Pancreatitis in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Pancreatitis in dogs—which means inflammation of the pancreas—is a serious, sometimes life-threatening medical condition. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby explains the signs, causes, and treatment options so you can help your dog have the best possible outcome if he or she is ever diagnosed with pancreatitis.

I rarely hospitalized patients when I owned my own veterinary hospital. My guiding principle was that pets were often better off overnight at home with their families than they were in my hospital alone. But I made an exception for a condition called pancreatitis. In fact, pancreatitis was one of the most common reasons that I hospitalized dogs and cats—including my sweet doggy patient, Ellie.

This 10-year-old female Miniature Schnauzer sat looking miserable on my exam table. Her mom was rightly worried about her dear dog’s symptoms—loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, and a painful belly. I was glad that Ellie’s mom brought her dog to our hospital right away, because I was worried she might have pancreatitis.   

What is pancreatitis in dogs?  

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. In dogs, pancreatitis tends to cause GI symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and is most commonly associated with eating a high-fat meal. Unfortunately, pancreatitis can potentially be serious or even life-threatening. To understand what makes pancreatitis so problematic, you need to know a little about the pancreas.

The role of the pancreas

The pancreas is a critically important organ in your dog’s body that has two major functions, which veterinarians label as “endocrine” and “exocrine.”

The endocrine portion of the pancreas produces hormones (insulin and glucagon) and secretes them into the blood to control blood sugar. If the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, the end result is diabetes mellitus.

Additionally, the pancreas has a vital “exocrine” role, which is directly related to its position adjacent to the first part of the small intestines and close to the stomach and liver. It releases important digestive enzymes into the duodenum (the beginning portion of the small intestine) in an inactive form when your dog eats a meal. Then the digestive enzymes become activated in the small intestines and start to digest food. 

In the case of pancreatitis, the digestive enzymes become activated inside the pancreas instead of inside the small intestines. In a nutshell, the pancreas begins to digest itself. As you can imagine, this is terribly serious and painful. On top of that, the damaged pancreas also leaks the activated enzymes into the abdominal cavity. This causes serious injury to other internal organs such as the liver and kidneys.

What are the symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs?

Signs of pancreatitis can vary. Some dogs display absolutely no signs, some have mild signs, and some have severe signs.

Common symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs

The most common signs of pancreatitis in dogs include: 

• Loss of appetite—Dogs may have no interest in food, may only eat a small amount, or may just eat treats.
• Vomiting—In one study, approximately 90% of dogs with pancreatitis experienced vomiting. Sometimes the vomit may have blood in it (hematemesis).
• A lethargic dog—Your dog may be lying around more or acting tired.
• Depression—Dogs with pancreatitis may have minimal interest in daily activities (walks, play time, petting, etc.)
• Diarrhea—The dog may have loose or watery stool or dog diarrhea with blood that is bright red (hematochezia).
• Abdominal pain—Dogs with abdominal pain may act tense or painful when you put pressure on the abdomen to pick them up. Or they may stand in a hunched “prayer” or “play bow” position and have a tense look on their face. Abdominal pain was present in 58% of dogs with pancreatitis in one study.
• Nausea—If the dog keeps licking his or her lips or drooling, he or she might be nauseous.

Signs that pancreatitis is getting worse

Additionally, it is important to be on the lookout for signs of worsening pancreatitis or severe pancreatitis, including:

• Collapse—Dogs with severe pancreatitis may become weak and be unable to stand or walk.
• Dehydration—Due to fluid loss from vomiting and/or diarrhea, the dog may exhibit signs of dehydration such as dry or sticky gums, sunken eyes, or skin that remains tented when lifted.
• Fever—More severe cases of pancreatitis may cause a fever. It helps to know how to take your dog’s temperature so you can determine if your dog has a fever.
• Weakness—Trembling legs, moving slowly, or struggling to rise can all indicate that your dog is getting weaker.
• Dull or obtunded mentation—Your dog may seem to be processing things slowly or not be fully aware of what is going on around him or her.
• Shock—Elevated heart rate, pale gums, weakness, hypothermia (low body temperature), weak pulses, and collapse can all point to shock. This can be life-threatening.
• Bruising—If the dog is having clotting issues (disseminated intravascular coagulation or DIC) due to severe pancreatitis, he or she may have petechiae (pinpoint bruises) or ecchymoses (larger bruises) on the skin or gums. This is an emergency.
• Minimal or no urine production—In the case of kidney failure in dogs secondary to pancreatitis, the dog may not be making much urine.

