Pancreatitis - In Badly Abused, Recently Rehomed Whippet

[Rickiesmom]

A wonderful, recently adopted, previously horribly abused 9 year old whippet has been diagnosed with pancreatitis.

 

I searched this sub-forum without finding a lot of specific advice.

 

His devoted mom is just starting out on the path to learn as much as possible about diet and prevention of further attacks. If you have experience with this disease that can be shared, it would be so helpful - please post or PM me.

 

Thank you - the wealth of knowledge on this board is a wonderful resource.

 

(Edited because I can't spell.)

Edited December 27, 2007 by Rickiesmom

[Guest McGreyt]

Now that's just too sad. Someone here will be able to help with more than just the prayers I'm sending. Does this baby have a name?

[Rickiesmom]

The name of this sweet boy is Levin.

[Guest meakah]

Pancreatitis is usually brought on by the dog ingesting a high fatty meal. Unfortunately....it is more common around Christmas and Thanksgiving due to ppl passing more table scraps to the pets. It CAN kill a dog therefore it isn't something to mess with. They are going to have to feed the pup a very low fat diet such as rice and chicken for the first while. Is the whippet obese? Obesity tends to increase their chances for pancreatitis as well so if that is the case, a weight loss diet will be needed as well. I have also heard steroids can bring on pancreatitus....is the whippet by chance on any steroids?

[Guest jordan]

I just went thru the same thing with my whippet, he decided to eat an entire container of cat food....way too much fat!! He spent 3 days at the vet on iv's and an antibiotic. when he came home he continued on the special diet can food and was gradually introduced back to his regular kibble. Which happens to be low fat due to him being over weight. He is now on diet kibble, low fat biscuits and no,no table food. His diet must be low in fat. I add some chicken, white meat, just to give him some flavor in his food. But you have to be very careful what he eats, nothing too rich or high in fat. I would see what the vet recommends as far as diet, he may possibly have to be on the RX food depending on how severe the pancreatitis was. The pancreas breaks down the fat in the food, so too much and it can't break it down and causes all kinds of problems.

Hope this helps some....My guy, Max is doing very well now.

 

[gracegirl]

No advice, just thanks for helping this guy out. People make me so sometimes, I hope he's on his way to recovery from his old life.

[Rickiesmom]

He is safe, cherished, and lives with another whippet.

 

Not obese, no indication as to what set this off. Don't know about steroids but don't think so - hadn't known about the connection though, interesting.

 

Thank you for the advice re diet which I will pass on.

[patricia]

I'm sending you a PM. Please remember that stress can play a huge part in this dreaded disease.

[ozgirl2]

My grey Cody had a few bouts with pancreatitis - NOT fun! One of hers was set off by eating a greenie! Just one small one!! Vet said they're FULL of fat!! (If I'd known that, I'd never have given her one...)

 

Strict diet should help to prevent another attack... good luck!

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Levin is in my prayers, Mary! :hope :hope

[Guest LadyChester]

Patti has posted above and has a wealth of info in dealing with LaceyLaine's pancreatitis. My Lady was also diagnosed with pancreatitis. I will be home from TX tomorrow if you want to drop me an e-mail, Mary. I hope Levin is improving!

[silverfish]

I'm sending you a PM. Please remember that stress can play a huge part in this dreaded disease.

 

Yep, this is what I was going to say. And just because he's been moved from a bad situation into a good one, doesn't mean the move wasn't stressful for him. In addition to the diet changes, it might be worth plugging in a DAP, just to get him over the transition.

 

Good luck - poor little guy deserves a break!

[Guest argolola]

I will pray for sweet Levin. God bless him.

[ripley488]

 

 

My 3rd Greyhound had it as does my Whippet mix.

 

My Greyhounds was stress related more than diet as she was a spook. She had several bouts with it & was hospitalized several times.

 

The Whippet mix was diagnosed about 2 years ago after eating canned dog food (I ran out of my homemade mix & tried to improvise.) She ended up in the hospital for 3 days. Once we knew she had it & got her better she is now on a low fat diet. No problems since.

 

Jennifer Watkins

Shamrock Greyhound Placement

Louisville, KY

[Burpdog]

Usually high fat diet or indulgence (like my DD's roommate was feeding her Schip bacon every morning and my DD didn't know it.....) but as Jennifer said, I think some of it can be stress.

 

I had good success with Solid Gold Holistique Blendz and Shadow did go thru a life threatening bout of pancreatitis when he was on it! It happened once for him. There are two schools of thought regarding antibiotics. With him, we did it all--two kinds of antibiotics, fluids and nothing by mouth for 3 days and acupuncture. Almost lost him and I have no doubt acupuncture pulled him through.

 

Jodie had a bad bout of it when I first got her. After that time, she had mini bouts and pulled through without vet treatment. I would keep in contact with them and as long as she was drinking and not vomiting, etc., I kept her at home. They would last a day or two of not eating and she would bounce back.

 

A good senior kibble low in fat should help. Also, no chicken! I know a Dobe that would go into pancreatitis after eating chicken every time. I don't know why, but I wonder if there is an allergy connection somehow. I simply kept chicken out of the diet of anyone I knew was prone to pancreatitis.

[Guest oakmoorehill]

Our whippet Jasper is supposed to have pancreatits as a puppy he wouldn't eat and was very difficult to get weight on. He would only eat raw meat.When he was 5 years old we rehomed him to a woman who had a surverly disabled son she was after an older whippet that would sit with the child and be happy to be just fussed Jasper loved to do this so after much debating we let him go. She emailed me a week later to say he had cronic pancreatitis and had probably had it from birth and had to be on a low fat diet permanatly. I offered to have him back but she wouldn't hear of it. 18 months later she emailed me she was getting divorced and the dogs had to go Jasper came back to us. My vet spoke to her vet and he'd never been ill most definitely never been diagnosed as having pancreatitis or the cancer that she told us he had. He was skin and bone. He came back with some packets of dog meat that was supposed to be good for his condition he wouldn't touch it.

 

He now has either red mills greyhound food or dr johns working dog food and has piled weight on to the extent that he is verging on being obese.

 

We were told to keep him on low fat food, fresh raw meat with the fat trimmed of, pasta ,rice ,chicken with the skin taken of he couldn't have pigs ears or any other fatty treats .My vet has treated him and can't find any sign of pancreatitis so if he did have it it has obviously gone now.

 

 

It does make getting weight onto a skinny dog very hard Jasper love pasta so we used that first mixed in with his food every day he also eats loads of veggies as do all my dogs he prefers them cooked but some of my dogs will eat raw veggies

[Guest CyndiW]

Alex had pancreatitis last August. His was related to extreme stress from either trauma to the body from infection/sepsis/DIC and/or the fact that he had to stay in a hospital for 8 days (he doesn't like being away from home at all). They withheld food for several days as he was on IV and I think this is common treatment when it is really severe. It gives the pancreas time to rest and heal. Then, when he came home he ate Royal Canin LF (low fat). It comes in canned and dry. His PLI (bloodwork) was within normal limits after about 4-6 weeks. I still occasionally have his PLI checked when he refuses to eat for several days but so far it has always come back normal. He is back on normal food (not low fat) but he doesn't get anything extra that has fat in it. His treats are steamed veggies or canned no salt green beans. Alex had lost over 10 pounds from his incident so it was very hard to get weight back on him when he had to eat low fat food. The key was very frequent small meals. Hopefully, now that Levin is in a loving, stable home he can begin to heal emotionally and physically.