[Kathy J]

My 13 Boston Terrier was diagnosed with pancreatitis which caused her to now be a diabetic.
My vet has her on science diet prescription ID which is very expensive. My other dog 7 yr old bull terrier is healthy and is on blue buffalo lamb and brown rice.
I have seen comments where blue buffalo is too rich and it’s fruit
Ingredients adds to a higher sugar intake for dogs.
I’m concerned my bull terrier will end up like my Boston terrier.
My questions is, any suggestions of a dry food that can help both dogs?

Thank you,
Kathy

[Peggy]

Hi Susan, thanks for your reply.
I’ve googled canine pancreatitis today and called my own vet.
Most of the symptoms I found, and our vet gave me, Tebow does not have.

Fever – no
Vomiting – no
Diarrhea – no
Loss of appetite (anorexia) – definitely Not!
Weight loss – no.
Dehydration – no
Fatigue and sluggishness – probably as much as any overweight dog, or human for that matter.
Mild to severe abdominal pain – I was brushing him today and while he was on his back I pushed on his tummy and felt around. He made no sounds at all that would lead one to believe he’s in pain. In fact, his legs got going because he was being tickled, haha.
Depression – not at all.
Increased heart rate – none that I can tell.
Difficulty breathing – again, as much as you would expect from an overweight dog or human. Plus he’s been snoring.

I ordered Wellness Core Grain-Free Reduced Fat Dry food today from Amazon.com – $6 less than PetSmart, and free shipping. Should be here Monday. I took him for a walk in the snow today – walking has not been a regular activity for us. It will be from now on.

Thank you to everyone for your help!

[Peggy]

DogFoodie, I wish I could take him earlier, but I have to wait for my check to come in on the 3rd of Jan. I am currently googling the symptoms of pancreatitis to see if he has any symptoms other than being overweight.

BTW, I just took him out for a walk and he was very energetic and lively.
LOVED it.

[theBCnut]

Purina has a lower calorie count, so you probably do need to reduce his food amount or as you as doing, reduce his calories. If the tightness in his belly is signs of pancreatitis, then reducing his fat is imperative, but he also needs to be fasted for a few days or he could have a very bad case of pancreatitis- read LIFE THREATENING-so I REALLY wish you would not put off having your vet look into this. It really is a serious sign of serious pain.

[theBCnut]

One cup is too much food for my VERY active JRT. Definitely look into how many calories you are feeding. If his belly actually feels tight, it is not fat, and it can be medical emergency, so really watch that. If his belly extends and gets tight after eating, it can be a sign of liver failure, bloat, pancreatitis, or a few other serious problems. The panting/labored breathing is a sign of acute pain.

[DogFoodie]

It’s great to be proactive, especially with a breed prone to pancreatitis.

In addition to those foods Sandy already suggested, I’d throw out Petcurean products as a suggestion. I was originally going to suggest Go! Senior, but the protein is higher than what Billy does well on. That brings me to Petcurean’s Now Fresh line. Great products with fresh meats only and no meals. The Now Fresh Senior has 24% protein, 10% fat and 341 kcals per cup. There are likely other Now Fresh products that would also met your criteria.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Bill!

Great to see you again! I always love your positive energy!

Here’s the best dry matter converter I’ve found: http://fnae.org/dmb.html

I started to make a couple of suggestions, when I realized you were looking for foods with lower protein than what I was going to recommend. Any particular reason you’re looking for the lower protein? I don’t recall you saying anything about Billy having had pancreatitis previously, so are the protein and fat levels just your preference for him?

Sorry if I’m asking questions you’ve already answered or for which you’ve offered explanations!

[pugmomsandy]

Quality animal-sourced fat is what I would look for in a food. I know someone who feeds quality raw food for a post pancreatic dog. While Schnauzers are prone to pancreatitis, I think “normal” fat is ok. MelissaAndCrew has experience with Schnauzers and they eat a regular fat food, around 14-15% I think but you’d have to check with her. Also, the fat amount listed on the bag (and protein too) are minimum values.

[Bobby D]

I had been feeding my dogs a low fat diet (cottage cheese, hard boiled egg whites, and Hill’s i/d) because Skeeter had pancreatitis. Poor Skeeter is gone now, and I’d like to go back to dry kibble for my other dog Dixie. But, Dixie is refusing to eat the Purina kibble she grew up on. (I suppose she became spoiled by the tastier low fat diet.) Can anyone suggest a kibble that dogs can’t resist?

BTW, Dixie still loves Milk Bone biscuits. Why do dogs like dog biscuits so much? I would think dog biscuits have the same ingredients as kibble.

Bob D.

[julie o]

just finding this post now, hope your pup is doing well. i too, have a dog with food allergies who is prone to pancreatitis. wellness core reduced fat is a life saver, literally. comes in wet and dry formulas. my dog literally CANNOT eat anything else. pricey, but higher quality ingredients than rc, and honestly if it saves your dog’s pancreas and skin, its worth it. good luck.

[arwyru24]

It’s always really bothered me that it would even possibly be worth it to ship chickens halfway across the world and then sent back. It’s crazy and super shady. I also do not buy anything jerky regardless of the brand. Before I was better educated I bought my last dog jerky treats ..blue buffalo brand and also happy hips. He lived to be 15 when he died and I don’t think he suffered any ill effects but it’s hard to say He got epithelial lymphoma at about 14 and the tumor was removed but who can really say what causes some of the cancers. It really hurt his quality of life in his final year. He didn’t tolerate chemo well and developed pancreatitis as a result and it was just a hard last year. I don’t make my own food or feed raw but I try to do all that I can to feed healthy foods and not take undue risks but I am always questioning myself. I have a vet I trust implicitly now but unfortunately didn’t find him until the dog was 13 and cat was 15. He would have saved both of those animals a lot of pain and suffering. The dog had two surgeries to remove crystals the second time he was 12 and was blocked completely. The other vets just had him on c/d dry his whole life. This was the first vet to tell us water is very important and took him off the rx food and had us feed high quality canned with lots of water added in. They don’t push science diet there they give a list of brands they suggest which are all good choices (taste of the wild is the only one I can think of that’s debatable) It’s such a shame that it’s so hard to know who and what to trust to take good care of our pets. I agree with BC nut completely. … this shouldn’t be so hard.