If your dog might have pancreatitis, head to the vet without delay

If your dog’s symptoms are mild, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian. However, if your dog is experiencing severe symptoms, you may need to make an emergency vet visit instead. Pancreatitis is a serious and sometimes deadly condition, so it is important to get help for your dog promptly.

What is the difference between acute and chronic pancreatitis in dogs?

It’s worth noting at this point that there are two categories or forms of canine pancreatitis—acute and chronic.

Acute pancreatitis in dogs

Acute pancreatitis, as the term “acute” would imply, has a sudden onset. Your dog is fine, and then he or she is sick. Sometimes, acute pancreatitis is mild, meaning that the dog shows minimal symptoms or perhaps slight GI upset or abdominal pain that resolves easily with treatment.

In other cases, acute pancreatitis can be severe. These dogs are very sick. They may have severe vomiting and abdominal pain, significant lethargy or weakness, and sometimes have free fluid in their abdomen.

Some dogs with acute severe pancreatitis do respond well to aggressive treatment. Unfortunately, other dogs will go into shock, multi-organ failure, or disseminated intravascular coagulation (a dangerous condition where the blood clots abnormally). These conditions may be fatal.

Recurrent acute pancreatitis

Some dogs are also prone to recurrent acute pancreatitis. This means their bout of pancreatitis resolves, but then they get acute pancreatitis again, possibly because of one of the triggers we will discuss soon.

Thus, once your dog has had pancreatitis, it is critical to try to decrease his or her risk factors. Some factors, such as breed or underlying medical conditions, can’t be changed. However, you do have control over your dog’s diet and weight.

Chronic pancreatitis in dogs

With chronic pancreatitis, symptoms will look the same as acute pancreatitis but tend to be milder as a general rule. Sometimes the exact cause of chronic pancreatitis is unknown. In other cases, it may happen due to recurrent bouts of acute pancreatitis or as a result of an autoimmune disorder found in English Cocker Spaniels.

However it develops, the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis tend to come and go due to long-term, smoldering inflammation of the pancreas. This leads to irreversible damage, which may decrease the amount of functional tissue left in the pancreas.

Remember how we talked about what the pancreas does? Well, when enough tissue is destroyed, the pancreas can’t do its job anymore. This means the dog could develop diabetes mellitus due to a lack of insulin production. Or he or she could end up with exocrine pancreas insufficiency (EPI in dogs), a lack of digestive enzymes, which causes poor absorption of nutrients from food.

With veterinary treatment, dogs may recover from bouts of chronic pancreatitis. However, they are more prone to future attacks of pancreatitis, which makes it all the more important to avoid possible triggers.

Causes of pancreatitis in dogs

Many pancreatitis cases are idiopathic, which means that there is no identifiable cause. However, there are some known risk factors. Check this list to see if your dog is at higher risk for pancreatitis.

1. Certain breeds may be predisposed to pancreatitis.

Yorkshire Terriers, Dachshunds, Poodles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Terriers, and Cocker Spaniels all have a genetic predisposition toward pancreatitis. This puts them at a higher risk than dogs of other breeds. However, keep in mind that any breed of dog can get pancreatitis.

Miniature Schnauzers, like my patient, are the most common breed identified in studies on pancreatitis. This may have something to do with the fact that Schnauzers are more likely to have higher fat content in their blood than other dog breeds. This condition, known as hyperlipidemia (hyper = high, lipid = fat, -emia = in blood), increases the risk of pancreatitis.

2. A high fat meal may be the culprit.

When your dog eats food that isn’t a normal part of his or her diet, he or she is at a higher risk for gastrointestinal upset like vomiting and diarrhea. New foods and table scraps, especially fatty foods, can increase the risk for pancreatitis. Make sure to avoid giving these altogether.

As an example, recently my young son asked me if he could give his hound dog a piece of bacon from his breakfast plate. “No way!” I gasped. “That is pancreatitis waiting to happen!”

As I cautioned my son, we must resist the temptation to share love in the form of human food with our four-legged family members. Of course, the temptation is heightened during the holidays when our celebrations often revolve around feasts and special tasty treats. It is important to stay strong, though. Not only is pancreatitis a possibility if you share fatty foods with your dog, but also some holiday foods are dangerous for dogs.

