[Maureen L]

I have a 6 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that has been diagnosed with Pancreatitis
(which seems to have cleared up temporarily right now) and IBD. He is currently on Science Diet W/D low fat, high fiber. I would very much like to get him on another food
but not upset his stomach. I will consider cooking food if I have to. Any suggestions.
Thanks – Dee39

[Susan]

Hi Tracey, Shih tzu are known for stomach problems, especially pancreatitis, try a diet that is lower in fat, spewing yellow acid is a sign that she has excess stomach acid, are you sure she doesnt have acid reflux, my boy was suffering from this the begining of the year, I had to cook boiled chicken breast & boiled pumkin & also he was put on 1/3 Zantac every 12 hours 1 hour before food, this fixed the problem, as he hasnt vomited now for months thank- God, also kibbles are processed & harder on their tummy to digest.. You dont say what she is eating change whatever it is she eating, so she wants to eat & smaller meals are best 4 times a day, not the 1 big meal a day, as the acids will eat away at her stomach & will cause stomach ulcers in the end, a nice low fat dry biscuits helps..for her not to want to eat something is wrong, change her diet to a lower fat easy to digest meals & see then if she’s feeling better…nice smelling tuna or salmon as a small meal, I do the tuna & boiled pumkin for a light breakfast as Patch cant stomach his kibble for breakfast, I give the kibble for lunch & dinner but he’s on a low residue kibble that breaks up very easy & now Im adding the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal, but the Holistic Select kibbles broke down easier & when water was added the Holistic Select soften real easy so he’d digest it easier then a kibble that had potatos..

[Bobby D]

My 15 year old rat terrier has diabetes, and just suffered a bout of pancreatitis. The veterinarian put him on Hills prescription i/d canned food. He is doing well on the new diet, but why is this dog food only available from the vet? As far as I can tell from the label, there is no medicine in the food, and there is nothing exotic in the ingredients. The label states that it provides complete and balanced nutrition for growing puppies and maintenance of adult dogs. The veterinarian told me it was quite alright to put my other, non-sick, dog on the same food. So why do you need a prescription?

Bobby Dipole

[theBCnut]

Since you have a schnauzer, it is important that you know Evangers is know for under reporting the fat levels in their food. Schnauzers are predisposed to pancreatitis which can be triggered by eating a high fat meal.

[Myra S]

Mike, I just read your moments on Annamaet Lean. I have been feeding my female dachshund Annamaet for a month now and do agree with you. The only thing I would like to add is it isn’t just for weight control. My female had a bout of pancreatitis several years ago and I’m always careful of the amount of fat in her food. Before feeding Annamaet Lean her abdomen always felt extended no matter how much of the other foods I fed. Since being on Annamaet Lean she is much more comfortable.
Thanks for you dedication

[Yorkiemom]

Lots of opinions, from lots of people who love their Yorkie Babies. I have a sweet little baby girl Yorkie, who is is 6. Our breeder recommended Royal Canin (Yorkie formula) right from the start. when she was about 2, I decided that I would make her own food. Grassfed free range chicken breast, vegetables, a little brown rice. well she started having issues. Then I tried a very well known natural, organic high protein. Long story short. the diet(s) were affecting her ph level and her kidney. She was showing signs of early kidney failure. Yorkies are also susceptible to pancreatitis, so they cannot have extra fat in their diets. (The well known natural food I gave her. Some of the best rated natural dog foods have too much fat for a yorkie) The vet advised that her ph was off die to too much protein in her diet. so I went back to Royal Canin Yorkshire 28, and she has been healthy and happy ever since.
Regardless of the claims, most dog foods appear to be manufactured as one size fits all. It may be a quality food and great for some breeds, but none of them, EXCEPT Royal Canin takes into consideration the specific needs of each breed. My little girl is healthy again, and I learned a valuable lesson at her expense. If you are having success with other foods, good for you. Many many Yorkies have become champion show dogs eating Royal Canin.
My sweetheart is active chasing squirrels, rabbits and deer every day. She eats after her morning activities. She is healthy and happy. Hasn’t been sick since we switched back to Royal Canin Yorkshire 28. I highly recommend it!
Please don’t bash me on here like I’ve seen others bashed. Simply sharing my experience to keep Yorkies happy and healthy.

[chris h]

Hi ,I’m also very new to forum. My 15 year old miniature dash hound just diagnosed with pancreatitis refuses to anything any suggestions???

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, and I’m sorry to hear that your little dog has this. I’m not recommending Hills but the diarrhea is probably coming from an abrupt diet change. I’m sure you didn’t transition to the Hills…I apologize if I’m wrong on this. Anyway, there are a few foods I would consider for a dog prone to pancreatitis. Annamaet Lean is a good food (annamaet.com). It can be ordered form Chewy.com or Wag.com, and other places. I can’t get it locally so I would have to order online. Wellness Core Reduced Fat is another I would try. Wellness is available most places like Petsmart and Petco. Wellness also has a Small Breed Healthy Weight that might work and a line called Simple that has a healthy weight formula. I love Wellness. Victor dog food (I order mine from Sportdogfood.com) has a senior formula that looks good, too. Remember, whatever you choose try to transition slowly from whatever he’s eating now. If that’s not possible try adding some plain canned pumpkin to the food to help firm up stools during transitioning. Not pie filling, just plain pumpkin.

[Bobby D]

Hi, I’m new to the forum. My 15 year old diabetic male rat terrier (Skeeter) now has pancreatitis. He underwent treatment over the weekend at the vet. The veterinarian sent him home with a case of “Hills prescription diet i/d Canine Gastrointestinal Health”. (No more Alpo Chop Shop!) I understand that a low fat diet is essential, and the new food is indeed low fat. I put Skeeter and my younger female rat terrier (Dixie) both on the new food. Now both dogs have diarrhea. BTW, the Hills is far from it’s expiration date. I’m afraid to give them anymore. What should I feed them? Is it normal for a diet change like this to cause diarrhea?