[theBCnut]

First, please don’t settle on one food. Go over to the review side and do a search for the article on rotational feeding.

For the first couple weeks, feed him exactly the way the breeder was feeding him. That way, the only big stressor on your pup will be the adjustment to his new living arrangements. After he has fully adjusted, then start transitioning to the new food. I would only add one new food at a time, so if there is any issue, you know what is causing it. Transition slowly, but know that if you do go with a rotational diet, soon you won’t have to transition at all to switch to a new food.

Yes, use canned foods, and dehydrated, and freeze dried, and if you can handle it, even raw.

The benefits of using canned are in the moisture content and the meat content. Canned is closer to a natural diet. However, be aware that some canned food companies under report their fat level by a huge amount and dogs that are at risk for pancreatitis can become deathly ill from eating some of these foods, so read the review before buying canned, and pay attention to what is said about the fat level down in explanation. If you are only using it as a topper, it probably won’t matter, but if you ever have a reason to feed a whole meal of the canned you are using, it is something to be aware of.

[Julie L]

I fought for over 18 mo on my doodles sensitive stomach. The vet kept saying to change food etc. I tried almost every food known to man. Ellie was thrown up almost daily with yellow bile and she was a very picky eater. Finally I told the vet I wanted a Pancreatitis test. The test was done and guess what??? She had a very bad case of Pancreatitis. Ellie is now on ID kibble 7% fat and I add in ground turkey breast and low salt chicken broth. I give her chicken jerky (home made without anything added) for a treat and give her kibble for treats. If they haven’t ruled out Pancreatitis please ask your vet why? Good luck.

[Deb M]

Can any of you trace the beginning of your dog’s colitis to a recent thimerosol-free rabies vaccination?

My 20 pound Havanese developed bloody diarrhea/vomiting one week after her shot. The day after her shot she had slight swelling around her face. Back to one week after the shot, she spent 2 days in hospital on fluids, flagyl, pain killers, pepcid for the bloody diarrhea. Her bloodwork showed very high lipase/amylase, slightly elevated liver enzymes and the vet was treating her for pancreatitis. I took her home after 2 days on all of the IV fluids, etc and then her skin turned bright pink from her gums all the way to her tail but no diarrhea. She had lost weight, was getting dehydrated, wouldn’t eat so I brought her to the emergency vet (it was a Sunday night). They felt she was slipping into shock and getting dehydrated so back on fluids, pantroprazole (a PPI) and pain killers but no antibiotics. Her bloodwork showed that her lipase/amylase were improving but her liver enzymes were still a little low and she was now slightly anemic. And her belly was bright red, as were her gums. She was in pain. They ran a highly specific blood test for pancreatitis and she did not have it. Then they did an ultrasound of her chest, abdomen and pelvis and it showed no evidence of pancreatitis, as well, but slightly enlarged lymph nodes near her colon. So they thought it was colitis. But, the skin issue led them to believe that it might be an immune reaction to the rabies vaccination. The reason is because, at the same time my dog was being evaluated, a Tibetan Mastiff was evaulated with bloody diarrhea and the bright pink skin — and he had had a rabies vaccination within the past week, as well. Same symptoms.

My dog is home now but has soft stool with some mucous in it and slight pain in the abdominal area. Her belly skin is only light pink but it looks like annular lesions of a slightly darker pink. I’ve opened a case at the vaccine manufacturer and the emergency vets will add to the report once they get the lot number of the Mastiff’s vaccine.

It’s been interesting to read the different diets each of you have been trying for your dogs and I will have to do an elimination diet for my dog since she is not back to her old self. She is now much more playful (she is 8 years old and was a dynamo before this vaccination) but does not keep her tail up except when running. And, her tummy is still sensitive to the touch at times, but not at other times. She is also wheezing now. BTW, she has been on thyroid medication for the past few years and I’ve read that she probably should not have been given any vaccinations due to this. I’m hoping that she has not triggered autoimmune colitis (crohn’s).

I’d be interested in knowing if any of you can trace your dog’s GI ailments to a rabies vaccination. Thanks.

[Susan]

The problem with grainfree is they have peas, chick peas, lentils, these all can irratate the bowel causing problems…I tried the “Wellness Simple” Duck & Oatmeal & Lamb & Oatmeal as their fat % was the lowest 11%min-12.6%max-Duck & 12%min-13.6%max-lamb & there’s no potaotes in those kibbles, also they digested easily, the kibbles went soft when I left them in water for 1 min the Lamb went softer quicker then the Duck….I always do my kibble test, I found kibbles with potatos are harder kibbles & dont digest easily .. I soak a couple of kibbles in water then after 1 min, I put 1 kibble inbetween 2 teaspoons & crush, a good kibble will crush a hard kibble flings off the spoon & you cant crush them…….Patch went real good on the Wellness Simple with the Oats the first month, farting a little on the Lamb, the Duck he didnt fart as much, must of had less peas, but into the second month his afternoon poo became sloppy, I’d say from the peas, I was feeding the Simple for breakfast & his vet Diet Eukanuba Intestinal for dinner, if I try other foods for dinner we are up some nights with his bowel grumbling & rumbling, so I always give his vet diet at nights only…

Ive given up on trying commerical kibbles for now…..I was speaking to Patches vet yesterday & he told me to just stick with the Vet diet, as they are formulated especially for health problems & commerical diets aren’t.. I didnt listen to him last year & have been trying other kibbles, it just brings on flares, diarrhea, gas & sometimes vomiting, due to something irratating his stomach & bowel…..
A few ladies from the IBDogs yahoo group are feeding “Rayne” diet invented by vets in Canada, I dont know if you can get “Raynes” in America, the K9-Sensitive-GI & the K9-Low fat/Novel Protein is especially made for Gastrointestinal & Pancreatitis health….the K9-Sensitive kibble looked good & the K9-Low Fat wet food looked good & the fat was only 9.6% fat % dry matter in the wet food….I dont think you can get a wet food with the fat that low 9.6%…. I can’t get Raynes here in Australia…. I’d give it a try, just to have another food I can fall back on & I also like to give something different for breakfast & his vet diet for dinner, I give tuna in spring water drained & about 1 tablespoon of boiled pumkin for breakfast & then some of his vet diet kibble 1/2 hour later ….

