Are eggs bad for dogs with pancreatitis

Can Dogs With Pancreatitis Eat Eggs? Vet-Approved Facts & FAQ

Pancreatitis is one illness you want to take seriously, as mismanaging this disease can quickly become fatal. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, the part of your dogs body that creates hormones such as insulin and digestive enzymes. The pancreas is vital for several important bodily functions including glucose control.

If your dog has pancreatitis, you will have to change how you feed them. Youll need to switch them onto foods that are easier to digest and more suited to dogs with pancreatitis. While this change may be temporary, consider changing your dog to a pancreas-friendly diet full-time because you dont want to stress the pancreas more and pancreatitis can be recurrent. Veterinarians recommend that dogs with pancreatitis eat a diet that is low-fat and highly digestible. You should follow your veterinarians instructions on feeding. In principle, egg whites are an excellent protein source, but the yolks need to be removed for dogs with pancreatitis.

What Should Dogs with Pancreatitis Eat?

As weve mentioned, dogs with pancreatitis will need to be fed a diet that is low in fats and highly digestible. Low-fat dog food can promote pancreatic healing and help prevent your dog from having future problems with chronic pancreatitis. There are several prescription diets that your vet may recommend.

Low-fat dog foods for dogs with pancreatic problems offer all the nutrition your dog needs daily without the excess fat that is implicated in pancreatic flare-ups. If your dog has a history of pancreatitis, your vet may recommend that you feed your dog low-fat food to prevent flare-ups.

Dogs with pancreatitis can eat eggs so long as the eggs are not cooked with butter, oils, or whole milk. Eggs yolks can be challenging for the body to digest when it has pancreatitis as theyre high in fats. So, if your dog has pancreatitis, youll want to skip the egg yolks and feed them egg whites. However, all foods fed should be discussed with your vet first.

Signs of Pancreatitis in Dogs: What Is Pancreatitis?

One of the pancreas many functions is the production of digestive enzymes. Ideally, these enzymes are inactive until theyre secreted into the intestinal tract to break down a recent meal. Pancreatitis occurs when the digestive enzymes become active prematurely while still inside the pancreas. This causes pancreatic inflammation and sometimes infection or tissue death.

Pancreatitis can be mild or severe; it can develop over a long period or suddenly appear, you may have it once, or it can be a chronic problem. Signs in dogs with pancreatitis can vary wildly from each other because the illness has a spectrum of severities and symptom profiles.

Dogs with pancreatitis typically display a combination of the following signs:

• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Poor appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Prayer position
• Abdominal enlargement
• Fever

However, these signs are not specific to pancreatitis in dogs. They may be present in any number of other illnesses seen in dogs. To make a diagnosis, your vet will have to run tests. These may include blood chemistry panel, pancreatic enzymes, complete blood cell count, urinalysis, and maybe even abdominal ultrasound.

Even if this initial panel points to pancreatitis, your dog may still need additional testing, to reach a solid diagnosis of pancreatitis.

What Treatment Options Are There for Dogs with Pancreatitis?

Treatment for pancreatitis will depend mainly on the dogs symptoms. Any abnormalities detected during the blood work and urinalysis will also be significant factors in the type of treatment your dog needs. The goal of treatment is to keep the afflicted comfortable and support their physical needs while giving the pancreas time to heal.

Fluid therapy and medications to control nausea and pain are usually necessary for your dogs quality of life. If your dog has an infection in the pancreas, your vet will prescribe antibiotics to treat or prevent the disease.

Dogs with severe symptoms will need to be hospitalized so your veterinarian can provide more aggressive treatment. Research shows that dogs with pancreatitis who return to eating dog food have an improved prognosis. Thus, veterinarians aggressively use anti-nausea drugs to treat vomiting to keep dogs with pancreatitis fed.

In Summary

It can be scary when your dog starts showing signs of pancreatitis. Luckily, many dogs that come down with it live whole and happy lives with adjustments to their diet and medication routines. You and your vet can help your dog live a good life regardless of his special dietary needs!

We want to emphasize that pancreatitis is a severe illness, and if you suspect your dog has it, you should take them to the vet immediately. Dogs that receive medical treatment early into the disease have much better prognosis than those whose treatment was delayed.

Featured Image Credit: Rasa Kasparaviciene, Unsplash

Pancreatitis in Dogs Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Pancreatitis in dogs is one of those conditions that owners must be informed about before it strikes because the warning signs may not always be obvious at first, the symptoms might be mistaken for something less serious, and yet its potentially life-threatening. The medical definition of pancreatitis is simple: inflammation of the pancreas. But like all serious conditions, there is more to it than that.

