Although pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, often occurs without warning, a dog's diet and health can increase its chances of developing the condition. Once the dog has recovered, the owner must pay careful attention to its diet to prevent a relapse. Owners should feed a dog that had pancreatitis only certain foods.
Background
According to CaninePancreatitis.net, the pancreas, a small organ in the lower abdomen, produces digestive enzymes and insulin, which respectively break down food and regulate glucose levels. When a dog develops pancreatitis, the digestive enzymes have gone into overproduction and will harm the surrounding tissue. At its most severe, the enzymes will digest the dog's internal organs.
Diet
Immediately following treatment, veterinarians such as Houston-based Dr. Paul Young, recommend rice and ground turkey, foods that are bland and unlikely to upset the dog's stomach.
Preventing a relapse, however, will fall to the owner; pancreatitis appears most commonly in overweight, diabetic or older female dogs. An owner can prevent relapse by monitoring the pet's diet.
VetInfo.com recommends a low-fat diet for canines who developed pancreatitis. A veterinarian may also suggest an increase in fiber, which could require a change of dog food. The owner should remove human food, especially table scraps. It is no coincidence that pancreatitis outbreaks often occur directly after a holiday meal, according to CaninePancreatitis.net.
Since pancreatitis affects overweight dogs, a veterinarian may also suggest a weight loss plan. If canine diabetes is a factor, monitoring the dog's sugar intake will also be important.
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