I think when they have IBD/Colitis Gastro problems its very hard finding a commerical, if ur girl did good on the Nutro stick with a kibble with around the same amount of protein% & Fat%, thats when I found Patch does better, when Ive tried kibbles with protein over 25% & fats 12-14%& over Patch doesnt do too well, I just wish these vet diets they’d improve their ingredients, I found that Eukanuba is the only one that doesnt use By-product meats & doesnt have wheat, rye, like Royal Canin use.. Good-luck..

[Susan]

Hi Elyse, I few ladies with dogs with Pancreatitis & Coilts feed vet diet Royal Canin low fat gastro fat is 7%, …I feed the vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal low residue kibble fat-10%..
if you dont want to try vet diets look for a premium low fat diet thats under 10% Fat with limited ingredients ….you dont say if the I/d is wet or dry…I didnt have any luck with wet foods made it worse…
“Natural Balance” the Potatoes & Kangaroo or Rabbit & Potatos a few ladies use this kibble aswell with great results…also is ur dog just eating the Hills I/d & no other foods?..
here’s a link to the Natural Balance
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/product.aspx?ProductID=191&product=L.I.D.+Limited+Ingredient+Diets%c2%ae+Potato+%26+Kangaroo…

[Elyse K]

My 91/2 year old Corgi has been having issues for the last year with loose stools and sometimes with blood in it. Bloodwork has only shown slight pancreatitis, although she really has no symptoms of this. Vet put her on Hills prescription I/D and there really is no change. Looking for suggestions for other foods to try. Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Richard, Ive been going thru this with diarrhea & skin problems since I rescued my boy on the 20th November 2012…..are you starting with home cooked food trial or a vet prescription diet?

I started with a vet prescription diet first, I found it easier & ur dog gets all his vitamins etc…Your dog doesn’t have to stay on the vet prescription diet forever but its a starting point & probably will help with his diarrhea if put on the right vet prescription diet…

At first I didn’t want to believe my vet when he told me my boy had IBD caused by certain foods & enviornment.. Patches first vet put him on Royal Canin Hypoallergenic (HP) the fat was tooo high, then poor Patch got Pancreatitis, his first poo of a morning on the R/C HP was good but his afternoon poo was always very sloppy & yellow & he still had his hive like lumps over his body & red itchy paws after being on the R/C HP vet diet for 2 months , then I rung Royal Canin & I spoke with one of their nuturalist vet & she said try the Royal Canin ‘Sensitivity Control’ which was just Tapioca & Duck this worked, it cleared his red itchy paws but I cant remember why he was then put on another vet prescription diet Eukanuba Intestinal low residue kibble, I did change vets at the same clinic as Patches first vet was very very busy with surgery & was hard to get appointments with, but the Eukanuba worked the BEST, his poos stayed firm, skin cleared up, he still gets his red paws now & then but it worked with his diarrhea the best, then after being on the Eukanuba Intestinal for around 6 months & he was doing really well, I started to try commercial premium kibbles they just didnt work, too many ingredients, fats too high, fiber too high, the last kibble I tried was the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal last month he went real good for the first 2 months, then he started having bad gas of a night & the afternoon poo was sloppy & yellow again…
What I’ve found with the normal kibbles there will be either 1 ingredient that my dog cant eat or there’s too many carbs causing skin problems or sloppy poos, bad wind, so it was back to the vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal within 2 days poos all good again…

At the begining of this year when Patch was doing real well just eating his Eukanuba again & after trying 5 different kibbles that didnt work for him..I started trying new foods just at breakfast time, I kept feeding his Eukanuba Intestinal for lunch & dinner & I started a food elimination diet for breakfast & cause the Eukanuba Intestinal has chicken & turkey, I started with boiled chicken breast as I knew he can tolarate chicken.. I added just rice, Patch had real sloppy yellow poos again, so I stopped the rice & tried boiled egg he did real well on chicken & egg then I added sweet pototo after 2 days, his ears started to itch, I stopped the sweet potato, waited till his itchy ears went away which was 2 days, then I tried a little bit of boiled pumkin, the pumkin worked, he had no reactions, only if I gave to much pumkin mixed with the chicken his poos were softer & more orange, then next morning I added some boiled potato, my god within 20 mins of eating the potato he had a rash all over his chest at first I thought its from our morning walk, he always walks thru shrubs, bushy plants to have his poo, so the next morning I added the potato again & again he was scratching his chest, I looked & the rash was back & that afternoon he had diarrhea like he had gotten back in December when I tried a Fish & Potato kibble, so now I know Potatos are a no no, then I stopped the chicken & I feed tin tuna in spring water, I drain the water & add a bit of pumkin, Patch did real well on tuna & little bit of pumkin, I added the boiled egg, he had no skin reactions or sloppy poos, then I added rice again just to be sure this week & again very very sloppy poos, so I definently know do not feed boiled rice, potatos & sweet potatoes…

I’d try a vet prescription diet first, they are made especially for dogs with diarrhea problems & skin problems from foods, its a starting point…..

