The Patient
Kona, a 14 year old male neutered Rottweiler/Shepherd mix, came to see me for a poor appetite and lethargy. He had not been eating well for 3 days and was listless and sleeping more than usual. He had lost 5 pounds since his last visit just a few months prior.
The Case
On physical exam, he did not want to stand up but could with some assistance. He was moderately dehydrated, had a low grade fever, and was a little tense on abdominal palpation. His owner reported that he had not thrown up and was drinking a little bit of water but was refusing all food, including what she tried to hand feed him. I recommended taking some xrays and running some labwork to get more information. I took 4 xrays, two of his chest and two of his abdomen. Whenever I see a geriatric dog with weight loss and a poor appetite, I get very concerned that there could be a major metabolic disease going on or cancer somewhere in the body. Thankfully, his xrays looked pretty normal. He had a little bit of loss of detail around the back of his liver in the region of the pancreas but I did not see a mass or free fluid in the abdomen. His chest xrays were normal with no sign of cancer. His labwork showed a few elevated liver enzymes as well as two elevated pancreatic levels. He was borderline anemic as well. I diagnosed Kona with acute pancreatitis. The pancreas is a very important although small organ in the abdomen. It lives just below the liver near the stomach. The pancreas is responsible for producing digestive enzymes as well as certain hormones, most importantly, insulin. When the pancreas gets inflamed, this is called pancreatitis. Dogs with pancreatitis typically run a fever, feel nauseous, have pain in their abdomen, and generally feel poorly. It is typically caused by consuming a very fatty meal, such as getting into the trash or being fed too many rich foods after a holiday (such as Thanksgiving). But, that was not the case with Kona. His owner was very strict with his diet and he was not known for getting into things he shouldn't. We really don't know what set Kona off this time (and he's not talking!).
Source: Austrailian Dog Lover
The Treatment Plan
I administered subcutaneous fluids to help rehydrate Kona as well as an injection for nausea that lasts for 24 hours. I sent him home with medications to use for nausea starting the following day, a pain medication, an appetite stimulant and instructed the owner to be on the lookout for diarrhea as this sometimes goes along with an upset stomach. She was instructed to feed a bland diet in multiple small meals for the next several days. Bland foods healthy for dogs include: scrambled or hard boiled eggs, lean chicken or turkey breast, low fat cottage cheese, lean ground hamburger, white rice, pasta, or potatoes. Food to avoid include: rich meats with fat and skin, sauces, and cheese. I will often send home a highly digestible canned prescription dog food if the owner prefers. Most cases of pancreatitis respond to medical management and do not require surgery. The body just needs time to heal and the treatment is supportive.
The Outcome
I called Kona's owner the following day to check in. Sure enough, he was now having diarrhea and was still not really wanting to move around that much. But, he started eating from her hand and was drinking water ok. I prescribed an antidiarrheal which she came to pick up from the hospital. I checked back in on Kona a few days later and he was slowly getting back to normal. He was now eating on his own and had started to return to normal activity. He wanted to go on his typical walks and was playing with his doggie housemate. Kona made a full recovery due to the diligent care of his owner and her quick response to his illness. If your dog is not acting right, don't hesitate to call us right away.
The Drake Center for Veterinary Care is an AAHA-accredited animal hospital located in Encinitas, CA. The Drake Center loves being a source of information for all pet owners across the country however if you have any questions regarding pet care and do not live in Encinitas, CA or surrounding cities, we encourage you to contact your local veterinarian.