Finally, if you do need to switch your dog’s diet, remember to do so gradually over five to seven days to reduce the risk of GI upset or pancreatitis. 

3. Obesity increases the risk of severe pancreatitis.

It is important to keep your dog at a healthy weight for many reasons, including the fact that obesity increases the risk that your dog will develop severe (and sometimes fatal) pancreatitis. To learn whether your canine companion is overweight, start by evaluating your dog’s body condition score. Then, if you determine that some weight loss is in order, partner with your vet to determine how to help your dog lose weight.

4. Endocrine disorders may increase the risk for pancreatitis.

Your dog’s endocrine system is responsible for the regulation and release of numerous hormones, many of which can affect the pancreas. Diseases associated with the endocrine system, like Cushing’s disease in dogs, hypothyroidism in dogs, and diabetes in dogs, increase your dog’s risk for developing pancreatitis.

5. Some medications may contribute to pancreatitis.

The use of certain medications can increase the risk of canine pancreatitis. These include:

• Immunosuppressive drugs like azathioprine.
• Medications used to treat seizures in dogs, like phenobarbital and potassium bromide.
• Antibiotics like sulfonamides and tetracycline.
• Certain diuretics (medications to help remove excess fluid from the body).
• Chemotherapeutic drugs like L-asparaginase.

If your dog is taking a medication long-term and is experiencing pancreatitis symptoms, make sure to contact your veterinarian. 

6. Toxins can cause pancreatitis in dogs.

Certain toxins, such as zinc and organophosphates, can also potentially cause pancreatitis.

Dogs tend to get zinc toxicity if they swallow a zinc-containing object such as US pennies minted after 1982, nuts and bolts, board game pieces, zippers or snaps, etc. Or they may eat zinc supplements, diaper cream, or other zinc-containing medications.

Organophosphates can be found in some home, garden, or agricultural insecticides. Exposure can be through ingestion, inhalation, or contact with the skin. Initially, organophosphate toxicity causes signs like vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation and tear production, urination, muscle tremors, or seizures. However, afterward, the dog may also develop pancreatitis.

7. Injury, cancer, and bacteria are other factors which may increase the risk of pancreatitis.

Infections rarely cause pancreatitis in dogs, but there have been reports of certain bacteria causing pancreatitis. Trauma and physical injury can also trigger inflammation of the pancreas. Additionally, dogs can develop cancer of the pancreas, which may manifest as pancreatitis.

How does a vet diagnose pancreatitis?

Diagnosing a dog with pancreatitis involves using the symptoms, history, and diagnostic test results to determine if pancreatitis, or another condition, is the most likely culprit.

Gathering a history

When you bring your dog with pancreatitis symptoms in for an exam, the vet will often start by asking questions about your dog. Gathering a complete medical history is often just as important as running the diagnostic tests when it comes to diagnosing pancreatitis in dogs.

Tips for the history portion of the exam

To help you provide your vet with the necessary information, keep these three tips in mind:

1. Make a list of foods your dog has eaten. Check with family members to see if your dog has consumed any human food, eaten out of the garbage, or even counter-surfed any foods, especially high-fat foods like pork, beef, or bacon.
2. Keep a record of your dog’s symptoms. How many times did he or she vomit? What did the vomit look like? Is he or she still eating and drinking? When did the signs start? Is he or she getting worse, better, or staying the same?
3. Plan for your veterinarian to ask for your dog’s history. Knowing your dog’s past history is especially important if it is after-hours for your regular vet, so you are going to an emergency veterinary clinic.

Running diagnostic tests

Definitively diagnosing pancreatitis can sometimes be challenging. This is because other factors can affect the accuracy of the tests. As part of the workup, the vet may run the following tests:

Chemistry panel and complete blood count

The vet may start with some basic blood tests for dogs. If your dog has pancreatitis, the chemistry panel might show elevations in certain enzymes like amylase and lipase. However, other illnesses besides pancreatitis may affect these numbers.

Additionally, some dogs with pancreatitis have high liver enzymes, elevated kidney values and cholesterol, and changes in electrolytes and proteins. On the complete blood count (CBC), dogs may have elevations in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell), anemia in dogs, or low platelets in dogs. None of these findings are specific to pancreatitis, though.

Abdominal ultrasound

Since the pancreas is tricky to visualize on X-rays, an abdominal ultrasound is much better for evaluating it. However, up to one-third of dogs with pancreatic inflammation may have normal findings on abdominal ultrasound.

