[puppylove2009]

Okay my dog has Pancreatitis and he is 1 years old.

Well he had an episode 5 weeks ago....and he got down to 9 pounds (his normal healthy weight is 12 pounds)

And he went through treatment and is back to normal they say.

He never lost his appetite infact he is always ready to eat but he continues to lose weight and now he is down to 7 pounds and he eats regularly (he gets his required daily serving)

So why does he keep losing weight yet he eats normally and has a good appetite (even during a flair up)?

He eats California Naturals Low Fat Chicken and Rice

He is on low fat food due to his condition

[CorkyMax]

Going to quote from my home veterinary handbook: Following an attack of pancreatitis, the pancreas may be permanently damaged. When it is, the dog may develop diabetes mellitus if the islet cells have been destroyed or EXOCRINE PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY if the acinar cells have been destroyed.
EXOCRINE PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY
The acinar cells in the pancreas manufacture digestive enzymes that empty into the duodenum in response to the stimulation of a meal. These enzymes empty into the duodenum. Without them, food cannot be adequately digested, and nutrients therefore cannot be adequately absorbed. For reasons that are unknown, the acinar cells may atrophy (shrink and become useless) and stop producing enzymes. This condition is called PANCREATIC ACINAR CELL ATROPHY (PAA), and it is one of the major causes of pancreatic insufficiency.
PAA begins in dogs under two years of age. All breeds are affected, but there is a predisposition in large breeds, particularly German Shepard Dogs, in whom the disease may be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.
A less common cause of pancreatic insufficiency is pancreatitis. Following a bout of inflammation, the pancreas may become scarred and contracted. This produces the same effect as acinar cell atrophy. This form of pancreatic insufficiency tends to affect middle-aged and older dogs of the small breeds.
DOGS WITH PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY LOSE WEIGHT DESPITE A VORACIOUS APPETITE AND INCREASED FOOD CONSUMPTION. The unabsorbed food produces a diarrhea with large, grey, semi-formed cow-pie stools with a rancid odor. The hair around the anus is often oily from undigested fat. Intense hunger may cause the dog to eat his own stool.
The diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency can be suspected from the appearance of the stool and other observations. The best and most accurate test is the serum trypsin-like immunoreactive assay (TLI), available to veterinarians through special mail-out laboratories.
TREATMENT: Most dogs respond well to having the missing enzyme added to their meals. Powdered pancreatic extracts (Viokase-V and Pancrezyme) are superior to enteric~coated and uncrushed tablets. Divide the daily food intake into two or three meals. Add one or two teaspoons of powdered extract to each meal just before feeding. (Note--me 'talking here--I don't know why it doesn't 'say' it in this book, but I wouldn't put it on heated food until it cooled because heat destroys enzymes!!!--prob. doesn't mention it because of assuming you are using commercial dog food--which is not heated!) As the diarrhea comes under control, reduce the enzyme replacement to the minimum effective maintenance dose. One teaspoon to each of two meals is adequate for most dogs.
Dogs that do not respond completely to pancreatic enzymes may do so when the maintenance diet is switched to a highly digestible, fat-restricted diet. An acid-blocker such as Tagamet or Zantac (must be a better way!!?) may be prescribed by your veterinarian to prevent destruction of the pancreatic enzymes by acid in the stomach.
Vitamin absorption is reduced in pancreatic insufficiency. Vitamin supplements (oral and subcutaneous) may be advisable, at least for the first three months. Discuss this with your veterinarian. (Ha! What do they know about vitamins!!)
Might check to see if blood sugar indicates possible diabetes, as it was mentioned above also-----I just can't write it all in here--just be aware that this could be the problem you are having right now. My own opinion is that your dog would get more nutrition out of it's food if it was raw fed-but, you would have to do a lot of studying on this (and it is very involved and hard to get all the info you need) And raw fat is digested better than cooked but you still wouldn't use much. And if you gave raw veggies-you would have to 'mash'-pulverize-use a food processor or a juicer (putting juice and pulp back together after juicing) as the cellulose in veggies is not digestible to dogs so has to be crushed really fine to break it up. I'm not going to go in to a big lecture here on raw food---just giving my 2 cents worth and hoping you will do some studying on why it would be good for your dog in this situation and I know you will/would have to dig deep to see what I have based this opinion on. And please note that this book was copyrighted in 2000--so may be newer medicines, treatments,etc.

