How to treat dogs for pancreatitis. Modern and competent treatment of pancreatitis in dogs

In the treatment of any disease, timeliness, literacy and subsequent prevention are important.

If this approach is used to combat pancreatitis in dogs, it may be possible to completely get rid of the manifestations of this disease.

To begin with, it is worth understanding the reasons for its occurrence.

If your dog is not given raw meat, he is more likely to develop pancreatitis.

Causes of pancreatitis

To have a good understanding of what pancreatitis is in dogs, the symptoms and treatment of which can be quite individual.

We need to pay attention to how it is structured digestive system our four-legged friends. This applies to everyone.

Their pancreas produces enzymes that successfully process raw meat.

And if nutritional errors are consistently made in the dog’s diet - he is always given well-cooked food, canned food, smoked meats, fatty, sweet, spicy, spicy - enzymes for raw meat nowhere to go goes strong malfunction of the digestive tract.

For some unknown reason, the pancreas loses its ability to protect itself from digestion by its own juice, which literally begins to “eat” it.

This is how the primary acute pancreatitis in dogs, the signs of which are difficult to miss.

Chronic pancreatitis in dogs is not as easy to diagnose as acute pancreatitis.

It can develop as concomitant disease after surgery on the intestines, with cholecystitis or; This is secondary pancreatitis.

In general, the symptoms of any form of pancreatitis may be similar to some other diseases.

However, there are signs by which any person, even one quite far from medicine, can determine the localization of the health problem of their pet.

There are three causes of pancreatitis in dogs:

1. Illiterate feeding.
2. Other diseases that weaken the immune system and provoke pancreatitis, as well as medications that treat these same diseases.
3. Genetic predisposition. Dogs of such breeds as, and, are more susceptible to this disease.

Signs of the disease

So, acute pancreatitis in a dog has more pronounced symptoms than chronic pancreatitis.

In both cases, the following changes in the animal’s condition are observed:

• The dog refuses to eat. At the same time, the dog behaves suspiciously calmly, even depressed. From time to time you can observe anxiety, the dog seems to be unable to find a place for itself.
• If you turn the animal on its back and feel its stomach to the left of the navel, it will cause pain.
• Vomiting occurs. Moreover, every time the dog tries to eat something, it immediately “spits out” this food.
• Bloating due to tension abdominal wall.
• Severe intestinal upset diarrhea or constipation. Feces are either very dense with excess starch, or mucous, pasty-like.
• The dog's body loses the ability to metabolize glucose, so its blood level quickly rises. Externally, this manifests itself in drying of the mucous membrane oral cavity and the occurrence of skin itching.

Treatment of pancreatitis

Correct diagnosis is half of successful treatment.

However, you should not think that the situation with tests in dogs is the same as in people.

If a person has pancreatitis, high level lipase and amylase in the blood, then his best friend may have complete order with these indicators.

Therefore, a blood test alone will not be enough.

Along with it, you need to do the following:

• Visual inspection, palpation
• Analysis of urine
• Laboratory trypsin immunoreactivity test (TIRT)
• X-ray abdominal cavity, ultrasound
• Ultrasonography
• Biopsy

Only a specialist should determine what tests should be done, and then a specific treatment for pancreatitis in dogs is prescribed.

To do this, the cause that provoked the disease is first established.

If this is some kind of disease, then, first of all, it must be treated.

When digestive problems are caused by poor nutrition, naturally, all attention is paid to regulating this issue.

General treatment points are as follows:

• At acute form For pancreatitis, antiemetic and painkillers are prescribed.
• If there is a risk of bacterial infections, antibiotics are prescribed.
• for dogs with pancreatitis, it is replaced with one whose composition is suitable for absorption by the sick pet’s body, with natural nutrition a fairly strict diet is established.
• The diet is enriched with microelements and vitamins.

In case of exacerbation of pancreatitis, fasting is prescribed for 1-3 days, and then gradually introduced fractional meals– 5-6 times a day.

Moreover, even water should not be given in large quantities.

After all, this will also stretch the stomach, which will lead to activation of the pancreas and the release of a new portion of enzymes that corrode its walls.