Because it is dangerous, a suspected case of pancreatitis needs to be addressed by a veterinarian as quickly as possible and not dealt with by DIY treatments. As with all medical issues, even the best online resource is not a replacement for the medical guidance from your vet.

Before looking at the details of pancreatitis, lets take away the ititis and explain the small but vital organ itself:

The pancreas is responsible for releasing enzymes that aid in digestion. When the organ is working normally, the enzymes become active only when they reach the small intestine. In a dog with pancreatitis, however, the enzymes activate when theyre released, inflaming and causing damage to the pancreas and its surrounding tissue and other organs. According to the Whole Dog Journal, the enzymes can actually begin to digest the pancreas itself, which causes extreme pain to your dog.

Classic signs of pancreatitis in dogs

• Hunched back
• Repeated vomiting(either several times within a few hours or periodically over several days)
• Pain or distention of the abdomen (dog appears uncomfortable or bloated)
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration
• Weakness/lethargy
• Fever

If your dog exhibits one of these signs, and only infrequently, monitor her. But if she exhibits multiple signs at once, and repeatedly, a call to the veterinarian quickly is vital.

Dehydration and pancreatitis in dogs

Dehydration is due to a greater fluid loss than fluid intake. Diarrhea or vomiting can cause dehydration, but those signs together will cause a greater fluid deficit and dehydration because the dogs fluid input (drinking) cannot keep up with the fluid losses. If the diarrhea becomes bloody, the condition worsens and the dehydration can become an emergency.

Other factors such as fever require increase fluid intake and can lead to dehydration along with other metabolic issues such as kidney disease, etc.

Blood in a dogs stool indicates a loos and significant inflammatory response requiring a veterinarians attention but it can be cause by a multitude of factors, from ulceration to parasites. Dehydration is a serious condition that can lead to death. It is an emergency and requires immediate veterinary care.

Any lethargic dog who is not drinking water or cannot hold water down should be suspect of dehydration and examined by a veterinarian. Dry mucous membranes (such as gums) may be a quick way of assessing dehydration but as always, when in doubt, consult with your veterinarian.

Causes of pancreatitis in dogs

There are a number of causes and risk factors that can bring on pancreatitis. Though often the attack appears seemingly out of the blue. Among them are:

• A high-fat dietThis is a major cause of pancreatitis, especially for a dog who gets one large helping of fatty food in one sitting
• A history of dietary indiscretion (a medical term for saying your dog will eat anything)
• Obesity
• Hypothyroidism (or other endocrine diseases)
• Severe blunt trauma
• Diabetes mellitus
• Certain medications or other toxinsThese include cholinesterase inhibitors, calcium, potassium bromide, phenobarbital, l-asparaginase, estrogen, salicylates, azathioprine, thiazide diuretics, and vinca alkaloids.
• There may, in some cases, be a genetic predisposition. Certain breeds or types of dogs have been associated with higher risks of pancreatitis such as Miniature Schnauzers and some of the smaller toy and terrier breeds.

More about those fats: Human food is especially dangerous, though even high-fat dog food may cause pancreatitis. So owner vigilance is particularly required around holidays and other festive occasionsthey can bring well-meaning guests who slip your buddy a fatty piece of lamb, or a tray of buttery cookies left within reach of an eager muzzle. In fact, the day after Thanksgiving is known for more than just Black Friday bargains. Its one of the busiest days of the year pancreatitis-related emergency vet visits.

Basically, if your dog is showing any signs of abdominal pain, the worst thing to do is feed him a fatty diet. This is one of many reasons that giving your dog table scraps, as tempting as it may be, is not advisable.

How does a vet diagnose pancreatitis in dogs?

• Your dogs medical history
• Blood tests to measure pancreatic enzymes
• Physical examination including stomach, gums, heart, temperature
• Radiographs or ultrasound, to rule out other causes
• Fine needle aspiration of the pancreas

As the Merck Veterinary Manual notes, as with any disease, no test should be used in isolation for diagnosis, and all clinical findings should be used in conjunction to arrive at the most appropriate diagnosis.

Whats the difference between acute and chronic pancreatitis?

Acute PancreatitisAn acute attack of pancreatitis means it comes on suddenly, with no previous appearance of the condition before. It can become life threatening to other organs if the inflammation spreads.

Chronic PancreatitisA chronic condition is one that has developed over time, slowly, and often without symptoms. This condition can result from repeated bouts of acute pancreatitis.

Both acute and chronic forms can be either severe or mild, and both result in pain.