We can not diagnose your dog. You need to take the dog to the vet and discuss with the vet what is going on. Take a poop sample and a urine sample with you if at all possible. I would make an appointment as soon as possible and tell them you need to see the vet asap.

[puppylove2009]

thats what I'm afraid is going on

He has been to the vet every time he has had a flair up and just has his vaccines yesterday and each time they just give him antibiotics and try to get me to put him on that Hills I/D (well I do not want my dog on a food that is corn based, he is allergic to corn)

Anyways they just said we will just have to watch him and we will just treat each flair up as they come....they just called it chronic pancreatitis but they seem puzzled why he keeps losing weight

[puppylove2009]

Yeah I can't feed raw and I really don't think its best for my dog

[lulusmom]

Corky/Max gave you some very good information. Diabetes is the first thing that came to my mind. If your vet is puzzled as to why your pup is losing weight and he or she hasn't ruled out diabetes, you seriously should consider seeing another vet. Uncontrolled diabetes is extremely dangerous so the sooner you have your boy tested, the better.

I felt the same way as you about the raw food diet. I couldn't possibly understand how it could be good for my dogs. A friend of mine is a professional breeder and she convinced me to give it a try. I did and boy was I wrong about raw food. My five toy breed dogs have now been on a commercially prepared, organic, hormone and antibiotic free raw food for a year. The difference in my dogs is truly amazing. I have two healthy dogs and three immune compromised dogs and all benefited greatly from the change. One of the two healthy dogs had IBD which is now a thing of the past. No more gas, no burping, no lip smacking, no diarrhea, no foot chewing and no more brown stains on my Maltese's faces. Their ages are 5 to 14 years old and all have lost weight and four out of the five are playing like teenagers. The toys are once again strewn all over the floor. I'm a believer!

Originally Posted by puppylove2009

thats what I'm afraid is going on

He has been to the vet every time he has had a flair up and just has his vaccines yesterday and each time they just give him antibiotics and try to get me to put him on that Hills I/D (well I do not want my dog on a food that is corn based, he is allergic to corn)

Anyways they just said we will just have to watch him and we will just treat each flair up as they come....they just called it chronic pancreatitis but they seem puzzled why he keeps losing weight

I second Lulusmom, you might want to consider another vet. After you have had your dog evaluated by a vet for diabetes, etc., you might want to check out a dog nutritionist such as: The Possible Canine I'm on her EDG list and she is very knowledgable and you could have her work up a diet for your dog to help it gain weight. She's not cheap but considering what you have spent already and will likely spend if this isn't controlled, it could be a very good investment.

[puppylove2009]

Originally Posted by lulusmom

Corky/Max gave you some very good information. Diabetes is the first thing that came to my mind. If your vet is puzzled as to why your pup is losing weight and he or she hasn't ruled out diabetes, you seriously should consider seeing another vet. Uncontrolled diabetes is extremely dangerous so the sooner you have your boy tested, the better.

I felt the same way as you about the raw food diet. I couldn't possibly understand how it could be good for my dogs. A friend of mine is a professional breeder and she convinced me to give it a try. I did and boy was I wrong about raw food. My five toy breed dogs have now been on a commercially prepared, organic, hormone and antibiotic free raw food for a year. The difference in my dogs is truly amazing. I have two healthy dogs and three immune compromised dogs and all benefited greatly from the change. One of the two healthy dogs had IBD which is now a thing of the past. No more gas, no burping, no lip smacking, no diarrhea, no foot chewing and no more brown stains on my Maltese's faces. Their ages are 5 to 14 years old and all have lost weight and four out of the five are playing like teenagers. The toys are once again strewn all over the floor. I'm a believer!

No I mean I can't feed it.....I can't stomach to be in the same room as raw meat......I get so sick. If we have hamburgers my husband has to make them and pick up the meat that day.....I can't handle to be around raw meat.

Plush its much more expensive than dog food and we can't afford much more expensive than right now.......