Bobby Dipole

[Susan]

Hi Iosul, May I ask a few quiestions, Patch had an ultra scan last Thursday cause he was vomiting up only his kibble for 2 days & had his pain under right side rib cage again…his Ultra Scan came back all good, this new vet said IBD like Patches first vet has said but Im having troubles believing that he has IBD as Patch suffers more stomach reflux & burping, I feel that Patch has GERDs this new vet wants Patch on Prednisolone 30mg daily for 2weeks then we reduce, I told him about Patches stomach & Patches bad acid & bringing up his chicken & pumkin when he burps so I put it on toast now & this keeps it down, he just said give him Zantac as well then he said that the Prednisolone will fix his red paws, I told him that his paws go red only when it rains & he walks on wet grass as we’ve had rain again for over 1 week, now Patches paws have cleared up again cause there’s been no rain plus I try not to walk him on wet grass…Ive read that Prednisolone isnt good for dogs with Pancreatitis or Stomach problems as it can cause stomach ulcers, I still havnt given Patch his Prednisolone, Ive been giving him his Zantac again & Patch seem much better..see I stopped his Zantac about 2 months ago as he was doing much better & all his reflux went away he stopped waking up in the middle of the nite with Patch swollowing & swollowing acid, it all stopped only some mornings he’d be a bit burpy, The only way to see if he has IBD is to cut him open like his other vet wanted to do & I wouldnt let him as Patch doesnt have no diarrhea no more since Ive worked out that he needs a low fat diet, Im even wondering does he have pancreatits as the ultra scan came back all good but the Pancreas mite be getting better & not be swollen as Patches pain did start 2 weeks ago when I started moving, he started following me like I was leaving him behind, I feel that he started to stress himself out & has givin himself acid thru stress.. I have GERD & he seems to have alot of my symtoms.. first vet tried Losec 20mg but Patch had a reaction on the 2nd day his gums went white & he was acting real weird & falling over, I had to carry him home from the beach that morning maybe 20mg was too high for a 18 kilo dog he was 18kilo back then now he’s around 16-17 kilos …what would you do if Patch was ur dog, you mentioned supplements Ive read abit about L-Gutamine but I live Australia do I go to the health foods store & use a human one also what do u mean when u say incubating. I give Patch a probiotic every moring Ive been doing that since last August..Ive been too scared to try any oils at this time, I dont want to aggravate his stomach in anyway..

[losul]

Jerry, I think you’ll find this a great site for info about EPI.

http://www.epi4dogs.com/

They also have an active forum where you can participate and ask questions.

http://www.epi4dogs.com/apps/forums/

According to epi4dogs, most EPI dogs do respond best to a low fiber diet and higher or mid range protein food, but it may take some experimentation to find what works best for your dog. Have you considered raw or homemade food?

Also according to them, <b>unless there is a concurrent medical condition</b>, It’s usually best not to restrict fat intake, <b>as long as they are receiving the proper type and dose of enzymes, and B12 and antibiotics if needed</b>.

If your dog also has SIBO and B12 deficiencies, I think it’s usually much safer to try tylosin/tylan first rather than metrondiazole, which I would consider a dangerous antibiotic, especially in longer terms.

If cost of the pancreatic enzymes is an issue, enzymediane has a cost analysis, I think you will find theirs the lowest pricing ordering direct from them (pancreatin 6X or 8X)

http://www.enzymediane.com/enzymecomparisonchart.htm

It sounds like you are preparing the food with the enzymes correctly. (with water, near room temp., 20 minutes, etc. ) but maybe you need to experiment with the dosages?
——————

Sue66b, I know you and Patches have been through a tremendous lot and I really feel for you and Patches. Always wanted to tell you that I think Patches is a VERY handsome fellow. Would love to see a good and long lasting solution for Patches troubles. Just wondering, since Patches has had repeated bouts of pancreatitis, which can damage the pancreas ability to produce enzymes, also insulin, and also has SIBO ( I think?), has he ever been tested and diagnosed with EPI? Have you ever tried pancreatic enzymes?

“· Always confirm EPI with a trypsin-like immunoreativity (cTLI) blood test (12 hour fast). Normal range is between 5.0 – 35.0
· Whenever there is persistent gastro upsets and weight loss, it is advisable & economical to do a cTLI blood test.”

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by losul.

[Susan]

Hi Jerry, With EPI, dogs need a low fat & low fiber diet, the Purina one would have to much fiber for EPI thats why she is pooing so much ..My boy has IBD & Pancreatitis & was put on Eukanuba Intestinal low residue vet prescription this has really helped its 10% fat & 1.75% in fiber & he does just 2 nice firm small poos a day. Ive slowely been adding the “Holistic Select” Senior Chicken Meal & rice its 10%-fat 26%-protein & breaks up very easy, I add water & within 1 mintue the kibble has soften also the Eukanuba Intestinal softens within 1 minutue, thats how you can tell if a kibble is soft or hard the harder kibbles take forever to soften especially if they have potatos…hard kibble are to hard on their Pancreas & cause pain Ive found, can ur girl eat tin wet food cause thats better for Pancreatits a low fiber & low fat… there’s kibble & tin food that a few people on this site reconmend that’s sold at Walmart called Pure Balance or Rachel Ray that are suppost to be better then Purina one & are a good price there’s another one but I cant remember the name for tummy problems, I live Australia so we have different kibbles but we do have the Purina one sold at the supermakets & its high in fillers & the fiber is 5-6% I wouldnt feed that to Patch he’d be pooing & pooing & have his stomach pain..also I give Patch a probiotic to help with his digestion & bowel…

[Susan]

Hi, my boy was dignosed with Pancreatitis & IBD when Ive tried a kibble that was high protein Patch had his pain again, Ive slowely been adding the Holistic Select Senior health kibble cause the fat% is 10% the protein is 26% so far he’s good but Im still mixing the kibble with his Eukanuba Intestinal vet prescrition diet..Try to get a kibble similar to the hills fat% & protein % & slowly go up & see how u go, dont just go from 20% protein to a 30 something % protein he may relapse & get his pancreatitis again Ive tried the Wellness core & the protein was too high for Patch maybe ur boy will be different but just go slow very slow & see how he copes..