Important! General principle in the treatment of pancreatitis of any form, this means hunger and rest for the pancreas.

"Very delicious leaf cabbage!" In case of exacerbation of pancreatitis, fasting is prescribed for 1-3 days, and then fractional meals are gradually introduced - 5-6 times a day

Nutrition for pancreatitis

The diet of dogs with pancreatitis is primarily aimed at reducing the production of enzymes.

For starters, as mentioned above, this means preventing stomach distension for any reason, even from drinking water.

Of course, due to vomiting and diarrhea, the body is dehydrated, and fluid must be given in small portions.

Along with this, it is worth introducing a rehydrating solution, which includes important minerals.

A sufficient amount of fluid in the body improves blood circulation, which allows the dog to successfully cope with attacks of illness.

How much water can you give an animal? On initial stage treatment everything looks like this:

• For dogs up to 10 kg – 1-2 teaspoons every hour;
• Weighing 10-20 kg - 1-2 tablespoons every hour
• With a weight of 20-30 kg - 100-200 g every hour
• Dogs heavier than 30 kg – 300 g hourly

When the symptoms of the disease subside, this dosage can be gradually increased.

An important principle of nutrition for pancreatitis is to reduce the caloric content of food.

The diet should contain easily digestible proteins:

• Chicken or turkey meat, thoroughly trimmed of fat and lightly cooked. You can add boiled rice to it.
• Low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt.

If before the disease the dog’s diet consisted of dry or canned food, it’s time to switch to dietary options with reduced content fiber and fat.

Important! In case of primary acute pancreatitis, it is enough to relieve the symptoms and undergo a course of treatment with dietary nutrition. Then you can switch to a regular diet, which is worth reviewing if the cause of the disease was an illiterate menu. If it turns out that chronic pancreatitis has worsened, dietary food never stops.

Prevention of disease

Prevention of pancreatitis in dogs is, first of all, a properly balanced diet.

As mentioned at the beginning, digestive tract doggies are configured to digest raw meat, which must be present in their diet.

If you look at the contraindications in nutrition for any breed of dog, you will definitely find that experts unanimously prohibit feeding animals food prepared for humans.

The dog’s diet should not contain fatty, salty, spicy, hot, sweet, or smoked foods.

Along with raw meat, the dog should be regularly given grated fruits and vegetables, as well as porridge from various cereals.

At the same time, it is important that the menu four-legged friend there was at least 30% of proteins, which he gets not only from meat, but also from fermented milk products and eggs.

For dogs with a genetic predisposition to pancreatitis, your veterinarian may recommend taking medications that strengthen the pancreas.

You cannot give your dog such medications on your own, because the doctor will prescribe them based on the results of special tests.

Sometimes dogs need to take a course of vitamins.

The principle of their prescription and administration is the same as in the case of medications that strengthen the pancreas.

Important! Contact with chemicals, which contain herbicides and pesticides, often harm the pancreas and cause an attack of acute pancreatitis.

It is important to visit the veterinarian on time, especially if your dog already has any disease.

Balanced attention to the health of your pet - best prevention any of his illnesses.

Pancreatitis in dogs: causes, signs, treatment, prevention

Pancreatitis in dogs. If your dog gets pancreatitis, this is not the worst thing. It’s bad when this disease is not detected and treated in time. With the right approach, you can get rid of pancreatitis forever.

The article is for informational purposes only and makes it possible to understand what veterinarians have to deal with in practice and what they prescribe in different situations to eliminate the consequences of the problem.

Pancreatitis in animals, what kind of disease is it, symptoms, laboratory diagnostics, analysis and biochemistry, blood counts, pathogenesis, clinical signs

Pancreatitis in animals – inflammatory disease pancreas. Pancreatitis is dangerous because the heart, kidneys, lungs, and brain suffer from toxins that enter the blood. Symptoms of the disease are:

- diarrhea or constipation;
- pain in the abdominal cavity;
- weakness;
- bloating;
- vomit;
- loss of appetite.