Canine pancreatic-lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI)

The cPLI is probably the most useful test for pancreatitis. It looks at the levels of pancreatic lipase in a dog’s blood and is available to veterinarians as a 10-minute in-house test or a test that can be run at a diagnostic laboratory.

If the cPLI test is negative, then pancreatitis is unlikely. If the test is positive and your dog is showing clinical signs, then it is likely that he has pancreatitis. However, false positives and false negatives are possible. Thus, the vet will interpret cPLI in light of the history, symptoms, and other findings.

Fine needle aspirate of the pancreas

While not currently a common diagnostic tool, a fine needle aspirate (FNA) of the pancreas (using a small needle to retrieve cells from the pancreas, which are then examined under the microscope) can also help diagnose pancreatitis. In a study of 92 dogs who underwent pancreatic FNA, the study had a good diagnostic yield (provided a diagnosis 73% of the time) and a low rate of complications.

Additional tips for the visit itself

When at the vet clinic for the appointment, the following four tips can help you have realistic expectations:

1. Know that your vet may recommend blood tests, X-rays, or an ultrasound. These tests assess your pet’s overall status and can help distinguish pancreatitis from other similar-appearing conditions.
2. Take a deep breath and mentally prepare yourself for the time it may take to complete the testing. Sometimes the vet may start with one test, then recommend another once he or she has evaluated the results of the first test. This is all part of the diagnostic process.
3. Prepare yourself for potentially spending some time away from your dog. Pancreatitis can be very serious and even life-threatening at times. Your vet may recommend hospitalizing your dog for additional care and observation.
4. Know that you may be referred to an emergency clinic, especially if your vet thinks your dog needs critical treatment that is beyond the scope of what a general practice can provide.

What is the treatment for pancreatitis in dogs?

After reaching a diagnosis of canine pancreatitis, the vet will discuss the treatment plan with you. It may involve:

Fluid therapy

Fluid therapy is an important part of treatment because it helps correct dehydration, keeps up with fluid loss from vomiting, and supplies fluid to keep up with normal daily requirements. Sometimes in mild cases, your vet can administer fluids under your dog’s skin (subcutaneous fluids for dogs) and send him or her home with you.

However, many cases of pancreatitis will require hospitalization for IV (intravenous, or in the vein) fluid therapy. This is one of the mainstays of pancreatitis treatment.

Anti-nausea medications

To reduce the nausea your dog is experiencing and keep him or her from continuing to vomit, the vet will typically administer anti-nausea medications. Cerenia for dogs (maropitant) has become popular with many vets for the treatment of pancreatitis because, in addition to being an anti-nausea medication, it is believed to have some abdominal pain-relieving properties.

Pain medications

The vet will use pain-relieving medications to decrease abdominal pain and keep your dog more comfortable. Generally, vets prefer opioid medications over non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Keep in mind that even if your dog is painful at home, you should never give him or her any human NSAIDs or other human pain medications. Instead, consult with your vet.

Special diet

Feeding a low-fat, highly digestible diet can help keep the GI tract moving and restore the dog’s appetite. The low-fat component is important because a high-fat diet is a risk factor for pancreatitis. Some dogs will need to stay on a low-fat diet for life. Your vet can advise you about what to feed a dog with pancreatitis, both in the acute phase and long term.

PANOQUELL

Previously, the only treatment for pancreatitis was supportive care. But now we have PANOQUELL®-CA1 (fuzapladib sodium), an exciting new drug that is aimed specifically at managing pancreatitis and the associated symptoms. It works by stopping neutrophils (white blood cells, which are a major driver of pancreatic inflammation) from entering the pancreas and releasing inflammatory molecules. The end result is less pancreatic inflammation and, therefore, a reduction in clinical signs.

PANOQUELL is administered as an intravenous injection once a day for three days. It is intended to be used in conjunction with other standard treatments for pancreatitis (fluids, antiemetics, diet change, etc.). In studies conducted by the manufacturer, dogs who received PANOQUELL plus supportive care recovered more quickly than those who just received supportive care.

Steroids

While controversial, some vets will choose to use steroids, such as prednisone for dogs, in situations where the dog is severely ill and not responding to traditional therapy.