Hills Z/d uses hydrolyzed chicken liver & hydrolyzed chicken.. Royal Canin Hypoallergenic uses hydrolyzed soya protein isolate & hydrolysed poultry liver, but the Royal Canin HP uses more oils then the Hills Z/d, there’s soya oil, fish oil, barage oil, marigold extract in the R/C HP, too many oils for my dog thats probably why his poos weren’t firming up.
Royal Canin Sensitivity Control has dehydrated duck & hydrolyzed poultry proteins.
there’s also Raynes K9 Sensitive Gi a few ladies use the Raynes when the Hills & Royal Canin didnt work for their dogs but I dont think Raynes uses hydrolyzed proteins..

I joined groups, either facebook groups or a yahoo groups, the yahoo groups are the best, you get alot of help from people that are going thru the same thing, what foods have worked & what didn’t work for their dogs with diarrhea…there’s a good group on yahoo called “IBDogs” & “K9Kitchen” run by Monica Segal she can help with ur dogs diet if needed & answer questions….
Good-Luck

[Susan]

Hi Beth, yes Patch has had an inflamed Pancreas twice now & I now keep him on a lower fat diet, when Ive tried other kibbles that were higher in fat% (13% & higher) the acid reflux comes back & so does his pain, if I go up in protein % in a new kibble, he has his pain under right paw chest area, he seems to do real well on the vet diet, then I think when I start adding new foods or try getting him off his vet prescription diet & try new kibbles or cooked foods he gets his pain again. 1 vet told me its hard diagnosing Pancreatitis sometimes, he’s found sometimes test will come back all OK but the dog will have all the symtoms of Pancreatitis, so he said now he doesnt really bother with alot of tests if they have mild Pancreatitis & just puts the dog on a low fat diet & the dog normally gets better, if the dog doesn’t get better he said, then he’ll tell owners that we need to do some test..
I also think stress is a problem too, the end of May I started to pack as I was moving, there were boxes everywhere, Patch started following me everywhere I went, he wouldnt let me out of his sight, then I didnt move in the end & the begining of June Patch was vomiting everytime he ate for 2 days & had his pain, so I booked Patch in the next day for an ultra scan by another vet, as his regular vet was all booked up for the next 3 days & the scan came back all good, so what his regular vet said about the no testing, he was right… Patch was put back on a very bland diet & the vomiting stopped, so did his pain, so sometimes their pancreas just needs a little rest…..

Hildie, when I first rescued Patch he was doing poos that looked like a condom over his poos, he also had blood in his poos sometimes & I’d wipe his bum with wet wipes & there would be be light red blood on the wet wipes, it was not everyday but his jelly mucus poos were about every 2 weeks, then one weekend I was up all weekend with sloppy poos then diarrhea then he just pooed a heap of liquid blood & I rushed him to vet, in the end he was diagnosed with Colitis/IBD & put on vet diet a low residue kibble that Ive been trying to stop feeding but everytime I try a new kibble it just doesnt work for Patch, so we go back to the vet diet…if he didnt suffer from the skin problems it would be easier, 1 new kibble will be excellent his poos are perfect then his starts scratching, gets red paws & has itchy ears which Ive found potatoes & sweet potatos & wheat was causing.. so now its back to the drawing board, I’m starting to understand why some owners are feeding cooked horse meat now, its probably the only thing that has help their dogs skin problems & their poos problems at the same time…Im finding he does good on fish, (tuna or salmon) & a bit of pumkin but that doesn’t fill him up he loses too much weight..I need to find foods that fill him up, some people with dogs with IBD & skin problems are feeding Quinoa, Ive read that quinoa to be very healthy & is gluten free..

[Hildie V]

Are you thinking it isn’t pancreatitis then? I asked my vet about Exocrine Pancreatic Insoffeciency and/or pancreatitis and he said the two blood tests he had taken on separate instances when I had taken her in showed heightened levels of Amylase but that he didn’t think it was EPI or Pancreatitis but that we could take a deeper look if needed. But the symptoms on all the websites are different that the gulping, hard swallowing, licking of the air, occasionally vomiting and eating everything off the floor…

The other thing my girl experiences at times is mucus around her stool like a sausage wrapping. And sometimes the stool is green, or a mix of green with a bit of yellow, or sometimes dark and sticky on the outside (not all the way through)

One time her bum bled after a poo…

I am wondering if this is all liked too. The thing is that it’s all so random and never consistent, could be days apart then not happen for 6 months later.

[beth e]

has anyone been told pancreatitis? we have been thru the gulping swallowing that definitely seems like acid reflux. plus throwing up what looks like oatmeal – hours after a meal. we took our cairn terrier to the vet after weeks of on and off symptoms. our regular vet was not in and the substitute diagnosed it as pancreatitis. said we should leave her for an iv. since she has no problem drinking or eating we said we didn’t feel comfortable leaving her as the stress would far outweigh the benefits of the treatment. so she came home with antibiotics, pepcid and tramadol. chicken and rice diet didn’t go well she’d spit out the rice so we went to chicken and green beans. no kibble since we figured that was the oatmeal like substance she was vomiting.. the other dog eats wellness grain free kibble and some wet wellness chicken. ( and she also did before this all started) they both had a teaspoon of greek yogurt before bedtime. now its nonfat greek yogurt. we are sure stress is a big part of the problem since she is constantly looking out the windows for the cats. tight as a piano string if you touch her. the pancreatitis diagnosis is not keeping with the symptoms. she always has an appetite. she used to drink lots i mean lots of water- at one time we suspected diabetes but tests came back no. but since she is off dry food the water consumption at least the dramatic “got to have it and have it all” has stopped and she drinks normally. today i’m wondering if its the cats and she might be allergic to them. this mornng she had a few coughs and swallows – we went out in the backyard on a leash – she walked all around where they hang out came in and coughed and did the acid reflux gurgling on and off for an hour.