To correctly make a diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis: examination and palpation of the abdomen, biochemical analysis blood, x-ray, ultrasound. The disease occurs due to poor nutrition dogs, from fatty foods, as a result of poisoning, plague, diabetes.

Pancreatitis in dogs, treatment with folk remedies at home, diet, what to eat, how to feed, dry food

Treatment of pancreatitis at home is possible, but after consultation with a veterinarian. If there are signs of illness, the dog should fast for the first 24 hours, and then adhere to strict diet. In case of pancreatitis, it is necessary to put the dog on a diet to give the pancreas a “rest.”

The owner needs to ensure that the pet drinks a lot, but in small portions. The dog is given dietary meat (chicken), rice, low-fat yogurt. And they feed in small portions. If the animal ate ready-made food, then you need to switch to one that is low in fat and fiber.

Pancreatitis in dogs, diarrhea and vomiting with blood, medications and drugs, tablets, antibiotics

Analgesics “Butorphanol” are used to treat dogs to relieve pain. inflammatory process. To reduce production in the stomach of hydrochloric acid use Omeprazole, Famotidine.

To stop vomiting - Cerucal, Serenia, Ondansetron. Antibiotics are prescribed if there is a possibility bacterial infection– Ampicillin, Penicillin G.

Pancreatitis in dogs is contagious or not, it is curable, they live long

Pancreatitis in dogs is not transmitted to other animals, because it occurs due to improper nutrition. The disease can be treated, but the pet must adhere to a diet and exclude fatty, smoked foods.

A corneal ulcer causes pain and suffering to the animal. It can occur in a dog or cat of any age and any breed. Regardless of the reason...

> Pancreatin (tablets)

The information posted on this page is for informational purposes only and cannot be used for self-medication!
Before using medications, consultation with a specialist is MANDATORY!

Veterinarians prescribe Pancreatin to animals suffering from chronic pancreatitis, enterocolitis, gastritis, flatulence, diarrhea of ​​non-infectious origin, and obstruction of the pancreatic ducts. It is indicated for mammals with pathology of the biliary tract. This medicine is prescribed for correction various forms disorders of digestion and absorption of food, including errors in nutrition (consumption of indigestible, unusual or fatty foods).

For whom: for mammals.

Leave form: The medicine is available in the form of enteric-coated tablets. Each tablet contains 250 mg of pancreatin.

Dosage: tablets must be given to animals before, during and immediately after meals 3-4 times a day. Single dosage medicines per 1 kg of animal weight for cows and horses is 2-5 mg, for goats, pigs and sheep - 5-10 mg, for rabbits, dogs - 20-50 mg, for fur-bearing animals - 10-20 mg. The veterinarian must select the dosage and duration of use of this digestion-improving drug for each animal individually.

Restrictions: contraindication for use of this medicine is increased sensitivity animal to pancreatin of porcine origin, acute or chronic pancreatitis in the acute stage. It should not be used if the animal has intestinal obstruction. Sometimes taking this drug is accompanied by the appearance of such side effects such as diarrhea or constipation, nausea, discomfort V epigastric region, allergic reactions. Reception of this enzyme preparation reduces absorption folic acid and iron.

Pancreatitis in dogs – dangerous disease, which causes inflammation of the pancreas in an animal with subsequent loss of functionality of this organ. Irregularities at work endocrine system that don't lend themselves timely treatment, cause serious complications up to the death of the pet. Therefore, diagnosing the disease early stages plays a huge role in the dog’s healing process.

Pancreatitis in dogs is dangerous because it causes inflammation and death of pancreatic tissue, making it difficult to digest food. Without treatment, the animal completely loses its ability to cope with the load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which is a threat to the life of the sick dog. To prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to identify the disease early stages Therefore, you should be very careful about your pet’s health and consult a doctor at the first symptoms of illness.

The disease can occur in several forms:

• Acute – manifests itself as a result of negative influence on the body by damaging factors in the form of infection, malnutrition, lack of diet;
• Chronic – develops slowly against the background of acute pancreatitis in the absence of treatment;
• Reactive – detected spontaneously with rapid development of complications, very difficult to treat.