Treatment and management of pancreatitis in dogs

Theres no fancy treatment for acute pancreatitis. First and foremost, your dogs pain must be managed, and early intervention to prevent further complications is key. The most common treatment and management options are:

• Intravenous (IV) fluid therapy in severe pancreatitis
• Vigorous monitoring of a worsening condition
• Antiemetic medication for vomiting (to prevent dehydration)
• Resting the pancreas (withholding food and water for 24 hours)Long-term management includes:
• Vigilant monitoring of fat intakeNo table scraps allowed!
• Use of a prescription diet of gastrointestinal-supportive low-fat, or ultra-low fat, food.
• Feed smaller, more frequent meals instead of one larger meal
• Have amylase and lipase levels checked by a veterinarian regularly

Can supplements be used to prevent or manage pancreatitis in dogs?

It is important to reiterate that pancreatitis is a serious condition, so home remedies shouldnt be used in place of veterinary intervention. That said, some vets believe digestive enzyme supplements with pancreatin can help some (not all) dogs by reducing the work of the pancreas and inhibiting pancreatic secretion. These come in over-the-counter strength as well as prescription strength.

Fish oil may seem counterintuitive at first, because of its high fat content, but it can actually help lower blood lipid levels. Studies suggest a high level of fish oil (about 1,000 mg. per 10 pounds of body weight for dog with high lipid levels; about half that amount for dogs with normal levels) is helpful to dogs with acute pancreatitis. When supplementing with fish oil, also supplement with 5 to 10 IU of vitamin E.

There have been human studies suggesting that vitamin E (with selenium), vitamin C, beta-carotene, and methionine may help prevent pancreatitis. Conversely, another human study reveals that probiotics can make acute pancreatitis worse.

Always speak with your veterinarian before offering any supplements to your pet.

A canine researchers case study: her own dog

Caroline Coile, Ph.D is the Nutrition and Health columnist for AKC Family Dog and a two-time AKC Canine Health Foundation Award winner. Pancreatitis is a subject Coile knows well, not only as a professional canine researcher and writer, but because her dog, a Saluki named Beanie, went through the difficult and stressful experience. Here she shares her story:

Beanie, unlike most Salukis, loves to eat. But one day, after eating his very favorite treata flaky biscuithe vomited it up. He was standing with his back kind of hunched. I gently pressed on his abdomen, and he yelped. Out came the thermometer, which told me his temperature was 103 degrees. While I was calling the veterinarian, he vomited again, then lay down in a corner. We were in the car within minutes.

The veterinarian palpated his abdomen, which was definitely tender; took his temperature, which was still high; and drew blood. Beanie received pain medication, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids to combat fluid loss and came home with strict instructions not to eat that day. Eating anythingor even smelling foodcould have caused his pancreas to secrete enzymes and slow its healing. He could lick ice cubes, and then drink a bit of water.

The next day, he was allowed to eat about six tiny meals of low-fat, high-carbohydrate food. This meant rice, potatoes, or pasta. Overcooking these starchy foods makes them easier to digest. We would boil one cup of white rice (not instant rice) in four cups of water for 30 minutes to make a rice porridge called congee. We gradually added in protein sources, such as skinless chicken breast, low-fat cottage cheese, or boiled hamburger meat. When feeding a dog with pancreatitis, its important to cook all the food even if you normally feed a raw diet. Because the dogs gut is compromised, its necessary to remove fat and destroy bacteria.

After a week, Beanie progressed to a veterinary prescription diet for dogs with pancreatitis. He hated it. Many dogs with a history of acute pancreatitis must be on a special diet for the rest of their lives. If they dont like the pancreatitis diet, a low-fat weight loss diet often works just as well. Since obese dogs are more prone to pancreatitis, they need to lose weight anyway. Even if a high-fat meal didnt cause the initial bout, it can trigger a recurrence once the dog has had pancreatitis.

After a month, Beanie was able to gradually transition back to his old diet, minus the high-fat treats. Eventually, he even got his breakfast biscuitsbut no more butter. He never had another bout of pancreatitis.

The Take-Away

As the Canine Journal puts it, pancreatitis is like that relative that just wont leave: Even when theyre gone, the thought of their return hovers in the back of your mind. Unfortunately, once a dog has had a bout of pancreatitis, the chance of recurrence is high. You best defense against a repeat appearance of this unwelcome intruder is a two-pronged approach: Be on the look-out for the warning signs and control the things you can. Dont let your dog become obese (exercise is good for both of you), follow your vets feeding instructions strictly, and, when relevant, administer your dogs medication faithfully.

Mild cases of pancreatitis usually have a good prognosis. Severe cases have a more guarded prognosis, due to the potential for systemic complications. But as a vigilant, responsible, and most of all, knowledgeable dog owner, you now know what you can do to reduce the risk of pancreatitis, how to recognize it if it does strike, and how to manage it going forward.