[jakes mom]

Yeah,Patty, that’s what I thought, I was hoping there was something kind of in between that would work for both. That would make things easier with just one food.They are eating Purina Fit and Healthy or something like that. Low enough fat for the dog with pancreatitis I guess, and I was surprised that the vet didn’t recommend a low carb food, but she didn’t. I was hoping to use this diagnosis to gently point them toward a better food but if the vet isn’t recommending a change I don’t know what I can do.

[theBCnut]

They shouldn’t be eating the same food. The diabetic needs low carb food. And the pancreatitis dog needs low fat food. All that leaves is high protein, which is expensive. The Honest Kitchen Zeal is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. If they ate separate foods then she could find a low carb for one and a low fat for the other. The low carb one would likely cost more, but only one dog would be eating it.

[jakes mom]

I have a friend whose Chihuahua/border terrier has just been diagnosed with diabetes. There’s also another chi in the house who’s had issues with pancreatitis. Can anyone suggest a good food for them both? Budget is a very big concern. I’m sure raw is not an option, both because of the cost and also the “yuk” factor for the humans. I’m thinking something in the 3 star range, since they eat Purina now.

[Gloria W]

I want to begin an enzyme therapy for my mini schnauzer. can i use sardines instead of salmon? and what about probiotics? what is best. trying to prevent pancreatitis issues.

[John D]

Sue,
I have been told he (My pup) might have Pancreatitis as well. (Not definitive, but a suggestion from my Vet) Petey has been doing great for about two years, but I was going crazy the first two years of his life trying to find the right food, and combination of treats that he could tolerate. Being a Boston he should be known as a vacuum cleaner because he will try to eat everything. I would love to join your group on Yahoo. My email is [email protected]
I was thinking the coconut oil was a tad bit too much for him since it was just introduced to him a week ago. He loves the Grizzly Salmon Oil that is making his coat remarkably good. Thanks again for the suggestions from both you and Katy. Cheers

[Susan]

Hi John, my boy has Pancreatitis, I belong to a group on yahoo for Pancreatits dogs & we were told to stay away from Coconut oil as its a saturated fat, its a hard fat & no good for dogs with Pancreatitis..Do you have to give him all the oils..I would stop the coconut oil in the afternoon & see how he goes, Its so greazy, I bought a jar the other month, I opened it, tasted it, it was too greezy & I never gave it to Patch, I might put it on the outside of his skin if he gets itchy..but he’s doing good at the moment why rock the boat…..

[Tiffany K]

For your Mini Schnauzer….The Honest Kitchen is so healthy as is mainly fish and veggies. This is the dehydrated formula; I believe it is called Zeal You add warm water and let it sit a bit. It looks like green gruel or oatmeal. But, I specifically purchased it for my Pit Bull/Great Dane mix who was hospitalized with pancreatitis (my mother was keeping her and I have never got to the bottom of what she was fed) but it has completely smoothed out her digestion problems , as well as helping her chronic skin allergies. It is just getting her to eat it. It smells exactly like fish food. If you mixed her 3 ounces of chicken in with the Zeal, I am sure she would gobble it down. Another “trick” is I use the chicken broth from boiled chicken as the mixing agent for the Zeal. I hope this helps and your little girl feels better each day.

[Patricia J]

Any opinions on the best canned food product for a 10 yr old diabetic mini schnauzer with many issues? Prone to pancreatitis. Has been DKA 2 times. Very hard to regulate. On Vetsulin 7 units 2 x daily. Has UTI’s constantly due to so much glucose in her urine. Was feeding Authority canned senior chicken. She also gets 3 oz. boiled chicken breast with 1/2 can food, AM and PM feeding. Just changed to Wellness Turkey with sweet potatoe. Any suggestions for high protein, low carb and low fat canned food? I spent hours in Petsmart reading labels and am so confused. I chose the Wellness because it seemed to have the best overall % of protein, fat and carbs. but, if there is a better product for her, I’d love to know about it. Thanks.

[Susan]

Hi, side effects wouldn’t be lasting 2 weeks, she may have another health problem, like Pancreatitis, Does she have a temperature?? maybe go vets & have blood test done…when my boy had a side effect to Advantage he vomited blood the once early hours of the morning, he had swollening side of his head & ear, he was off, not himself, not playing for about 3-4 days & sleeping…The Advantage was the first time I ever used it too, never again…yet I use the Advantage on my cat & he’s always fine…
You say that you used the Frontline Plus the month before, you would of seen side effects the first time when you applied it….I’d say she has a health problem something is wrong…

[Susan]

Hi Ringohop, why I asked about how long after eating does she vomit her kibble, is my boy was vomiting up his kibble 6-8 hours after eating it & it still wasnt digested, so I had to change his kibble, vet said a lower fat & a low residue kibble, he was put on the Vet Prescription Diet Eukanuba Intestinal & the vomiting stopped, but he did get Pancreatitis from the kibble being too high in fat it was 19% fat, now he eat kibbles with fat% from 10%-13.6% fat, I feed the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal limited ingredients for breakfast & lunch & his Eukanuba Intestinal for dinner & he hasnt vomited these kibbles fingers X…. I’d feed wet tin food if I could for breakfast but he has very sloppy poos, so now I found a couple of tin foods where the fat% is 0.3% & 1% fat & I’m trying them with the Wellness Simple kibble for breakfast & his poos are good as long as I mix with his kibble…I mite try with no kibble next week & see if his poos are sloppy again since Ive lowered the fat% so his poos should be good..
When I used the Advantage spot on once, Patch vomited blood about 8 hours after apply it & his side of his face swelled up, by the time I realised & rung his vet the 24hr bad period was over, so vet said no more Advantage as the Advantage goes thru the layers of their skin to their blood, his Vet recommended Frontline Plus spot or the Frontline spray, as the Frontline Plus Spot on only goes thru 2 layers of their skin & he’s was OK on the Frontline Plus…Ive heard that some flea & tick collars can make their dogs ill…
I looked up the Dr Tim Kenesis & the fat min-16% so max fat is probably around 17%-18% max, it mite be a bit high, try a lower fat kibble & see if the vomiting stops, it stopped my boys vomiting….