Most often, pancreatitis is diagnosed already in chronic form, since the onset of the disease may be asymptomatic. With a long course of the disease, toxins from the pancreas enter the blood, liver, brain and other vital important organs, which negatively affects the body as a whole.

Acute pancreatitis in dogs requires urgent treatment, since it causes severe complications in the form chronic inflammation pancreas and other serious problems.

Causes of the disease

The main reason that causes pancreatitis in both humans and animals is inflammation of the pancreas and disturbances in its functioning, which lead to a decrease in the production of enzymes for digesting food.

Causes of inflammation of the pancreas:

• Incorrect food menu, which instead of raw meat includes sausages, sweets, canned food, seasonings, and overcooked food. The dog’s body produces enzymes to digest raw meat, the absence of which causes the pancreas to malfunction;
• Ingestion of harmful microbes and microorganisms into the animal’s food, which cause inflammation of the pancreas and further infection of the body;
• Lack of sufficient amounts in your pet's diet useful vitamins and minerals;
• Availability serious illnesses, such as diabetes, ulcer, kidney and liver diseases, urinary or gallbladder may negatively affect the functioning of the pancreas;
• Obesity;
• Pathologies of gallbladder development;
• Worms, demodectic lesions and fungal diseases;
• Abrupt transition to another type of food;
• Drug overdose;
• Increased levels of calcium in the blood;
• The genetic predisposition of some breeds, especially boxers, Yorkshire Terriers, boxers and poodles.

Depending on the causes of the disease, it is customary to distinguish two types of pancreatitis:

• Primary – caused by poisoning junk food, poisons, low-quality feed and chemicals;
• Secondary – developing against the background of other diseases, weakened immunity or complications after surgery.

Symptoms of the disease

Spicy and chronic course diseases have various signs, in the first case, the symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs are more pronounced and occur spontaneously.

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis:

• Lack of appetite, and in more complex cases – refusal of water;
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Dryness of the mucous membranes of the animal’s mouth as a result of severe dehydration;
• Increased body temperature;
• Itching skin animal.

At chronic pancreatitis symptoms are mild or absent completely, while the disease slowly destroys the pancreas.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis:

• Unreasonable weight loss;
• Deterioration appearance dogs, hair loss;
• Bloating or tension in the anterior wall of the pet's abdomen is systematically observed;
• Minor change in stool structure;
• Mood changes, refusal to play and walk.

If you detect at least one of the above symptoms, you should contact your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment if necessary.

Diagnosis of the disease

Having discovered one sign of pancreatitis or several, the owner should send the animal for examination to a specialist as soon as possible. Before diagnosis, feeding the pet should be carried out according to special diet, which includes water and cereal without additives. If the animal's condition is complicated by bouts of vomiting or diarrhea, food must be completely excluded.

Methods for diagnosing pancreatitis:

• Visual examination of the animal, palpation of the abdominal cavity;
• Identifying symptoms;
• Studying the results of urine and blood tests;
• Laboratory examination of stool;
• Ultrasonography;
• Gastroscopy;
• Biopsy;
• Radiography.

After confirming the presence of pancreatitis in dogs, determining the form of the disease and the cause, the veterinarian will begin to treat the pet. It is not recommended to use any medications or treatment methods without a doctor, as this may negatively affect the animal’s condition.

Treatment and diet

Treatment of pancreatitis in dogs begins with prescribing a diet tailored individually for the sick dog. It is especially important to follow a diet during attacks of acute pancreatitis. For the first two days after an exacerbation of the disease, it is prohibited to use dog food for pancreatitis, except for feeding it with small portions of water.

After two days, you can introduce food, adhering to the following rules:

1. Food should be as finely chopped as possible;
2. Carbohydrates and fats in food should be reduced to a minimum;
3. The dog should be given food in small portions every two hours;
4. Protein foods should predominate in the diet;
5. It is recommended to exclude fatty, fried, sour, salty, sweet foods, as well as baked goods, cereals, sausages, corn, herbs and cabbage from the diet of a sick dog.

