Question:
When my little dachshund Penny was 6 months old, she spent five days in the hospital. She was losing weight and would not eat or drink. She seemed to improve after a while, but then she started having vomiting spells. The vet did blood work, exams, etc., and couldn't find anything wrong. These vomiting spells went on until she turned 4 years old. This week, she had a bad spell that scared us. I took her to the vet, and when he took a different blood test, he said she has pancreatitis. He put her on a special diet food that I buy through him. I want to know if there is any kind of food or treat she could have apart from the Royal Canin.
L.S., Burleson, TX Oct 04, 2010
Answer:
Many dogs suffer from pancreatitis. It can be brought on by feeding too many fatty treats at Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with too much protein, which harms dogs with poor kidney function. Pancreatitis may also be associated with liver- and digestive-tract disorders, so one must be alert to other health problems in association with diagnosed pancreatitis, which can be either acute or chronic in nature. While genetics may play some role in breed susceptibility to pancreatitis, smaller breeds like yours are especially susceptible because they are too often fed the "gourmet" canned dog foods that are too high in fats and only list the fat content as a minimum rather than maximum percentage. The pet-food industry is not going to rectify these problems as long as it continues to profit (along with many veterinarians) from the sale of expensive "prescription" diets. They do nothing to prevent diet-related diseases like what afflicts your dog. For details, see my book "Not Fit for a Dog." A simple, home-prepared diet of lean meats and vegetables (and zero fats) would do wonders for your dog. Adding probiotics and digestive enzymes to her food would also be advisable, and your veterinarian should be on the ball with these kinds of supplements; he should not simply rely on a prescribed diet like the one he has provided for your dog.
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