Tuesday 1st December 2020
Pancreatitis is a serious problem, and one which requires
veterinary attention whether it is an acute attack (which is extremely painful
and very serious), or a milder, chronic form.
If your pet has been diagnosed with pancreatitis, they will
have been very poorly indeed. In acute
cases they will have needed urgent treatment for dehydration and shock with
anti-emetic (anti-sickness) drugs and pain relief provided. Antibiotics may have
also been administered to treat primary infection or prevent secondary
infection.
In many cases after veterinary intervention your pet will be
able to return home to you safe and well, if a little weak from the ordeal. But
what then? Given that diet may be amongst
the various possible causative or contributing risk factors, how do you feed a
dog or cat with pancreatitis? Are there any Arden Grange diets suitable for
cats and dogs with pancreatitis?
What should a dog with pancreatitis eat?
The first feeds for a dog with pancreatitis are usually comprised of a digestible carbohydrate source (e.g. well-cooked rice) rather than fat or protein-rich ingredients. If tolerated, small amounts of foods containing good quality protein but low amounts of fat (e.g. low-fat cottage cheese or skinless chicken breast) can be gradually introduced.
During
recovery, the diet should be extremely fat restricted, which is why a veterinary
diet (or very low-fat, cooked fresh food) is usually fed initially.
The general recommendations for dogs who have recovered, or have a past history of the condition, are that the diet supplies a maximum of 10% fat (on a dry matter basis), and that the food is highly digestible and made to a fixed formula. The inclusion of supplements to support the immune and digestive system such as the antioxidant-rich plant extracts, prebiotics and nucleotides in our food may be beneficial too.
Can my dog with pancreatitis eat Arden Grange?
Our Light dry food and Sensitive Partners canned food meet
all the criteria above. Our Light diet is our lowest fat dry dog
food, and this supplies 7.5% fat on an ‘as fed’ basis (8.15% dry matter).
Our Partners Sensitive (white fish and potato) wet
food is also low in fat and could be a consideration too. There is 2% fat
in this product on ‘as fed basis’ (10% dry matter).
What should a cat with pancreatitis eat?
In cats, extreme fat restriction is not so critical, but
there is still evidence to support the use of lower fat diets.
Cats
can be susceptible to further complications including triaditis, which is
concurrent chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and
cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of both the liver and the biliary system). IBD
is often linked to food allergies, so a further challenge when providing an
appropriate diet (in addition to it being extremely palatable, highly
digestible and not too high in fat) is that it also should provide a novel
protein and carbohydrate source. Additional liver support in the form of
antioxidants may be beneficial, and copper restriction is usually necessary in
the event of liver dysfunction (because increased concentrations of copper can
cause oxidative stress that can then lead to further liver cell damage and
inflammation).
Can my cat with pancreatitis eat Arden Grange?
Arden Grange Light cat food could be a suitable option as
the fat content of this product is 11% as fed (11.96% dry matter). It contains probiotics,
antioxidants and beneficial levels of Omega 3 fatty acids to help to support
the immune and digestive system and excludes some of the more common
ingredients responsible for adverse food reactions (i.e. wheat / gluten,
unspecified cereals, beef, soya and dairy products).
Important information
It is important to ask your vet’s professional opinion as to
the suitability of a product before considering a change of diet for your cat
or dog.
As a responsible and ethical company, we fully appreciate
the caution that must be taken when discussing the potential benefits of our
products and the nutritional supplements we include. It is against the law to
make medical claims. Whilst these ingredients are safe and natural and may be
beneficial to some of the cats and dogs fed on Arden Grange, we must highlight
that their inclusion is not a substitute for veterinary intervention in the
case of a sick animal.
Excerpts from our fact sheet ‘Pancreatitis in dogs and cats
- inflammation of the pancreas’ by Ness Bird - Nutrition Adviser and RVN
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