If the dog has previously eaten purchased feed, then you need to introduce special vitamin-containing mixtures into your diet. For animals whose feeding consisted of regular food, it is better to create a menu based on boiled meat, fish, ground into flour liquid cereals, egg whites and vegetables, pureed. New food is introduced gradually in small portions, and it is necessary to monitor the animal’s body’s reaction to individual components of the diet.

In addition to diet, the use of appropriate medications is prescribed depending on the form of the disease and the presence of concomitant ailments.

Therapeutic methods for treating pancreatitis include the use of:

• Drugs that normalize intestinal function and restore water-salt balance body;
• Analgesics, antispasmodics or intramuscular injections to eliminate pain;
• Drugs that reduce the level of hydrochloric acid production in the pancreas;
• Corticosteroid drugs in cases where the animal is in shock;
• Antiemetic drugs in the presence of severe vomiting;
• Antibiotics if there is a risk of spreading a bacterial infection;
• Inhibitors proton pump to reduce hydrochloric acid levels;
• Drugs for the treatment of diseases associated with pancreatitis, if any.

In cases where symptoms persist for a long time and treatment does not produce results, surgery may be necessary. During the operation, pancreatic cysts are removed and its ducts are cleaned.

During treatment, it is necessary to ensure that blood glucose levels remain within normal limits.

Preventive measures

After recovery from pancreatitis, the diet for dogs must be maintained for a long time, since the animal’s body is weakened and its gastrointestinal tract cannot be overloaded.

To prevent the development of pancreatitis in dogs, it is necessary to perform preventive measures which include:

• Adding raw animal meat, vegetables, dairy products and cereals to the diet;
• Complete exclusion of fried, fatty, smoked and salty foods from the dog’s diet;
• Carrying out preventive examinations if available genetic predisposition pet to pancreatitis.

Timely contacting a veterinarian when pancreatitis is detected in a dog or its accompanying symptoms, treatment and diagnosis of the disease should be carried out by a veterinarian who can correctly determine the form of the disease and suitable methods therapy. It is strictly not recommended to delay contacting a specialist or engage in self-medication, since the lack of timely qualified medical care with pancreatitis it can result in the death of the animal.

Pancreatic diseases in dogs Lately occur quite often. At the same time, their diagnosis in the early stages is practically impossible; it is complicated by the fact that it is responsible for the hormonal and enzymatic support of the digestive process. Therefore, it is possible to detect shortcomings in its work only after violations have led to organic disorders all organs and systems. You cannot make a diagnosis yourself. Modern methods diagnostics can detect disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas using a blood test.

Almost all disorders of the pancreas in dogs lead to very severe consequences, therefore, the sooner the first symptoms become noticeable, the sooner you should contact veterinarian, to establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Key signs to look out for:

• frequent causeless diarrhea of ​​foamy structure with pungent odor
• insatiable appetite, accompanied by diarrhea and sudden weight loss
• a dog can eat its own feces
• general weakness and constant urge to go to the toilet

Most pancreatic disorders are chronic and can be treated with regular therapy and regular examination by a doctor. Especially it concerns hereditary disorders. Sometimes pancreatitis can only be cured surgically. This disease cannot be left to chance, extreme cases it can be fatal.

The pancreas is located between the layers of the mesentery duodenum and stomach, has a right and left lobe. Its excretory ducts open into duodenum. The mass of the gland is 10-100 g, which corresponds to 0.13-0.36% of the dog’s body weight. The endocrine part of the gland makes up only 3% and is formed by cells of the islets of Langerhans. Alpha cells secrete the hormone glucagon, beta cells secrete insulin. In addition, this part of the gland produces lipocaine, vagotonin and other hormone-like substances.

Most of the gland has exocrine function and produces digestive juice containing enzymes trypsinogens, chymotrypsinogens, proelastase, ribonuclease, amylase, lipase, which are involved in the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats supplied with food. Due to the fact that most of the gland is an exocrine organ, with the development of a pathological process, the digestive function is primarily affected. Only when chronic disease the insular part is involved (or in the case of its specific lesion). Then it is violated endocrine function glands.

