Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed, disrupting its ability to properly produce digestive enzymes and regulate blood sugar. Our pancreatitis treatment focuses on managing symptoms and addressing the underlying cause to help your pet feel better as quickly as possible.

Common signs include vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, and loss of appetite. This condition can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, requires hospitalization for fluid therapy, pain management, and nutritional support.

Causes of Pancreatitis

The most common cause of this condition in pets is a high-fat diet. If you often feed your pet off of your plate, you’re putting them at risk. When you feed your pet fatty foods, it causes a sudden release of a pancreatic enzyme called lipase. Lipase is essential for fat digestion, but too much can cause inflammation as well as tissue damage. Some breeds, such as the mini-schnauzer, are more likely to develop this issue than others due to altered metabolism.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis

The most common symptoms in pets include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with our vet immediately.

Diagnosing

If our vet suspects that your pet’s symptoms are due to pancreatitis, we will order blood tests to measure the amount of lipase being released by your pet’s pancreas. We may also run a blood test to check your pet’s amylase levels, which can help rule out other issues such as dehydration, intestinal perforation, and kidney disease.

Our veterinarian may also order an abdominal ultrasound to get a good look at the pancreas. Fortunately, anesthesia is not necessary for this test. Most pets rest while the test is being performed.

Treating Pancreatitis

If your pet is suffering from this condition, our veterinarian will want to keep them at the office. During this time, we’ll aggressively rehydrate your pet using IV fluids. To treat symptoms, we may also order anti-diarrheal and anti-vomiting medications. If your pet is in pain, we’ll use pain medication to keep them comfortable.

Schedule Our Pancreatitis Treatment Today

Help your pet find relief with our pancreatitis treatment at Concord Veterinary Clinic. Our team provides attentive care to manage symptoms and support recovery. Schedule an appointment today to get started.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at (925) 338-2375.