[Susan]

Has anyone used prednisolone, (Steriod).. Im sooo against this drug & for 8months I’ve been saying no about giving Patch Presdnislone, Patch had an Ultra Scan today as he’s been very ill again all week with vomiting up his kibble un-digested, Ultra Scan came back all good for Pancreas, Gallblader etc. Vet said that its his Irritable Bowel Disease thats causing all his stomach problems & wants him on Prednisolone 5mg tablets, 3 tablets in the morning & 3 at night, then in 2 weeks we see vet again to reduce the dose… I dont understand how can the Prednisolone help his stomach acid, vomiting & burping, Ive googled the drug & its side effect it can cause pancreatitis & stomach ulcers, He doesnt have diarrhea, I told the vet that he hasnt had diarrhea since December when he tried a new a grainfree kibble with potatos…I got the prednisolone but havnt given Patch any yet..I just cant understand how this drug is going to help his stomach problems, maybe I dont understand IBD properly has anyone used this drug & was it for IBD??… I asked a pharmacist today & he said as long as he’s not on it more then 1 month he should be OK…I looked up doses & it says 1mg per kilo & Patch has lost more weight now he’s only 16.90 kilos now, he once was 18-19kilos I know the Prednisolone helps gains weight but thats cause it makes dogs thirsty & hungry..any advice…so far Ive has Patch drug free, just a stricted low fat diet..

[Susan]

Hi, have you tried the Holistic Select kibbles they are Hydrolized proteins & the kibble is a low residue kibble…low residue means that the kibble breaks up more easier in the dogs stomach & when water is added to a low residue kibble it will soften straight away they are not real hard kibbles..alot of grainfree kibbles are very very hard exspecially if they have poatoes they go straight thru Patch.. I have my boy on the Eukanuba Intestinal as he has I.B.D, Pancreatitis & seasonal allergies, itchy skin….he was on the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic kibble & this gave Patch very very sloppy poos as the fat% was 19%, now Patch is on the Eukanuba Intestinal a low residue kibble fat is 10% it has cleared up Patches skin & fixed his sloppy poos… Ive been slowly adding the Holistic Select senior Chicken & rice the Fat% is 10% the Protein is 26% & the kibble softens straight away if I add water….. You probably wont find a low residue kibble that is grainfree, I prefer a kibble with just a few good grains like rice & oatmeal..I dont mind oatmeal as the oatmeal helps sooth Patches tummy & bowel…. http://www.holisticselect.com they do have 2 grainfree kibbles also..Good-luck its so hard finding a kibble that agrees with a dog with digestion problems, its taken me 1 year to find the Holistic Select kibbles that break up easy & dont upset Patches tummy but he still on the Eukanuba aswell I mix them together now or sometimes he has 1 kibble for lunch & the other kibble for dinner.. I ask him which one & he picks the kibble thats in containers.. I just wish I could do the whole rotation thing like a lot of people do on this site but Im just so happy that Patch is pooing normal & I can pick it up with no messes on someones lawn..

[Susan]

Hi, my rescue English Staffy boy that I rescued about 17months ago sounds like ur girl, Ive been having problems with his paws & ears since Feburuary, he was put on an elimation diet I found he cant have sweet potatoes & potatos make him itch more probably cause of the carbs in the Potatos Ive found that when he walks on wet grass of a money his paws are worst, making them red & itchy Ive been putting Cortic-DS 1% cream that I use for myself this cream will clear his paws if I put on at night before bed when he wakes up his red sore paws are all better I go for our morning walk then by lunch he’s starting to lick his feet if he has walked on grass..with his ear vet gave me Dermotic (ear & skin suspension) these drops clear his ear with days of applying very good ear drops, Have you tried the Holistic Select Anchovy Sardines & Salmon meal Adult Health kibble this kibble has No Peas beef or Chicken & has helped my friend Staffy & Ive told another lady at the park & now her mix breed staffys skin & itches have cleared up..my boy isnt on the Anchoy sardine & Salmon he’s on the Holistic Select Senoir as he also suffer from I.B.D & Pancreatitis & the Senior is a lower fat%….I also have taught Patch No Lick & everytime I see him lickin his paws, I tell his no & in the begingin I’d put him in a shallow bath with Detol Antseptic lotion or betadine, & soak his paws 3 times a week this helped kill the fungus & bacteria inbetween the toes, also no Potato, Sweet Potato make the yeast worst..

[Susan]

Hi, try a kibble that is lower in fat%, Fiber% & maybe lower in protein & see how she goes..thats what the vets did with my boy & touch wood he hasn’t had diarrhea since last year….he was diagnosed with I.B.D & Pancreatitis & needs fat%-10% & under, fiber around 4% or under & protein around 26% or under. I also give cooked boiled chicken breast & a bit of boiled pumkin for breakfast mixed & mashed all together, then the kibble at lunch & dinner….he does 2 perfect poos a day now.. I tried the Wellness Complete Health kibble & he had bad diarrhea so I never tried the Wellness Core the fat, fiber & protein was to high for Patch…but I have him on the Holistic Select kibble as it break up more easy & is easier to digest, the protein is hydrolized making it easier to digest..he is still on the vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal it is also a low residue kibble that breaks up more easy… Ive been slowly mixing in the Holistic select kibble, I have him on the Senior cause the fat% is 10% & fiber is 3.50% protein is 26%..just have a look what the fat% & protein % is in the Urinary Gold is see if she is better, Its taken me 1 year to realize that the fat% was making him have the runs & needed a lower fat%…poor boy…

[Nancy A]

Hello, We have a mini long-haired Doxie mix (with what, we wish we knew!) who has food protein allergies, and a long-haired Chihuahua mix (again, the mix is a mystery) who has had frequent bouts of pancreatitis (he has been stable for quite awhile now). We prepare the food for our allergic dog using a product called BalanceIT.
https://secure.balanceit.com/
BalanceIT was created by a vet (formerly on the UC Davis faculty) and products include supplements for making homemade food as well as a product that you simply add to a protein source (if vegetarian, either nuts or tofu) and gives you the recipe. I’ve recommended it three times on this forum today alone (I swear I’m not an employee, it just works for us). Good luck–when our little guy ends up in the hospital my husband thinks I need a psychiatrist (I probably do).

[Susan]

Hasn’t the vet put him on a vet prescription diet to see if the diarrhea will stop, then go from there, I know alot of people dont like vet diets but they are money back if they dont work & they may help ur dog until you work out whats happening.. with a lot of the grain free kibbles they have potatoes my boy cant eat the potato kibbles, 1 they are too hard to digest & go thru him, also German Sheperds are known for Pancreatitis what my boy has ..My boy has I.B.D & Pancreatitis he needs a low fat diet under 10% fat also he cannot eat boiled rice as it irratates his bowel giving him diarrhea..I give boil chicken breast with pumkin instead & this has helped him also he’s on a vet prescrition diet Eukanuba Intestinal & now he is doing real good after being on the Intestinal since August 2013 now Im so slowley mixing the Intestinal with Holistic Select Senior the fat is 10% the Protein is 26% & the fiber is 3.50% so far so good…it will say on the bag of kibble how much to feed a 18lb dog…..

