I recently met a dog who told me he has "pancreatitis"! What is that? Since my human has been working as nutrition consultant at the local pet supply store, I have been hearing all kinds of crazy stories. Apparently this ailment, along with so many others, is pretty common in Dogworld. I do make my own observations, as well as eavesdropping on the human conversations, and it all seems to be related to food. It seems that the majority of issues and illness dogs are experiencing these days are being caused by poor diets. I am not saying that I am perfect(Damn close), but I do not have to deal with half of the issues my buddies do! I will go ahead and guess that's because my human has been feeding me raw meat all of my life(10+ years!). I don't think those guys have bad humans, just that my own is a little nuts about nutrition and is always studying food, herbs, homeopathy, etc.. So I want to pass on what I know from my own experiences with her.
Pancreatitis is a thing where the organ cannot function properly and starts digesting itself. Gross! As with all of our organs, it needs the proper vitamins and minerals to function well. The common kibble, which is over-processed and devoid of the right nutrients is the most common culprit. According to most holistic vets, switching to a higher quality food is crucial. Some recommend that the dog should fast(refrain from feeding) for 24-48 hours in order for the organs to "recalibrate", or adjust themselves naturally. When feeding resumes, it should be a diet of primarily meat(whole,natural, not meal or byproduct) and no grains, with limited amounts of nutrient-rich vegetable and omega-rich oils. The ideal form would be raw, yet a freeze-dried or high quality kibble is still a healthy and wise choice. As with any mammal, heavily-processed, nutrient-void "foods" will only lead to poor health and illness.
So the concensus is that dogs should be fed a low-fat, high-protein diet with no grain and small amounts of plant-based ingredients. The term "biologically appropriate"(referring to the dog's diet) would indicate that feeding meats which are the natural choice of carnivores should provide most of the nutrients needed by the organism. If the animal is compromised(ill), then the diet needs to be even more specific. Dr. Dobias says, "I do recommend lower fat meats for dogs with pancreatitis. Chicken, turkey, rabbit, eggs are good examples of low fat foods. I do not recommend fatty meats such as duck or lamb. I also do not recommend large animal red meat (beef, buffalo or bison) for dogs with pancreatitis." (http://www.peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11016097-pancreatitis-in-dogs)
I recommend that all of us(humans and pets alike) eat the most natural, least processed, most appropriate foods for our respective species and avoid "junk foods" like the plague!
Happy tails to you!
