Inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis, is very painful for your dog.
However, it is very rare that you will have to put your dog to sleep because of pancreatitis.
In this article you will find out how dangerous pancreatitis is and how it is treated.
In a nutshell: Should I put my dog to sleep if he has pancreatitis?
With pancreatitis, your dog usually does not need to be euthanized if he is being treated by a veterinarian.
Pancreatitis is easily and completely curable and then subsides after a few days.
Unfortunately, it can also develop into a chronic condition that can have more serious consequences.
Only if pancreatitis is left untreated or becomes very severe can it be life-threatening and, in the worst case, result in your dog having to be put to sleep.
How dangerous is pancreatitis?
Inflammation of the pancreas can be mild to very severe.
If it is discovered early and treated professionally, a mild course is very likely. It’s uncomfortable, but usually over after a few days.
Discovered too late or even left untreated, there are serious consequences.
Then the inflammation can spread and worsen into life-threatening blood poisoning. If this has occurred, there is a risk of multiple organ failure.
Inflammation of the pancreas can occur once, but it can also become chronic.
Then the risk of complications increases the shorter the intervals between illnesses.
Can pancreatitis be cured?
Pancreatitis can usually be cured with the help of antibiotics and medication to relieve the symptoms.
It often subsides after just a few days and remains a one-off illness.
However, it can also develop into chronic pancreatitis, which recurs again and again.
How does the vet help your dog?
The vet will treat the inflammation with antibiotics and otherwise relieve the symptoms.
Pain therapy is very important in the extremely uncomfortable inflammation of the pancreas.
Your vet will usually administer Novalgin in drop form.
Since regular blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound are necessary, your dog usually stays in the veterinary practice for that long.
There he receives liquid to stabilize the water balance, which suffers badly from the vomiting and diarrhea.
Because of the pain, your dog often eats a lot less.
In order to keep him strong and to ensure the nutrient supply, the vet uses easily digestible, low-fat food in small portions.
If he doesn’t eat it either and if the pancreatitis hasn’t gotten over after a short time, a stomach tube can be put in place.
Not only does the nutrient supply, which is very important for the immune system, suffer from the refusal to feed, it also weakens your dog.
What can I do myself to help my dog?
You cannot cure pancreatitis yourself, as antibiotics are always necessary.
But especially with dogs with chronic pancreatitis, there are small things you can do to help your dog.
Keep an eye on your dog’s water balance if he’s showing signs of pancreatitis.
If necessary, enrich his drinking water with some broth to encourage him to drink. You can also add anti-inflammatory teas such as sage, chamomile or fennel.
Provide a quiet retreat where your dog can relax without being disturbed.
Put to sleep with chronic pancreatitis?
In very rare cases, chronic pancreatitis can be so unbearable that your vet will recommend euthanasia.
Because sometimes the intervals between the illnesses are so short that your dog hardly has any pain-free periods.
Even if pancreatitis has gotten so bad that organ failure already occurs, putting the dog to sleep is a salvation that saves it from a painful and painful death.
This is how you prevent inflammation of the pancreas
Some dogs and dog breeds are prone to pancreatitis and are therefore at a higher risk of becoming chronically ill with it.
The most important factor is to avoid being overweight, as eating it puts undue stress on the pancreas.
So if your dog tends to be overweight, you should pay attention to low-fat food and also adjust the food portions very precisely to your dog.
In principle, the food should then be high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Conclusion
Inflammation of the pancreas is very uncomfortable for your dog and requires urgent professional treatment.
It usually subsides quickly, but it can also take a severe course with fatal consequences or develop into a chronic disease.
In any case, pancreatitis should be treated as early as possible.
Has your dog ever had pancreatitis? What helped him? Tell us about your tips in the comments!