[Susan]

Hi Nona MS, ur better off posting ur own post so people will read & see it better in Diet & health issues.. click on forums up the top scroll down to the 5th “Diet & health issues” click on this then scroll down passing everyones problems then u see ‘New Topic Title’ type put ‘Need help for a good Senior food for sensitive tummy’ then in the bigger box underneath type whats wrong, how old ur dog is etc then tick the box that says notify me follow up replies then click submit….
Im trying Holistic Select Senior “Chicken Meal & Rice” for my boy that has a Irritable bowel & Pancreatitis at the moment, this is only 10% fat & low fiber 3.50% & it is easliy digested kibble, so far everything is going good but Im still only 50/50 half the new Holistic Select Senior the other half his old kibble “Eukanuba Intestinal” which is also a good kibble for sloppy poos I just dont like him being on just 1 kibble say something happens & I cant get his Intestinal this way I have 2 kibbles that I know will agree with him..

[Susan]

Hi, the Royal Canin gastro is a low fiber kibble at -1.7% & dietary fiber- 8.6% & low fat-7% as my boy suffers from IBD & Pancreatitis, I could either pick the R/C gastro or the Eukanuba Intestinal.. I picked the Eukanuba as there’s was no by-products & the kibble breaks up real easy (low residue), the Eukanuba cleared his diarrhea up within 2 days.. the vets first tried a higher fiber kibble the Intestinal Plus at 4% fiber which made him worst…my vet wanted Patch on the Eukanuba Intestinal for 1 year to heal the bowel, dont rush these things as you can have a set back & ur girl may get her diarrhea back again, I know the vet prescription food has ingredients that no one likes but it has helped her, the vet prescription diets are made for a reason, Im not a fan but I too got all excited when Patch was pooing beautiful & I could go on a walk & pick it up, so I did the same thing after 3 months I went looking for a better kibble last Nov-Dec, 1 week into slowly changing Patches kibble he got his diarrhea real bad again as soon as he’d eat he’d run to the front door to have to go poo, it was water no blood thank god. I had to put him back on his Eukanuba Intestinal & then 2 days later he was all good again.. Im in the middle of changing is kibble again thats after Patch being on the Eukanuba for 9months now to the Holistic Select Senior he’s only 5years old Patch but the Holistic Select Kibbles are all Low Residue kibbles & they break up real easy… I do my hot water test.. I put a couple of kibbles in boiling hot water, I count to 40 then I pull out 1 kibble, I put the kibble inbetween 2 small teaspoon & crush if it crushes real easy after 40 sec without much pressure I know its a good kibble that will break up easy in his tummy, I’ve tried the Nutro Natural Choice Chicken & rice as this kibble is guaranteed that your dog will do firm poos, Patch did firm poos but he got stomach reflux from the kibble so I tried the lower fat Nutro kibble Lamb & rice he still got his acid reflux, when I did the hot water test the Nutro was a hard kibble it didnt crush easy very hard, so back to the Eukanuba Intestinal, now we are trying the Holistic Select as there’s a good range of flavours & the fiber is low 3.50%…Just take it so slow & its not that bad that she’s on a vet prescription just for now & Ive being soooo slowly changing Patches kibble, Ive been doing it for 1 month now just mixing about 1/4 of a cup to his Intestinal, I also give boiled 1/2 shreaded boiled chicken breast & 2 tablespoon of pumkin mashed together for breakfast his poo is a bit soft eating the chicken & pumkin, I know cause he does 2 poos a day the morning poo is brown/orange (pumkin) & a little softer then his lunch poo which is nice & firm that must be his kibble poo… Lol if you change find a kibble with the same % fat & fiber at first, but Im pretty sure the R/C gastro is a low fiber diet so is the Eukanuba Intestinal at 1.7% fiber..Good-Luck..also you can email the kibble companies for more info as some will say min fiber 3% or min fat% 10% I email them asking for maximum fiber % & fat %, Wellpet is very good they respond within 1 day, Holistic Select is ‘Well Pet’ so is Wellness range & Eagle Pack another low fat & low fiber kibble but I havnt done the test to see if the Eagle Pack breaks up easy..I know the Wellness complete health & Core kibbles are very hard that’s the one that gave Patch the runs again the White Fish & Sweet potato complete health kibble…

[Susan]

With the Elimination diet you must only give the 1 food for at least 2 weeks, my vet said 1 month, but I saw Patches reaction within 2-3 days after giving sweet potatoes, you cannot give any ather foods, nothing else, no treats, no oils nothing, then if ur dog isnt scratching or has diarrhea then you add another food like rice or I added pumkin, its very hard & takes time, Ive stopped at the Chicken, pumkin, boiled egg, bannana, But if u can afford the Holistic Select this is an excellent kibble the Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon, meal for scratching & itchy skin, its the best seller at our Pet Barn with the itchy dogs, I cant use that flavour as my boy has Pancreatitis so Ive got Patch on the Senior, Holistic Select cause the fat is low 10%..then when his itch clears up, Holistic Select has Duck Meal, Lamb & Rice meal & Chicken & rice they also have a grainfree turkey & lentils. you can rotate feeds so when 1 bag has finished buy him a new flavour & see how he goes the Duck kibble is just duck as the protein so is the lamb meal so if ur dog does have any food allergies but its rare for dogs to have food allergis only 5% of dogs, but stay away from the high carbs potatoe, sweet potato, rice is OK its a low Gi carb its a good carb.. it gets complacated, so Ive been just sticking with the Holistic Select & Patches Vet Pescription kibble as he has a few health problems & he’s been doing good with his skin, stomach & bowels, I dont want to push it…Good-Luck hope Chance is looking beautiful & shinning in a month, you watch his fur after being on a good premium food..he’ll shine…

[Susan]