Four main forms of pancreatic damage have been described: acute pancreatitis, chronic sclerosing pancreatitis (pancreatic cirrhosis), hereditary atrophy and insulinoma. Insulinoma and atrophy occur in German Shepherds, V isolated cases in hounds and giant schnauzers. In dogs of other breeds, chronic sclerosing pancreatitis predominantly occurs, which is more often manifested by symptoms of diabetes than exocrine insufficiency. There is no such selectivity in the occurrence of acute pancreatitis. The incidence of pancreopathy in German Shepherds is 8 per 1000, and in other breeds it is 3 per 10,000.

Exocrine insufficiency

The pancreas due to its complex anatomical localization difficult for ordinary physical methods research. Its condition can only be judged by the dysfunction of other organs associated with it. Insufficiency of gland function can manifest itself both in a lack of enzymes and in the inability digestive juice maintain an alkaline pH in the intestines. Under these conditions, normal intestinal cavity digestion is disrupted, in thin section Microbes multiply rapidly, intestinal dysbiosis occurs, further worsening digestive processes. Parietal enzymatic digestion (maldigestion syndrome) and absorption of enzymatic hydrolysis products (malabsorption syndrome) are disrupted. Exhaustion increases with increased appetite (malnutrition syndrome), and the function of other endocrine glands is disrupted.

Symptoms

Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency is characterized by: polydipsia and polyuria, vomiting, flatulence (discharge foul gases), pancreatogenic diarrhea (smelly, with increased frequency of bowel movements and an increase in the volume of feces, not amenable to therapy), pancreatogenic stool (polyfeces - voluminous stool in the form of foamy, soft, spongy, colorless masses with sour smell, fatty sheen and undigested food debris, sometimes mixed with blood), polyphagia up to coprophagia, flatulence of all parts of the intestine, hyperglycemia, glucosuria, hypocholesterolemia, increased amylase levels in the blood serum, steatorrhea, creatorrhoea, amilorrhea, acidification of feces.

Diagnosis

It is not always possible to place an animal during its lifetime. If upon examination they find listed symptoms, there is reason to suspect pancreaopathy. Ascites in combination with hyperglycemia also indicates the participation of the pancreas in pathological process. For greater confidence in making a diagnosis, one or two functional tests are performed.

Differential diagnosis. Symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency must be distinguished from polyphagia caused by chronic enteritis and various types of malabsorption. Pancreaopathy is characterized by polyphagia against a background of progressive cachexia. Animal activity and performance for a long time may persist, which is not typical chronic enteritis and hepatopathy (rapid increase in depression, temporary or prolonged loss of appetite). Pancreaopathy is also distinguished by concomitant bradycardia; in contrast to enterocoli, defecation is frequent, but there is no tenesmus.

Acute pancreatitis

Necrosis of the pancreas caused by enzymatic autolysis of tissues with hemorrhagic impregnation. The etiology is not precisely established. Acute pancreatitis occurs when bile enters the lumen of the gland ducts. Important role plays the activation of proteolytic enzymes in the gland itself, resulting in enzymatic digestion (autolysis) of its parenchyma with hemorrhages and fatty necrosis.

Symptoms

ABOUT Severe pancreatitis occurs more often in females with impaired fat metabolism. The disease begins suddenly after eating and develops over several hours or days. In mild cases, the primary concern is increasing weakness, apathy, vomiting, foul-smelling diarrhea, increased body temperature, sometimes anemia, jaundice, ascites and other symptoms of pancreatic insufficiency syndrome.

Severe cases of the disease (acute necrosis of the pancreas) are manifested by severe pain, quickly leading to the development of collapse and shock. The pain is accompanied by painful vomiting, salivation and bradycardia. The animal takes a forced “praying” pose: the front legs are extended forward, the chest lies on the floor, and rear end body is raised. Palpation reveals acute pain in the abdominal wall. In the blood and urine, already in the first hours of the disease, increased content amylase. However, with necrotizing pancreatitis, the amylase content may be normal or even reduced. In these cases, a certain diagnostic value have a decrease in the amount of calcium in the blood and an increase in the activity of aspartate minotransferase.

