The Curious Case of the Inflamed Pancreas
Wag-Wagatha Christie Investigates…
Dog's Dinner – Part 2: The Curious Case of the Inflamed Pancreas
I know... I left you hanging.
The trail had gone cold, the evidence had been gathering dust, and Dog's Dinner had quietly slipped into the unsolved cases pile.
When we last met, I had tasked you with assessing your dog's body condition score. I have a confession to make...
I had hoped Lagertha would score a perfect 5 out of 9.
Sadly, the evidence suggested otherwise.
The little rumble of padding around her tail and the slightly rounder waistline I'd convinced myself wasn't there told a different story.
As any detective knows, the evidence doesn't lie.
Then, just as I was beginning to reopen the case, something happened much closer to home.
For those of you who subscribe to Tails of the Unexpected, you'll already know that my brother's miniature schnauzer, Dougal – who also happens to be Lagertha's older brother – was suddenly hospitalised with acute pancreatitis.
Thankfully, Dougal has made a full recovery, but it served as a stark reminder that this wasn't simply another nutrition blog.
This investigation suddenly became personal.
The Prime Suspect: Pancreatitis
Before we continue gathering evidence, let's establish exactly what we're dealing with.
The pancreas has two important jobs:
producing digestive enzymes to break down food
producing hormones, including insulin, to regulate blood sugar
Normally, those digestive enzymes stay inactive until they reach the small intestine.
But in pancreatitis...
Something goes wrong.
The enzymes activate too early and begin digesting the pancreas itself.
Not exactly the dinner plans anyone had in mind.
Pancreatitis can present in two forms:
Chronic pancreatitis – recurring, often milder episodes.
Acute pancreatitis – a sudden, severe illness requiring urgent veterinary care.
Dougal's case was the latter.
Who's Responsible?
Now here's where this case becomes particularly interesting.
Like many good mysteries, there isn't one obvious culprit.
Current research suggests pancreatitis is multifactorial, meaning several factors may combine to trigger an episode.
The usual suspects include:
obesity
dietary indiscretion (raiding the bin, rich leftovers and fatty treats)
certain medications
endocrine diseases such as diabetes mellitus and Cushing's disease
persistently high blood triglycerides
previous episodes of pancreatitis
genetic predisposition
Miniature Schnauzers are perhaps the best-known breed associated with pancreatitis because they're predisposed to elevated blood triglycerides, but they're far from alone.
Other breeds identified in the literature include:
Yorkshire Terriers
Miniature Poodles
Dachshunds
Cocker Spaniels
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Boxers
Border Collies
Collies
English Springer Spaniels
Fox Terriers
Bichon Frisés
Shetland Sheepdogs
Alaskan Malamutes
That doesn't mean every dog of these breeds will develop pancreatitis.
Nor does it mean mixed breeds are immune.
As with many mysteries, genetics provides clues – not certainty.
The Biggest Plot Twist
Like many owners, I'd always assumed the answer was simple.
Fat causes pancreatitis.
Case closed.
Except...
The evidence says otherwise.
One of the most comprehensive reviews to date (Cridge et al., 2022) found surprisingly little evidence that feeding a commercially prepared higher-fat diet alone causes pancreatitis in healthy dogs.
In fact, the science paints a far more complicated picture.
A rich meal may well be the trigger...
…but often only in a dog that already has several other risk factors.
It's less like striking a match in an empty room...
...and more like striking one in a room that's already full of dry timber.
So what can we actually do?
After interrogating the evidence, several recommendations emerge.
✔ Keep dogs at a healthy body condition.
This is perhaps the strongest preventative measure we have.
Maintaining an ideal weight appears far more important than chasing the latest fashionable diet.
✔ Avoid dietary indiscretion.
This doesn't mean your dog can never have a treat.
It means avoiding situations where they help themselves to half a roast chicken, yesterday's takeaway or whatever delights await in the kitchen bin.
✔ Feed a balanced diet.
Current evidence doesn't show that raw, grain-free, homemade or "natural" diets prevent pancreatitis.
The emphasis is on complete, balanced nutrition appropriate for the individual dog.
✔ Follow veterinary advice after pancreatitis.
Dogs who've previously experienced pancreatitis, or breeds predisposed to high blood triglycerides, may benefit from lower-fat diets recommended by their vet.
Wag-Wagatha's Verdict
After reviewing the evidence...
The case remains open.
The science suggests pancreatitis isn't caused by one rogue sausage or a single stolen slice of bacon.
Instead, it's a complicated interaction between genetics, body condition, metabolism, underlying health and, in some dogs, dietary triggers.
In other words...
There isn't one villain.
There's an entire cast of suspects.
And as every detective knows, they're often working together.
Unfortunately, dear reader, despite reopening this investigation, I've discovered I've only scratched the surface.
There are still clues to follow, suspects to interrogate and plenty more evidence to examine.
So it probably won't surprise you to learn...
Dog's Dinner – Part 3 is already on the case.
Until next time...
Yours in curiosity,
Wag-Wagatha Christie 🐾🔎
References
Cridge, H., Lim, S.Y., Algül, H. and Steiner, J.M. (2022) New insights into the etiology, risk factors, and pathogenesis of pancreatitis in dogs: Potential impacts on clinical practice. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 36(3), pp. 847–864.
Pápa, K., Máthé, Á., Abonyi-Tóth, Z., Sterczer, Á. and Psáder, R. (2011) ‘Occurrence, clinical features and outcome of canine pancreatitis (80 cases)’, Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, 59(1), pp. 37–52.
Watson, P.J., Roulois, A.J.A., Scase, T., Johnston, P.E.J., Thompson, H. and Herrtage, M.E. (2007) ‘Prevalence and breed distribution of chronic pancreatitis at post-mortem examination in first-opinion dogs’, Journal of Small Animal Practice, 48(11), pp. 609–618.