I didnt notice that you said can wet, the kibbles I said do do wet tin foods, the Holistic Select senior has the least fat% always look at the fat% & slowly reduce the amount ur giving…..I wish my boy had to lose weight, he has the opposite problem cant hold his weight from having Pancreatitis..I cook pumkin & boiled chicken breast u might want to do raw chicken breast take skin off any of the chicken meats if you use, this keeps the weight off as thats what Patch has for breakfast & has lost more weight also I give rice cake biscuits as treats there’s no fat in these oh & some dehydrated apple & banana as treats…

[Susan]

Have you tried the Holistic Select Senior chicken meal kibble it breaks up easy, not to hard on their digestion & the fat is 10%.. My boy has Chronic Pancreatitis & IBD, Im mixing this kibble with his vet prescription kibble at the moment but I boil chicken breast & I boil butternut Pumkin sometimes I’ll boil an egg as well,, I put the chicken breast, pumkin & boiled egg into a mini food processor & mush it all together my boy loves it, I give this at breakfast as that’s when Patch seems to be in pain of a morning then I do kibble lunch & dinner..Ive read that pumkin is good for their tummy & bowel, dont use to much pumkin.. I give Patch about 2 tablespoons of pumkin with about 1 cup of shreaded cooked chicken…at first his poo was a bit soft I could tell it was the pumkin as the poo was orange but over time his poos firmed up again..also oats are suppost to be soothing on their tummy, the Holistic Select kibble has oats in it..Ive been too scared to try the Coconut oil at this time maybe latter.. my cat loves the pumkin & chicken as well I’ve never seen him at the front door as much as now Ive been cooking for Patch..also I give banana & some apple for treats..

[Susan]

Vets probably see results when a dog or cat is sick when givin Prescription diets, so they like the prescription diets..I dont like my boy being on his Eukanuba Intestinal but it was & is the only kibble that has helped with his IBD, Pancreatitis & his seasonal itchy skin..but I’ve been adding Hoilistic Select kibble with his Eukanuba Intestinal.. I want to take him off his prescription diet fully but Im worried he’ll get real sick again & I can hear my vet telling me not to give him anything else for 1 year we need his bowel to heal, I thought, 1 year, Ive not listen to her & we ended up back at the vets last December…If your dog is getting better on the vet diet think of him & not what everyone is doing on this site, then slowly when summer is over slowley start & mix the vet diet with another good kibble & see if he starts having his health problems again..thats what Im doing, we are Autumn here in Australia & Patches skin is stable at the moment, no scratching no itchy ears, so Im going to increase the Holistic Select & see if his itch starts again fingers X..

[Susan]

Its just that you say that when ur dog was 5months he was diagnosed with Dermodectic mange now he’s 1yr old, it should be all cleared up by now, unless the treatmant didnt work properly.. Big Dog Rescue rescues Dogs from pounds that have Mange & within 3 weeks you see a big improvement with their skin, you could send a msg to Mina at Big Dog Rescue on F/B & ask her what treatment she uses for the pound dogs that have had mange.. I know she just feeds them Royal Canin kibble as it gets donated to big dog rescue by R/C, so food doesnt seem to make a difference with mange as its mites that are living on the dogs body..
I’d have another skin scraping & see if the mites are still there….or maybe ur dog has another problem with his skin, I feed Patch vet prescription diet Eukanuba Intestinal cause he has Pancreatitis & IBD & that has corn in it & his skin cleared up when he was put on the Eukanuba Intestinal..weird I know corn is suppost to bad, I have also started a elimination diet 2 months ago & realised that sweet potatos & potato made him itch, then vet said that Patch has seasonal allergies from pollens grasses etc… & was put on an Anthistimine & hydrocortisone cream, I just use my cortisone cream, as soon as I see him starting to scratch, I put the cream on where he’s scratching if he hasnt had a bath within 7 days he has his bath & I have to leave his shampoo on for 10mins then rinse… its time consuming but in the end it all pays off when he’s itch free…not keeping me up at night licking & scratching…

[Susan]

Hi, do you want to feed less so she wont want to poo? I feed my boy 5 times a day cause he has Pancreatitis & other stomach problems with digestion, Even though I feed him 5 small meals a day he only does his 2 poos aday, 1 on his morning walk & another poo on his lunch time walk, I’d walk her twice in the day & get her into a routine with the pooing & weeing, A nice 20min walk before you go to work, she’ll start to realise that she can’t wee or poo while ur working & will do her business on her walks, u’ll also get to know when she is pooing & how many aday, then thats when you walk her if she just does the 1 poo a day.
I’d start her routine 1 month before you start work..when I first got my boy he was pooing whenever & about 3-4 poos a day, I live in a unit & this was driving me nuts as he was sick & had diarrhea on & off, it has taken a while to find out all his health problems & what to feed him, but 1 yr later & Ive finally have him in my routine…

[Susan]

Kibble is the worst food to feed a dog, its just easy for us the humans, no cooking, no mess, instant….best is raw, then cooked, then freeze dry….. My boy has Pancreatitis & vet said try not to feed kibble if I can & I notice after Patch has his kibble he seems uncomfortable & burps more & Ive got him on a low residue kibble that breaks up real easy & I add water to soften as well….some kibbles are real real hard, especially the kibbles with potatos, sweet potato & grounded rice.. I add hot water to a couple of the kibbles if they dont soften within 1 min, I dont use them….

[Susan]

Hi. since ur cooking why dont you start an elminantion diet with meats, say u start with chicken, boil a chicken breast & just add say 1/4 cup with rice or whatever she has eaten before & hasnt scratched, you’ll know within 2-3 days if she’s allergic to the chicken if she starts scratching, then if the chicken goes good least she can have 1 meat in her diet…then after 1 month if you feel like trying another meat like Kangaroo..Kangaroo is very low in fat a very lean meat.excellent for pancreatitis,

[Susan]

My boy was just diagnosed 2 months ago, I boil chicken breast, boil butternut pumkin & a boiled egg..I shread the chicken breast & mash it all together, I get enough chicken breast & pumkin for 1 fortnight & cook it all then freeze little meals..I just give the cook meal for breakfast & his kibble at night, Ive read that kibble isnt good for dogs with Pancreatitis, ur better off with a real low fat wet food, its easier to digest, I cook cause Im in Australia & the wet food fat % isnt low enough in fat, the lowest I can get is 3% fat, thats the Wellness senior…it needs to be around 1% fat, U’ll have to learn how to convert wet fat % into dry matter its easy, My vet also said when on a kibble fat% has to be under 10% fat, he said, he likes it to be 8% fat, alot of senior foods are low in fat but. You say she has a slight meat allergy that makes her itch, you sure its not carbohydrates, Carbohyrates make dogs itch, my boy cant have potatos or sweet potatos, he goes nuts scratching & his ears start to itch as well….Im sure other people on here will have some really good low fat foods..