[Susan]

Hi Chris, have you ever done an elimination diet to see what foods he can’t tolarate make him itchy..My vet said that Elimination diet is the only way that you will really know what foods he’s allergic to..If he can eat raw or cooked that would be the best, start with 1 protein only then slowely add a new food weekly & see what foods makes him itch or gives diarrhea..you know within 2 days if they have a reaction.. I found my boy cant have Potatos, they give him diarrhea & rash all over chest, sweet potatos, he gets itchy ears & keeps shaking his head, wheat, his paws go red & itchy he starts licking them & now chicken cause everytime he has chicken he gets his hive like lumps all over his body..it does take time an elimination diet but you will know 100% what foods he can & cant eat…I have Patch on the ‘Wellness Simple’ Limited Ingredient… He was on the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic kibble but the fat was too high 19% he got Pancreatitis…Eukanuba FP has limited ingredients, its another kibble for skin allergies but its Fish & Potato & Patch got real bad diarrhea, I didnt know back then that it was the Potatos giving him diarrhea until I did the elimination diet, now I know he cant have any kibbles with Potato or Sweet potato & alot of the grainfree kibbles have Potato…. I dont know why they put Potato as potatos are high in carbs & carbs aren’t good for yeasty itchy skin…

[Elizabeth G]

Hello, I am looking to change my dogs food. They are currently on Purina one smart blend but noticed it was NOT recommended. I have looked at the 4 and 5 star foods but am overwhelmed. One of my dogs has a history of pancreatitis so it must not have too much fat. Please no raw food diet. Thank you

[Susan]

Hi T, its not recommended giving dogs table left overs, Yorkshire Terries are one of the breeds at risk of acute form of Pancreatitis, so becareful giving any foods that are high in fats…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_pancreatitis scroll down to “Pathophysiology” & “Risk factors” Im not saying your boy has Pancreatitis or will get Pancreatitis but just be careful with foods that are high in fats as Yorkshire Terriers are prone to Gastrointestinal upsets..
I give my left overs to the cat when Patch isnt looking & feel sorry for Patch but its not worth up setting his tummy/bowel….

[Susan]

Hi Kellye, I’m having the same problem with Patch keeping on his weight he doesnt have Diabetes, he has Pancreatitis & IBD, I want to have him tested for diabetes Ive read that some dogs that have pancreatitis will get diabetes, I was going to have him tested for diabetes….what I do is I look for kibbles with high calories, low fat%. I found the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal has 450 kcal per cup ME but then Patch started scratching his ear I looked at the ingredients again & released it has potato protein Patch cant eat Pototes so now I feed have him the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal it has 406 kcal per cup ME its less then the Duck but its higher then most kibbles that Ive found, I also feed Patch 4 meals a day, you have to work out how many calories ur boy should be getting a day & feed him a bit more, well thats what Ive been doing with Patch & he’s gain 1/2 a kilo in weight but its only been 2 weeks since I started increasing his food… I know with raw they lose weight when you first start, does he need the digestive enzymes..
I know when Patch was eating 1 cup of boiled chicken breast, boiled pumkin & 1/2 a boiled egg mixed altogether he gained all his weight back but then I found out he can’t have chicken so I changed it to tuna in spring water drained & he lost weight again, so boiled chicken breast must have more calories then Tuna does, I know pasta would put on some weight but with diabetes you have to watch their carbs but they are allowed a little bit per day…Have you tried a dog nutritionist for some recipes what he can eat with his diabetes & gain weight awell….on yahoo there’s a group call “K9Kitchen” run by Monica Segal she does recipes for illness..

[Ray T]

Hello, I am new to the forum. I have a one year old miniature Schnauzer. I am aware of their tendency to get hyperlipidemia, pancreatitis and such. Could anyone suggest a dry kibble that is low in fat and would be a good life long food providing it is tolerated. She has been on Blue since puppyhood but have been advised that it may be a little to rich for her.
The prescription brands have a low rating, but are used by Veterinarians, so what should I do?

[Susan]

Hi Kristin, Welcome….Yes, Ive read Lew Olsons book, it’s excellent, I love how she has a food section for health problems, (Pancreatitis, IBD, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease etc) I dont use raw but when I started to cook I got most of my ideas from her book, also she has a yahoo group its in her book…
scroll down to the bottom of this page & click on “Contact Us” then click on “How can I add a custom image to my personal profile?” then you’ll see the link to create your free Gravatar…

