Diets for dogs with pancreatitis

What is Pancreatitis?

The pancreas helps dogs digest thie food by producing enzymes that break down sugars, fats, starches and proteins. When your dog has pancreatitis then the pancreas has becomes inflamed.

What should you feed dogs with pancreatitis?

The aim of nutrition for dogs with pancreatitis is to give the pancreas a rest, allowing it time to recover.

Eating high levels of fat and protein will cause the pancreas to start working to produce digestive enzymes. So to allow the pancreas to rest you need to feed less fat and protein.

The recommendation is for a diet with 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 that the protien they get is high quality and easily digestible and with the right balance of amino acids, like that found in fish.

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 IN ADDITION TO LOW FAT
Hyperlipidaemia:	Even lower dietary fat level at under 10% DM and/or high level of omega-3 fatty acids
Obesity:	Also need low energy density to help control weight
Diabetes mellitus:	Also need low carbohydrate or high-fibre diet with complex carbohydrates
Exocrine pancreas insufficiency:	Also needs highly digestible diets
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)	Also needs highly digestible, hypoallergenic diets, preferably with increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids
Food sensitivity	Also needs 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	CID - Digestive Support CDD-HY Food Allergen Management	CIW - Digestive Support COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus	Fat levels: – 10% - 15% (dry matter) Protein levels: 15% - 30% (dry matter)
Puppy	CID - Digestive Support CPD-XL – Puppy Large & Giant Breed CDD-HY – Food Allergen Management	CIW - Digestive Support COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus

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	CRD-2 Weight Control* CGD* - Senior*	COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus**	Fat level below 10% DM * High omega-3 fatty acid levels
Obesity	CRD-2 Weight Control		Fat level below 10% DM
Diabetes Mellitus	CED-DM – Endocrine Support* CRD-2** Weight Control		Protein level above 30% but low fat and carbohydrate levels make this suitable for dogs with pancreatitis and concurrent diabetes mellitus *fat level below 10% DM
Exocrine pancreas insufficiency	CID - Digestive Support CDD - Food Allergen Management CDD-HY – Food Allergen Management	CIW - Digestive Support COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus	High digestibility
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)		COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus	Highly digestible, hypoallergenic diets with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids
Food sensitivity	CDD - Food Allergen Management CDD-HY – Food Allergen Management	COW-HY - Allergen Management Plus	Hypoallergenic diets