[Jodi W]

hello! My dog (10 years, border collie mix) is currently in the hospital being treated for pancreatitis. Of course she will need a low fat diet when released (hopefully tomorrow!), but there is a caveat – she has a slight meat allergy. Too much meat and she itches like a crazy person. As a result, I currently feed her Natural Balance Veggie formula. Any suggestions on a new diet? There is a nutritionist at the hospital and she will help me develop a new diet, but thought I’d do a bit of research on my own. TIA

[Susan]

My boy has Pancreatitis & he’s having trouble keeping on his weight, so I cant give high fat & proetin diet, he also he has skin problems, so I cant give him a high carb diet as it makes him itch.. I’ve been giving him 4 meals a day, this has helped but I still see his bottom ribs, the vet reckons that he’s looking good but I’d like another 2-3 kilos on him, its hard when he loves his big walks, so Ive been driving to the parks lately so we aren’t walking to the park, I’ll see if that helps him..
If the kibble says 4 cups then give her 5 cups but spread feeds out thru the day, breakfast lunch & dinner, then about 1 hour before bed I give Patch a couple of bickies…

[Susan]

Hi Wanda, Ive been looking at the chicken hearts & chicken livers at the supermaket butchers but Patch has Pancreatitis & IBD so I need to watch the fat in meats, when I introduce a new food I do it so slowly. With the livers & hearts do you lightly boil so the fat comes out of them…. do u just give 1 heart or 1 liver a day….I know when Patch has had liver treats he gets diarrhea, so I wonder would he get diarrhea from the freshly cooked liver…

[Susan]

Poor girl, sounds like Colitis, my poor boy was having colitis last year, I have him on a low fat diet now, I prefer Holistic select to wellness, they are made by the same company Wellpet but the Holistic select protein is Hydrolized making it easier to digest, I found the wellness kibbles too hard & my boy couldnt digest them…I have my boy on the Senior health chicken meal & rice, its only 10% fat, I mix this with my boys vet prescription diet & use the Holistic select as treats as well..my boy is only 5 years old but I dont think it matters that its a senior diet, Ive check out everything & the only difference is the glucosamine is higher so is the protein but the fat is the lowest something that is needed for Colitis & Pancreatitis.. Hope she gets well soon..

[Susan]

When I got my boy over 1 year ago, he had real bad skin problems, no hair around his neck & his front & back right legs, it looked like he was tied up & a rope had cut into his legs where he’d pull, the neck was a mystery, 1 vet said it was from one of those real thick studded leather collars, another vet said it was from a choker chain collar, also he had real thin hair on the top of his head, no hair around tail base, looked like flea allergy, vet put him on the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic kibble, back then I didnt know much about kibble 2 months after being on the R/C Patch became real ill, he wasnt playing, kept licking & licking his mouth, burping, diarrhea, I asked for a Pancreatitis test but it came back all good, then I changed vets as where I go there’s about 5-6 vets, the vet I was seeing at the time wouldnt change Hypoallergenic kibble, being a prescription diet I need the vet to change so one of the ladys behind the counter said to see the American vet called Sue she is more of a holistic vet what I like, she changed the R/C vet diet to Hills Z/D, I took the Z/D home & read all the ingredients & wouldnt give it to Patch & took it back & got my $100 back, then she put Patch on Eukanuba Intestinal.. I read all the ingredients & cause he was having real bad diarrhea the Intestinal is guaranteed to stop diarrhea within 2-3days probably the corn but corn is the only bad ingredient this rest is good chicken & turkey & limited ingredients.. out of the 3 vet prescription diets I found that the Eukanuba is the best, & its the only one that has helped Patch being a low residue kibble it gave Patches stomach a rest but I believe the stupid Royal Canin made Patch ill, whatever was in it R/C. Finally found out 2 months ago Patch has Pancreatitis & needs a low fat diet the R/C Hypoallergenic was 19 % crude fat so that would of brought on the Pancreatitis..It did help his skin but I think any good food would of helped his skin…
People believe in their vets & think that they know best, its sad especially when ur animal is so sick you think that ur dog is getting the best food at the time…

[Susan]

I rescued my boy just over 1 year ago & he too has bowel, tummy & skin problems..For some reason corn must bind them more, Patch is on vet prescrition Eukanuba Intestinal since last August when vets said he has IBD, it has corn also, I found the Eukanuba heaps better then Hills & Royal Canin … His skin stopped being itchy, no more diarrhea, the Hills & Royal Canin never helped him…This Janurary I’ve been slowing adding different foods & different kibbles but so slowly but Ive been cooking the chicken breast boiling it cause of the fat.. also I found that the Nutro natural choice & Holistic Select have been good kibbles with his diarrhea…he also gulps, so Im too scared to give any bones, I dont want to push my luck as he’s pretty stable at the moment, I also have read that raw & kibble is no good but if you give at different times it should be OK, I give cooked for breakfast then do kibble for lunch & dinner, that way he’s getting all his vitamins from his kibbles .. Last year my vet said NO to raw especially when I was giving chicken necks, he said to me, they’re are just bones & fat would you eat bones & fat, I said no….so now I cook chicken breast, pumkin & freeze cause 2 months ago I found out that Patch has Pancreatitis poor thing, last year vets were trying this kibble trying that kibble & all along he needed a low fat kibble we thought it was the fiber being to high but it was the fat % that was too high…
I think for some reason they seem more special when they have been rescued, they have had it tough & are survivors…You’ll work it all out but it does become confusing…. just stay away from the carbohydrates with his skin problems, no potatos or sweet potatos in kibbles..

[Susan]

Hi, I’m a vegetarian to, I hate meat, all those poor animals getting killed.. I was thinking of giving Patch a raw meaty bone once a week but Im worried as he has Pancreatitis, in the book im reading at the moment the vet suggest Raw Brisket bone or Mutton flaps as they are ideal because the dog needs to really use their teeth to crack crush & tear these down to small pieces, their gums & teeth benefit enormously from this activity. I dont know what a brisket bone is or what’s a mutton flap, but the rib bones sounds good, Ive seen BBQ ribs u can slice 1 off, but mite be a bit small for Patch it would be gone in 1 minute. I’d have to have a look at them all at the butchers & ask the butcher what meat bones would have the least fat beef, lamb or pork, also does anyone pour boiling hot water over the bone to kill any germs & bacteria….