Surgery

Occasionally, a dog may need surgery if bile flow is obstructed or there is a pancreatic abscess or pseudocyst (a walled-off collection of pancreatic secretions).

Can supplements be used to prevent or manage pancreatitis in dogs?

Understandably, many of my clients ask me if there are any supplements or other good options for decreasing their dog’s chances of developing pancreatitis. Unfortunately, there aren’t any supplements that look very promising at this point.

Some studies in humans with pancreatitis indicated that supplementation with pancreatic enzymes made people feel better but didn’t change the level of inflammation. At this point, we don’t have a lot of evidence to say that pancreatic enzyme supplementation will benefit dogs who are prone to pancreatitis but still make enough pancreatic enzymes on their own. Dogs with exocrine pancreas insufficiency, however, do benefit from pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

Antioxidants have also been proposed as potentially beneficial in people (and therefore possibly dogs) with chronic pancreatitis. However, researchers have not identified the best antioxidant combination or product yet. Some people have also tried probiotics in hopes that balancing a dog’s gut flora will decrease the pancreatitis risk.

How can you decrease the risk of your dog getting pancreatitis?

Since the jury is out regarding supplements, I usually tell my clients to focus on the things that we know can make a difference—your dog’s diet and weight. As discussed in the treatment section, your vet may recommend continuing to feed a low-fat diet even after your dog has recovered from the pancreatitis episode. This, in conjunction with being extremely vigilant in preventing your dog from eating anything other than his or her dog food, can make a big difference.

Additionally, if your dog is overweight or obese, work with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a weight loss plan. Not only will being at a healthy body weight reduce your dog’s pancreatitis risk, but it will also decrease stress on his or her joints and organs. Overall, weight loss is a win-win situation for everyone.

Finally, if you think your dog has pancreatitis, the most important thing you can do is to get him or her to the vet ASAP. Don’t waste time trying home remedies or taking a wait-and-see approach. Pancreatitis is serious and can be life-threatening.

What is the prognosis for dogs with pancreatitis?

Dogs with mild forms of pancreatitis who respond quickly to treatment have an excellent prognosis. However, dogs with more significant symptoms may take longer to respond to therapy or need more intensive care.

Dogs with severe pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, or necrotizing pancreatitis (where part of the pancreatic tissue has died), have a guarded to poor prognosis. Unfortunately, some dogs with severe pancreatitis die or are euthanized due to life-threatening complications like multi-organ failure, shock, or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Since pancreatitis in dogs is not contagious, you don’t have to worry about it spreading to your other dogs. But you do need to get help for your sick dog quickly. Like almost every medical diagnosis, there is extreme value in early detection and treatment. Make sure to contact your veterinarian right away if your dog ever has signs of pancreatitis. 

The rest of my Miniature Schnauzer patient’s story

Are you wondering how things turned out for my Miniature Schnauzer patient? As I talked with Ellie’s mom, I learned she had been stealing some food from the new dog’s bowl over the past week. Also, her “grandma” had come to stay at the house and was feeding her table scraps every night at dinner.

One plus one usually equals two. My patient was exhibiting classic signs and had eaten human foods, which made me immediately suspect pancreatitis. 

I promptly hospitalized her and started her on intravenous (IV) fluids. She also received injectable pain medication and anti-nausea medication. By the following day, Ellie had perked up and was eating dog food on her own!

When I saw my patient at her progress exam a week later, she was back to her bouncy self. Because she was a Miniature Schnauzer, a breed prone to hyperlipidemia (high fat levels in the blood), which can be a pancreatitis risk factor, I prescribed a low-fat, canned diet, which she continued to eat long term.

Be proactive about pancreatitis prevention and treatment

By sharing this dear dog’s story, I hope that proactive dog owners adopt a “just say no” policy about sharing temptations with dogs. While some dogs may be able to handle abrupt diet changes or a high-fat meal, the potential for pancreatitis is not worth the risk.

I don’t want you to think, though, that you did something wrong if your dog gets pancreatitis. Sometimes it may happen despite your best efforts, because not all risk factors are in your control.

If your dog does seem to be showing signs of pancreatitis, seek veterinary care promptly. Pancreatitis can be dangerous, so the sooner your vet can address it, the better. Hopefully, due to your quick action, your dog will be back to normal again soon, just like my patient!

Do you have questions about pancreatitis in dogs?

Please comment below. We can all learn from each other.

This post was originally published on June 7, 2021 and updated on May 5, 2025.