Acute pancreatitis lasts several days and may end full recovery or develop into chronic recurrent pancreatitis. In severe cases fatal outcome may occur in the initial period of the disease with symptoms of collapse, shock and peritonitis.

Treatment

Provides: 1) fight against shock - intravenous drip infusion 5% glucose solution, dextrans, blood or plasma transfusion; 2) creation of physiological rest for the pancreas: complete fasting for 2-4 days, subject to parenteral administration of alvesin; 3) inactivation of proteolytic enzymes with antienzyme drugs (Gordox, Contrical, etc.); 4) suppression of pancreatic secretion and elimination of pain (atropine and analgin with seduxen); 5) prevention of secondary infection (antibiotics).

If acute pancreatitis is suspected, it is better to play it safe and immediately begin intensive treatment, since in the event of a diagnostic error it will not harm, and delay in prescribing therapy will no longer save the patient’s life. When the animal's condition improves, it is recommended to slowly begin feeding high-quality proteins and fat - several times a day in small portions.

Pancreatic atrophy

The atrophied gland looks no thicker than a parchment sheet, is transparent, but retains its ducts. Mostly German Shepherds are affected. The etiopathogenesis is unknown. Animals are born with a normal pancreas. Its atrophy and, as a consequence, glandular insufficiency develop in the first months of life, but sometimes in middle age. The factors causing gland atrophy have not been established.

Symptoms

A history of the disease is characteristic, indicating extreme hunger of the animal to the point of eating its own feces and, despite this, progressive emaciation. Along with general symptoms insufficiency of gland function semiotics, diseases are supplemented by the following data: defecation is frequent, the amount of feces is very increased, they are excreted in large single or multiple small scattered heaps, have a wet sheen, foamy consistency, with an unpleasant sour odor and depending on their fat content is colorless gray or clay-yellow. In such pancreatogenic stool you can find undigested grains of cereals or pieces of potatoes. At times, feces may be shaped. Sounds of splashing, rumbling are auscultated in the abdominal cavity, palpated colon, filled with fecal matter. Bradycardia is pronounced. The coat of a sick animal is disheveled, does not hold well, the skin is dry and scaly.

Diagnosis

It is diagnosed almost unmistakably by a combination of five symptoms: German Shepherd, severe emaciation of the animal, insatiable appetite, pancreatogenic stool, hypocholesterolemia.

Atrophic pancreatitis completely eliminates the reserve secretory ability of the gland. Without treatment, sick animals die.

Treatment

The main role is given to replacement therapy. The animal is prescribed pancreatic enzyme preparations (Pancreatin, Panzinorm), painkillers and antibiotics. Diet. It is recommended to feed only lean meat and no fats or carbohydrates. If treatment is ineffective, euthanasia is offered.

Insulinoma

A hormonally active tumor, an adenoma, developing from the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, producing an excess amount of insulin. It is very rare in German Shepherds. Excessive production of insulin by adenoma causes increased destruction of glucose in the body and a state of chronic hypoglycemia.

Symptoms

Hypoglycemia leads to muscle tremors, ataxia, epileptiform convulsions and, in the final stage, hypoglycemic coma.

Diagnosis

It is assumed based on three signs: German Shepherd, hypoglycemia below 2.8 mmol/l, epileptiform seizures. Differentiate from severe liver dystrophy and insufficiency of adrenal cortex function. The final confirmation of the diagnosis can only be a diagnostic laparotomy.

Treatment

If insulinoma is detected, a partial pancreaectomy is performed. Before surgery therapeutic diet: "/3 meat and 2/3 starch jelly, 4-6 servings per day.

Technique of operation. Conduct general anesthesia in the dorsal position of the animal, and then a laparotomy along the white line in the supra-umbilical region. Organs are examined. The lobe of the gland affected by the tumor is isolated. Using tweezers, the glandular tissue is separated at some distance from the tumor and the intralobular artery is exposed. The arteries are ligated and divided. The affected part of the gland is removed. The abdominal wall wound is sutured.