[Naturella]

Ok, guys, so I did some reading on the cat food and dogs subject, and what I read seems halfway plausible and halfway um… strange? (I meant to write “ridiculous”, but I won’t cause I don’t know if it truly is.)

So it says that dogs can’t handle the high protein in cat food, the higher fat, and don’t need the extra taurine and arachidonic acid. And that cat food can lead to pancreatitis and obesity, but we know that we need to properly feed our pets so they don’t become obese. Are those real and serious concerns?

My question here is this – not only the topic one, but also – if the cat food amount is 1/3rd to 1/4th of his food mix, how bad would this really be? Cause I do like the NVI – Rabbit for cats, but if it really is bad, I will get him the dog rabbit one.

[Susan]

You’ll start to see a difference within 3 weeks with their skin but I believe you must also treat the outside with weekly baths with a real good oatmeal base shampoo + conditioner, I found that Malaseb medicated shampoo to be the best & I use Blackmores PAW (Pure Animal Wellbeing) Nutriderm Replenshing conditioner.. I lighty rinse off as you can leave the conditioner on to moisturise their skin .. as soon as I see Patch really scratching I bath him but since using Paw Nutriderm conditioner as well as the Malaseb shampoo Patch hasnt needed his weekly bath…
Oh Shasta I wanted to ask you do you have a good biscuit or treat recipe that’s low fat & no carbs, a limited ingredient biscuit, Im trying to put some weight on Patch as he has Pancreatitis, its hard to keep his weight steady, he’s only 16 kilos, he use to be 19-20kilos, I like my Staffys to look chunky like a little nugget, people say he looks good but I see his rib bones, he needs to gain 2-3 kilos & its so hard when he has to have a low fat diet & low carbs cause of his itch…Thank-You..

[jgr789]

When my dog was first diagnosed with diabetes three years ago, I fed her a combination of the Prescription Hills W/D and Wellness Core Reduced Fat kibble. I didn’t like the ingredients in the prescription food so I thought mixing the two would be better. She was fairly well regulated until a recent bout of pancreatitis. We are also currently looking for a new food, something that will be good for both conditions.

Good luck to you with the diabetes. There’s a lot of trial and error involved in finding the right food. You might also want to check out the K9diabetes forum where you will find a great deal of information and support. http://www.k9diabetes.com

Judy

[Susan]

Since Ive had Patch on his 1 cup of boiled chicken breast & a bit of pumkin & half an egg for breakfast he’s lost more weight this last month, he also has his 2 cups of kibble later thru the day the kibble is only 10% fat & 22% protein & 1.75% fiber, If I add more kibble it just bloats him & he seems uncomfortable, so what other low fat low carbs foods can I give him to gain some weight he only weights 16kilo.. he was between 18-20kilo this time last year but he was on a high fat hypoallergenic kibble that made him very ill, Now Ive learnt he has Chronic Pancreatitis he has to be on a low fat diet…oh, he also has IBD so I cant give him any cheese..Ive been giving him some banana…he also doesnt have no treats, I just use his kibble as a treat..there has to be a food that would gain some weight thats low in fat..

[LexiDog]

Digestive enzymes are a great idea! I don’t think they can prevent but certainly wouldn’t hurt. They do make ones specifically for dogs and should have the dosages by weight on the container.

My girl had elevated pancrease levels, not full out pancreatitis. So I have done a lot of research and comparisons on low fat dog foods. I can see how you are getting frustrated tryin to find an appropriate food for her that she will actually eat!!! Getting her to eat it is the hard part. Do check out DFA’s Suggested Low Fat Dog Foods list. You might be able to get some samples of the Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Chicken from a specialty store.

[Anne R]

Thank you for the advice Sandy and Amy – I am going boggle-eyed from researching possible foods for both Millie and Fonzie at this point! I will check out your suggestions though. I am also wondering if there is a supplement that would help prevent Millie from getting pancreatitis again??

[Susan]

Hello, Its the bowel that is rumbling not their tummy, My boy was suffering rumbling of the bowel (Tummy) & vet said it was Colitis & he needed a low fat diet, since Ive had Patch on a low crude fat & low fat diet he has not had rumbling of the tummy (Colitis)… Ive also read that dogs that suffer from Colitis, Pancreatitis & IBD are better off not eating kibble as kibble is harder to digest & some kibbles are high in crude fat & very hard, Ive read that dogs are better off on a Raw diet or cooked Diet, I boil chicken Breast boiled pumkin & 1/2 egg & mash it all up so it all digested.. I buy 1 kilo of chicken breast cook then freeze, I also do the same with the pumkin, I cut up in small pieces boil then freeze, the egg I boil every second day & just take out the chicken pumkin frim freezer the night before, I still give Patch his kibble at night only but its a low residue kibble made by Eukanuba called Intestinal it breaks up easy, but if ur in America they dont sell this vet diet, its called Iams but the ingredients are different not as good as the Eukanuba Intestinal..If you dont want to cook maybe look for a lower crude fat kibble that’s not as hard, I found if the kibble has Potato or sweet potato the kibble will be hard also the grainfree kibble seem to be very hard. Just add some water to a couple of kibbles in a glass & wait 1 minute then see if u can they crush the kibble inbetween 2 spoons. A good kibble should just break up.. I found the Holistic Select adult health kibbles aren’t hard when water is added they soften within 1 minutue then I drain the water this has also helped Patch..

[Anne R]

Hi Frenchiegirl!
Just wondering how you’re doing with the Natures Variety Raw Bites at this stage? Did you find that your dog put on extra weight from them? One of mine has piled on weight and the other has developed a bout of pancreatitis – the only reason I can find for this is that the raw bites are too fatty?? But the irony is that they both seem to really like them (and one of them is really picky!!) so I am are really upset that they may not be able to eat them any more.