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, when I first rescue my boy he was doing sloppy poos with jelly on then & mucus, did the blood tests for parasites all blood test all came back good, vet said Colitis & he was put on Metronidzole for 2 weeks, I went back to feeding him chicken necks for breakfast & his Opitmum kibble & tin food at night again every 13 days he would be up early hours of the morning with his stomach/bowel making gurgling noises & he’d have to go out & do his jelly poos, I called them, then finally vet said looks like he has IBD, he can’t just eat anything, no more chicken necks there’s too much fat & just bone, he needs to be put on a stricted diet, so he was put on Vet prescription Royal Canin Hypoallergenic cause he also has skin problems being a Staffy but the fat was 19% in the R/C HP it was too high fat% then he got Pancreatitis, in the end he was put on Eukanuba Intestinal Low residue kibble, this stopped all the jelly poos stopped his gurlging bowel, I also cooked him boiled chicken breast mixed with a little pumkin, rice & a boiled egg, now Im giving him Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal its a limited ingredient kibble & his poos are excellent better then when he was on the Royal Canin & Eukanuba Intestinal Vet diet, maybe look at the Wellness Complete Health range they have a large breed puppy formula & also give a cooked meal but keep everything the same, very simple once he gets use to the cooked or new kibble dont just change it or rotate it until you’ve worked out what he can eat & what he cant…once I had him just on the Eukanuba Intestinal & he was doing real good for 6moths, I started an elimation diet for breakfast only & his kibble for dinner & I found he couldnt eat Potatos or sweet potatos, he got a rash all over his chest & had diarrhea, if he ate a biscuit with wheat in it his paw would get real red & swollen.. unless thats what you do start an elimantion diet, you start with 1 protein normally boiled chicken & add rice then after 1 week & their poo is good add something else new to their diet for the next week, I saw an reaction within 2 hours of adding the potato, so the next morning I added the potato again to make sure it wasn’t from grass his rash & it was the potato, you can google elmination diets for dogs….
Have you tried a kibble where the protein% & fat% was lower then the Taste of the Wild & seen how he goes..
if you do cook make sure that he has the same meal for at least 4 weeks to settle everything as soon as Id change something in Patches diet he’d be pooing sloppy again, so I started watching what he was eating & writing it all down…can tin fish is good but not in oils, I use tuna in spring water & drain the spring water, I add a little boiled pumkin & a boiled egg you can also get salt free Salmon
another good site is yahoo group called “K9Kitchen” run be Monica Segal..also Lew Olson Book called “Raw & Nutrition for dogs” it has cooked recipes for dogs with health problems, that’s where I started with her book, its only cost $12 on Amazon she explains about using the egg shell after boiling the egg & drying the shell out & crushing the egg shell for their calcuim…..

[Susan]

Hi Kathy, sounds like she has a few things all going on at once, if she is vomiting the kibble, stop feeding the kibble.. try wet tin food instead, if you dont want to cook her meals, or do both cooked for dinner & wet tin for breakfast… Kibble is the hardest to digest, sometimes they need a few months for their stomach to get better & heal…
When Patch was real sick with Pancreatitis, he kept vomiting up his kibble, vet said just feed him boiled chicken & a bit of boiled pumkin, I said but what about the vitamins, the vet said, dont worry about that yet, we have to get him better first, then after eating the chicken & pumkin for about 2-3 months, I started him on the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal, it digest easy, there’s also the Lamb & Oatmeal, Wellness Simple is for skin problems & digestion problems, I soak the kibble in water for 2-3 mins to soften a little then I drain water then put drained kibble on a paper towel & pat dry, but if Patch could tolarate the fat in wet tin foods I’d be giving him wet tin food instead of kibble, just look at the fat% in the wet tin food & try & get one thats around 2%-3% fat as high fat can cause sloppy poo & put on weight being an Lab, she’ll get there, she is 9, she needs a bit of home cooked meals even if you add a bit of boiled pumkin, potato, carrot & make small meals & freeze them for her…

[Pat G]

Have you tried Fromm, I have had great success with the Duck and Pheasant combination. It is low enough in fat for the little guys and an very small kibble. I also have a 5 lb Maltese and he is prone to pancreatitis so I feed him Honest Kitchen Zeal. It is a dehydrated food so a bit messy for their little faces but worth it since it is only 9% fat.

[Kimberly T]

Hello!
I currently have a two year old toy schnauzer suffering from the usual allergy symptoms, chewing or licking of paws, pink itchy skin, etc. I started noticing these symptoms at a very early age, so for one of her regular check ups I brought the issues up to my vet. She stated that allergies don’t tend to start showing up until after they are atleast two years old, and that she was probably just doing “puppy” stuff and I was overreacting. After growing up with schnauzers in my life from an early age, I am pretty aware of “most” of there common health concerns. Our last family baby had diabetes, pancreatitis, and finally went completely blind. My parents always fed low grade food (kibbles n bits, pedigree, royal canine) and now knowing this can lead to so many health issues I have kept my little girl (Sophie) on nothing but 4 and 5 star food. Noticing the allergy symptoms I started to rotate foods to see if anything would help or change, and nothing seemed to help. Within the colder months the chewing decreased, but nothing was cured. Now recently she came back from the groomers in massive pain! Skin and ear problems. I went back to the vet and finally after some tests they said she had bacterial and yeast infections due to what they can only guess is seasonal allergies! After the antibiotics and healing process I am desperate for her to never have to endure such pain from something I feel I could of prevented! Any help on food, vitamins, etc. Would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thank you!!

[2nd2none]

yeah, flagyl usually works like a charm!
transitioning feed should be a slow process, typically from 7-10 to help prevent stomach upset. *white meat should be used with the rice. avoid the dark, as it’s higher in fat and beef should be your last choice unless it’s REALLY lean. same deal with turkey: white meat and stay away from the skin=can cause pancreatitis~another issue….
poop eating (coprophagia) has many different theories. from a nutritional deficiency to just being *really, really hungry. perhaps with the new feed, your dog will do well, get any nutrients he/she may be lacking and feel satisfied upon finishing his food. out of 7 i have one who will eat the other’s stool if i would let her, but being diligent about clean up and watching where she goes when out walking helps to ward off that unwanted behavior.
best wishes.

[Melissaandcrew]

Btw Erin-Check out Dogaware.com for the articles on pancreatitis. Interestingly enough, it states that research has shown that LOW PROTEIN diets can PREDISPOSE dogs to pancreatitis. I love the dog aware site-lots of info on diets for many health conditions, feeding raw etc.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Sue-

I think you have misunderstood my post. As a mini schnauzer owner of well over 25 yrs, I am well aware of schnauzers, pancreatitis, and hyperlipidemia. I have never had a schnauzer who has needed restricted protein due to either of those conditions. I am not sure what you are referencing(study perhaps) that says dogs with chronic pancreatitis require lower protein, and I wholeheartedly disagree with that. Fat must be watched for schnauzers in general, and yes, its more important with those that have had a previous flare up, but levels of ANYTHING tolerated vary widely from dog to dog.

