperlipidaemia |
|
|
*Fat level below 10% DM |
Obesity |
|
|
Fat level below 10% DM |
Diabetes Mellitus |
|
*Protein level above 30% but low fat and carbohydrate levels make this suitable for dogs with pancreatitis and concurrent **fat level below 10% DM |
|
Exocrine pancreas insufficiency |
|
|
High digestibility |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) |
|
Highly digestible, hypoallergenic diets with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids | |
Food sensitivity |
|
|
Hypoallergenic diets |