Chronic Pancreatitis Treatment

Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis - Pancreatitis Diet

Chronic pancreatitis treatment is often directed towards the exocrine mal function of the pancreatic gland.

Both acute and chronic pancreatitis can in the end, result in pancreatic insufficiency. This results in low amounts of the enzymes breaking down fat and protein in the intestinal lumen.

You can also find a type of pancreatitis where there is a constant continuing inflammation in the pancreas.

Overtime, this will change the structure and the function of pancreas. If this inflammation is too severe and too extensive, both the endocrine secretion (Insulin) and the exocrine secretion (digestive enzymes) can be damaged.

To be honest with you, i have never seen this happen. Though, it is something worth to remember as a possibility.

Here I am going to concentrate on chronic pancreatic problems of the exocrine type, lack of digestive enzymes.

Diet As Chronic Pancreatitis Treatment

In general diets low in fat is recommended.

This is especially important if hyperlipidemia is present. Hyperlipidemia can result in several attacks of more acute pancreatis bouts, like a chronic ongoing one.

Why less fat?

Less fat means less need of the pancreas enzymes.

If diarrhea is present, less fat in the food means less fatty acids in the intestinal lumen. Too many fatty acids in the digestion juice inside the intestines, will increase the water content by osmosis. More water makes the stool more fluid and increase risks of diarrhea. So fat less food makes sense.

The traditional recommendation in this type of pancreatitis diet is that fat content should be around of twenty percent or less.

Royal Canin's Intestinal or Digestive Low Fat (containing only five percent fat!) is well within these limits.

Many other commercial dog foods are available. Many of them are usefull as well. Talk to your vet about this. This is from my practical experience using primary this brand.

Diet And Skin Problems

Sometimes skin problems is a problem in these pancreatic insufficiency dogs. They have some kind of food reactions.

You can try a diet containing rice and soy hydrolyzate - like Royal Canin's Hypoallergenic and often they get better skin quality

Pancreatic Enzyme Supplementation

Still the cornerstone in pancreatitis treatment with exocrine insufficiency. It's a symptomatic treatment, only directed towards adding the missing enzymes to the food.

Often, enzyme supplement as a powder is sprinkled on the food.

Food mixed with the enzyme supplementation, will pass through the stomach to the intestines. Here, the powdered enzymes is activated.

Capsules or tablets are the choice of treatment in humans. This works also in dogs but maybe in a larger dosn than inspected, as the enzymes is not released in the gut in tha same manner as the powder.

Sometimes you find the medicine tablets in the stool. So, they have not been dissolved at all.

This could depend on the pH differences between man and dog in the stomach and intestines.

Fresh pig or bovine pancreas is another alternative. It can be stored in the freezer for 1-2 months. 50 - 100g should you give per meal - this is for a medium seized dog. My dog owners who have tried this solution think it is too much job. So this is not the best solution.

Often this is a lifelong treatment. But, in the beginning more enzyme is needed and often less can be used later.

Chronic Pancreatitis Treatment And Still No Better

Treatment with enzymes should relive the diarrhea. If not, well this could be either too little enzymes used or bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Often it is possible for certain bacterias to become too many because of the altered digestion. And this, when the disease is treated, you have to count with.

Normally, I almost always give antibiotics for a longer period in the beginning of the pancreatic insufficiency treatment. In order to re balance the intestinal micro flora in the gut.

Vitamin B 12 is important as well.

Blood samples should be taken to decide whether this important vitamin is deficient. If so, this could be why treatment is not as effective as you would expect. Cobalamin deficiency is really something to be aware about

This should do! Taking into account these factors in the treatment for chronic pancreatitis you should get a positive result.