We are very happy with the food they are on....we have seen much improvement just not very fast.....it seems that there is much more going on with them then the vet has figured out

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by puppylove2009

thats what I'm afraid is going on

He has been to the vet every time he has had a flair up and just has his vaccines yesterday and each time they just give him antibiotics and try to get me to put him on that Hills I/D (well I do not want my dog on a food that is corn based, he is allergic to corn)

Anyways they just said we will just have to watch him and we will just treat each flair up as they come....they just called it chronic pancreatitis but they seem puzzled why he keeps losing weight

Gee! I wish your dog had not just got shots--till he was a little more 'healthier' and able to handle them better!
I think you could have 'double' troubles here. All those antibiotics are affecting his system (which I'm sure probably is a vicious circle and may have something to do with losing weight and end results of affecting the pancreatitis--prob. not digesting food properly. I am not a vet or an expert but I do have a lot of books and I also study things---I am mainly trying to give you some things to think about and try to find out for yourself what is going on here. This I do know---Your dog needs probiotics!! This is a quote frm one of my books---If your dog is put on antibiotics, be sure to give him a heaping spoonful of plain yogurt that contains active cultures with each meal or buy a probiotics supplement in the refrigerated section of your health food store. (end of quote) And I doubt the vet is going to tell you about yogurt or even probiotic supplement---If by chance you are lucky enough to have a knowledgeable vet (prob not or I would have thought he'd of told you to give probiotics)--get him to tell you how much supplement to give or maybe they can tell you at the health food store or you could try finding that info on the internet or someone here might have that answer too?? This supplement will help put the GOOD bacteria back in the gut that the antibiotics destroy!! How is he doing now after having those shots?

If you give yogurt and dog doesn't like it, add a little bit of pure pumpkin (not pie filling)--dogs usually like it or add something he would like--maybe bits of cooked hamburger mixed in or bits of canned salmon??

[puppylove2009]

We do give him a little yogurt in his kong every day and he gets pumpkin when he has diahreaha.

He was passed due for his vaccines due to being sick but he had to get it done. Here a dog has to have them every year...its the law I'm afraid.

I think we have an over vaccination problem here in our area....most places only do it every three years....atleast for the rabies

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by puppylove2009

We do give him a little yogurt in his kong every day and he gets pumpkin when he has diahreaha.

He was passed due for his vaccines due to being sick but he had to get it done. Here a dog has to have them every year...its the law I'm afraid.

I think we have an over vaccination problem here in our area....most places only do it every three years....atleast for the rabies

I hear you on the law---It is 1 of my biggest 'hates'--of course it is based on greed--not to mention ignorance. Don't know where you live---I 'm lucky I live in a state that the law is every 3 years for the Rabies shot ----I shouldn't say lucky because these shots need to be 'outlawed'----The dog should only be given 1-2 shots of this over it's entire lifetime---these shots are killing our dogs--the more they have--the more cause to worry. The Rabies shot is the only one required by law!!---Are you saying it is the law there for anything else??!!-----If you are--I think someone is lying (yor vet?!) What kind of vet do you have---I would of thought that as sick (unhealthy) as your dog is that he should of waived this shot----they can do that and should---at least till dog is healthier!!
My Corky is overdue for his Rabies-(5th time--He will be 11 in June) I can only put this 5th shot off until April 1st or I will be fined for it as city dog license is due then and you can't get a license until you show proof of current Rabies vaccination. Can't win!! This may sound like it will do no good but---After President Obama, his wife, and girls have time to get attached to that dog they are going to get---I plan on emailing and calling about this 'rotten' law and see if he can do anything about it!! If anyone is interested in getting in touch with President Obama--- hhtp://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Phone: comments-202-456-1111,
switchboard-202-456-1414, Fax: 202-456-2461 Write: The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
2 sites on vaccinations: VACREACT.HTM and
Holistic Weimaraners mailing list-Vaccines PLease check these out so you will know what to look for if your dog has any of these symptoms

[puppylove2009]

They said the rabies and bordetella are required by law.....and its recommended to do the other shots.

Bordetella is due to about 5 years ago we had a very very bad strain of it and it killed so many dogs so they now require it (or the vet said that I don't know if its just their clinic or if its a law)

I'm not real happy with my dogs vets office right now. They got ticked when they told be it was going to be 130 dollars for vaccines and I told them I would have it done at Petco (we are strapped real tight right now we have had several 300+ dollar vet visits recently for our poodle)

I am actually looking for a vet that does not only medicine but is also knowledgeable of holistic and alternative treatments as well.

But so far no luck


When my husband, the pups and I visited my dad this past Christmas he went off on a tangent about how it was bull**** that we have to get rabies done every year.

Where they live its every three years and there is a proposal to do it less than that

Was you pet checked for diabetes ?