[Anne R]

I have two rescue dogs – Millie (8years old, spayed female terrier mix) and Fonzie (3years old, neutered male cock-a-tzu (cocker/shih tzu mix)
I have issues with both, but the main one at present is with Millie who has a bout of mild/moderate pancreatitis. This is the second time she has had it, with a more serious incident two years ago. Her CPL reading is 360, which is way above the reference range of 0-200 ug/l and her Red Blood Cell count, hemoglobin, cholestrol and lipase readings are way up as well.
For the past 6 – 8 weeks I have been feeding them Natures Variety Raw Bites in the honest belief that I was doing the very best for them. They both seemed to like it and have shiny coats etc but the end result with Millie (who is the pickiest eater on the planet!) is pancreatitis and the end result with Fonzie is excessive weight gain – 2kg+ since I began this diet!! I am devastated as Millie was actually enjoying her food for the first time ever (she has always refused dry kibble) but what good is that if she is suffering illness as a result?! To make things worse I was over-feeding them up to a few days ago, which may have caused the pancreatitis to flare up – or maybe the food would have caused it anyway.
I desperately want to feed them a good, nourishing and wholesome food but I am completely frustrated by the choice available and the vastly differing opinions I get in the pet stores. To make matters worse I am leaving them in kennels for 12 days in just under three weeks time when I go to Ireland and I have to have them settled on a suitable food before I go. Please help!

[Susan]

When health problems start with dogs the dog tells us, if she just wants wet food, I’d give her wet food instead of kibble..Kibble is hard & its harder to digest, maybe its not agreeing with her like it once did when she was younger, My boy has Chronic Pancreatitis it took me 6 months & another vet to find out he had Pancreatitis.. but I notice when I give him his cooked chicken breast pumkin & egg for breakfast he’s happier, playing being naughty but when he has his kibble he’s a different dog quiet doesnt play & looks miserable…then I read that kibble isnt good for dogs with Pancreatitis they need softer foods, foods that are easier to digest.. Im not saying ur girl has Pancreatitis, she may need something that’s easier to digest now ..Wellness has a good Senior wet food called Complete Health, its low in fat & good protein.. Also Holistic Select has a good Senior health kibble that is low in fat & fiber & has Glucosaimine she’ll need for her bones…as dogs get older they need less fiber & fat & more protein..

[Susan]

You said that ur dogs itch none stop, you must start with an elimination diet, I started one about 1 month ago as my boy has Pancreatitis & enviornment allergies we dont know if he has food allergies that’s why I’d say the vet suggested an elimination diet, The vet said the first month just feed boil chicken but I knew my boy could eat boil chicken so I added cooked pumkin, then when I saw he wasnt scratching or rubbing his tummy on my beautiful white rug the next week I added sweet potato within 2 days Patch was rubbing on my carpet so I stopped the sweet potato & know he cant have sweet potato or a kibble with sweet potato…. then I added pasta another NO it made him itch then I read dogs with skin problems like yeast & bacteria shouldnt eat carbohydrates, potatos, sweet potatos etc, then I added half a boiled egg & he’s been good, Im thinking of adding broccoli next.. Im reading Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs by Lew Olson PhD she has help me understand alot of things & this group its a easy book to read & very easy recipes, she explains what foods aren’t good & what foods are good for certain illness, like Skin problems & what causes ur dog to itch, Pancreatitis Diabetes, Gastro problems, feeding senior dogs, getting a pup onto raw etc, she has cooked recipes & what supplements to add.. in the elimination diet you cannot give any treats nothing, just that one food for 2 weeks then 2 foods so on.. you must cook all vegetables so they are fully cooked, she even suggest to pulped vegetables as dogs digestive system weren’t meant to eat vegies, here’s one of her recipes for Skin allergies a Low Glycemic regular fats Diet..this is for a 50 pound dog to be divide into two or more smaller meals per day.
8 ounces 1 cup regular fat ground beef
2 ounces 1/4 cup beef liver or kidney
2 eggs scrambled or boiled
4 ounces 1/2 cup steamed or boiled broccoli
4 ounces 1/2 cup cooked yellow crookneck squash
4 ounces 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
Serve meat cooked or raw combined with cooked vegetables eggs & yogurt if serving meat cooked wait until meat & eggs have cooled before stirring in the yogurt…..
What I do is I cook once a fornight & freeze everything except the egg then put in fridge the night before to thaw for next day…

[Susan]

‘Holistic Select’ Senior Health Chicken & Rice, Fat-10% fiber-3.50%, when I looked at the Guarenteed Analysis the only thing was the Gluosamine was higher then the other flavours but the fiber was good only 3.50% & the fat is nice & low for Pancreatitis my vet said he likes dogs with Pacreatitis to be under 9% fat I cant find a kibble that low only the vet prescription diets..I want to try this one next

[Susan]

My boy has Chronic Pancreatitis & IBD & Allergies, Ive been doing alot of reading about Pancreatitis. Ive read that kibble isnt good as the Pancreas has to work harder digesting kibble putting more strain on the Pancreas, have you thought of cooking.. I’ve been boiling chicken breast & pumkin & an egg, I freeze the chicken breast in meals sizes & I freeze the little bits of pumkin, I take out the night before & put in the fridge for breakfast, I boil a egg every second day cause I only give him half boiled egg at breakfast, I shread the chicken & mash the pumkin & mash the egg all together so its all mushed up, easier to digest, also make sure any vegetables or grains are well cooked to make them easier to digest. I then warm in micro wave.. At night I give his kibble only..this has helped the chicken pumkin & egg his pain has gone that he was having under his right rib cage, he’s not coming over to me no more for me to rub his side like when I just had him on kibble.. I’d say that she’s having pain then not wanting to eat. maybe try a low fat can food if u don’t want to cook but I havent found a can food that is low enough in fat, thats why I cook..Ive read that Diabetes & pancreatitis are closely linked, Dogs with Diabetes are often prone to Pancreatitis & vice versa..here’s some Low-Glycemic vegetables you can cook with chicken breast or lean low fat ground beef broccoli or cauliflower, cabbage, summer squashes zucchini, dark leafy greens mustard greens & spinach.. I mite try adding some zucchini, I dont know about spinach I always was told if ur constipated eat spinach…Im reading a book called “Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs” by Lew Olson PhD.. it has easy recipes for Pancreatits, diabetes, bladder, liver, heart, cancer etc, she explains what not to feed when ill..also what vitamins to add, excellent read.. the book cost about $11 online..