My dogs routinely live to be 16 plus years of age, so no, I have not “gotten lucky”. Its skill and knowledge, and access to state of the art vet care that they live so long. Its pretty ballsy to comment about someone else’s dog’s medical condition and what “might have occurred” without knowing the full facts of the dog. In Meg’s case, she had lupus as well as pancreatitis, which flared up when company would let her get ANYTHING even slightly fatty/greasy-ie meat trimmings, chips etc. One small item of forbidden food, and it was off and running. And yet, all blood work was COMPLETELY normal in between. Please do not think to lecture me on how I possibly could have prevented my deceased dogs medical condition. For the record, she died of LYMPHOMA with a 2 yr quality filled life after diagnosis which is typically unheard of.

Erin-I would not feed a food so low as 22 percent protein. Owning so many of our own schnauzers over the years, as well as dealing with pancreatitis dogs in the vet hospital I worked at, as well as running a rescue specializing in schnauzers, I can only tell you what works for us and the dogs in our care. IF protein were an issue, all my dogs would now be dead as they eat primarily a raw diet, as well as kibble that are all over 33% protein. My oldest are 14,14,15 and 16 yrs. All alive, healthy with perfectly normal blood work confirmed with recent testing. Take all the info every one offers, consult your vet and make a decision that you are comfortable with since you know your dog best. Good luck!

[Bobby dog]

Hi Erin:
I have a bag of Natures Recipe chic, sp, & pumpkin in my pantry. The fat is 12% minimum and protein is 27% minimum so you would have to contact the company to see what the maximums are.

Below are links to lists of low fat dog foods. These brands/recipes are not necessarily for dogs with pancreatitis. One list pertains to low fat & low sodium foods. I know you are not looking for low sodium foods, but they might be a starting place to find brands to look into further.

/best-dog-foods/suggested-low-fat-dog-food/

/forums/topic/dry-dog-food-with-low-salt-and-low-fat/

[Susan]

Hi Jeffery, have you looked at the Wellness Range, its GMO free, dairy free, soy free, no Gluten no wheat & easy to digest,… Wellness has their Core Grainfree, Complete health & their Simple range for sensitive skin & tummy problems…. My boy was diagnosed with IBD & Pancreatitis 1 year ago & put on a vet prescription diet, he got all better then I started looking for a better quailty food….
after trying a few different brand kibbles, I found he couldnt have high protein or high fat diets, he’d have his very sloppy poos/diarrhea
the Wellness Simple limited ingredients Duck & Oatmeal has been the best kibble besides his Vet prescription diet, I think the Wellness Simple is better then the Vet prescription diet as his poos are firmer on the Simple, good-luck & just hope its not IBD & just IBS or something else, as its an awful disease for dogs to have…here’s a link, the Wellness http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/recipes.aspx?pet=dog&ft=1#complete

[Susan]

Hi Melissa, Miniature Schnauzers tend toward developing Hyperlipidemia an excess of circulating fats in the blood…
One study indicated that 57% of dogs who were followed up 6months later after an acute pancreatitis attack either continued to exhibit inflammation of the organ or had decreased acinar cell function, even though they had no panceatitis symptoms…
Alot of dogs that have acute pancreatitis can go back to their normal diet but dogs with chronic pancreatitis have to stay on a low fat, low protein diet & dogs with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) need a low fiber diet as well…next time I come across the link about low protein diet for dogs with Chrinic pancreatitis I’ll post it..
Maybe if you reduced Megs protein a little, Meg mighten of had so many flare ups…You have been very lucky…

[Susan]

I just got an email from VetPro 5 & its not recommended for dogs with Pancreatitis, when converted to dry matter its 21.8%–25% fat, oh well, lucky I never bought it & gave to Patch..I was hoping to find a soft wet meal as well as the kibble, he recommended Hills i/d Gastro at 13% fat, I’d rather stick with the Wellness Simple & Eukanuba Intestinal then Hills…He said they’re always getting emails for a low fat meals, U’d think that they would invent a low fat kangaroo meal…. I’ll have to invent one lol

[Susan]

Hi Erin, Patch cant have wet tin food as he also gets sloppy poo but since I found the Kangaroo at 1.5% fat he’s Ok, so it must of been the highter fat in the other tin foods they were around 4-5% in fat that must of made his poos sloppy..
When I soak Patches kibble in his bowl I drain the water then put the kibble on a paper towel & touch dry & all the kibbles are just soft with a little crunch still & no its the same & doesnt give sloppy poos,
When I first got Patch he was always having sloppy poo then good poos & for about 9 months, we thought it was the fiber, it was flaxseed, then he had a Pancreas flare & it was the higher fat giving him the sloppy poos, so now I make sure I stick around 10% fat for kibbles & 1.5% fat for wet tin foods..
I’d try the Merrick G/F Healthy weight cause the max fat is 11% the protein is 32% min, fiber is 5% but if you have trouble with Merrick it will probably be the protein being to high at 32%
With Pancreatitis some dogs cant have a high protein diet either, thats why Ive never try the Wellness core in the begining cause the protein was 33% & the fiber is 8.5% too high, Patch cant have a high protein, nothing over 24% …also there’s the ‘Holistic Select’ senior at 10% fat & 26% protein, I did try this but I had to take Patch off chicken as vet thought he was allergic to chicken, that’s why he’s on the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal with no chicken fat,
I think that’s why dogs do well on the Vet prescription diets as they are made for illnesses & lower in fat protein & fiber, needed for some dogs with Pancreatitis, you’ll just have to see how ur girl goes, when I joined the dogpancreatitis group on Yahoo I started to learn heaps then I understood why Patch was still having his flares, I was trying to keep his protein high, I’d add a boiled egg to his meal, then he wasnt his usual happy self playing, after eating, I didnt realise that the yoke was too high in fat & protein.. but ur girl will probably be OK, not as bad….

[Susan]

Hi Liz, are you sure its anxiety & not after she eats her meal…maybe she is having pain Patch did this after eating his meals, pacing, shaking, licking his lips, he had pain…..It eneded up being Pancreatitis…