How to Treat Cat Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is common in cats—and can become life threatening if left untreated—but the good news is that for the most part it's fairly easy to control. Pancreatitis is basically severe inflammation of the pancreas, a gland located in the abdomen that aids in metabolism of sugar and digestion of nutrients. This article will focus on the possible causes, signs to look for and treatments for feline pancreatitis.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look for the signs of feline pancreatitis which may include: an increased heart rate, lethargy, depression, frequent urination, diarrhea, little or no appetite, weight loss and vomiting (although unlike with dogs less than 50 percent of cats experience vomiting).
2. Be aware of your cat’s behavior since this may aid your vet in making a diagnosis. For instance, does he get into garbage or eat a lot of table scraps?
3. Bring your cat to the vet for a physical examination and blood panel if you suspect pancreatitis. The pancreas enzyme “numbers” will help your vet to make a diagnosis. Symptoms of feline pancreatitis may not always be present as it is with dogs, which is why it’s a good idea to take your cat for regular examinations.
4. Feed your cat an easily digestible, low-fat diet if the diagnosis is pancreatitis. Cooked or boiled chicken (no skin or bones) and rice is a safe choice. To ensure your cat gets additional nutrients many vets recommend mixing in a small amount of Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d or w/d canned formulas or perhaps another brand’s formula for digestive health. After feeding the chicken, rice and canned food diet for a week or two (depending on the severity of the pancreatitis) you can gradually work in your cat’s regular food and phase out the special food. If it’s recurring pancreatitis your vet may recommend keeping your cat on the prescription formula. In this case you can gradually work in the prescription dry version and continue to feed canned mixed with dry.
5. Give your cat small amounts of water frequently, especially if there’s vomiting. Fluid therapy may be necessary if your cat becomes dehydrated.
6. Administer any medication prescribed by your vet which will likely include one or more antibiotics and perhaps an antacid and/or pain medication if necessary. Your vet may prescribe an ongoing antibiotic if your cat experiences recurring pancreatitis.
7. Return to your vet for repeat blood work and an examination after you complete a round of medication. If the results are still not normal, your vet will likely prescribe further medication and possibly x-rays to detect another cause such as blockage or an abdominal ultrasound to make sure it’s not a pancreatic tumor rather than pancreatitis.

Tips & Warnings

• The exact cause of feline pancreatitis is unknown, however, there are various factors that may contribute to it including: certain medications, infections such as feline infectious peritonitis and toxoplasmosis; metabolic disorders including hyperlipidemia (high amounts of fat in the blood) and hypercalcemia (high amounts of calcium in the blood) and trauma or injury to the abdomen.
• If your cat is reluctant to eat the prescription food you can warm it up in the microwave if it has been refrigerated (but make sure it’s not too hot) or try hand feeding.
• Websites such as RXPETFOOD.com and animalhousemagazine.com (see links in Resources below) deliver prescription cat foods to your home. This is helpful for people who aren’t able to transport the food from their vet’s office or live in an area where the food isn’t available. RXPETFOOD.com requires a pet owner’s confirmation that the food was recommended by their veterinarian.
• Do not feed your cat treats, particularly those high in fat while treating pancreatitis.
• Prescription cat foods for treating pancreatitis, such as Hills, contain corn gluten. Corn gluten may not be right for all cats and have the opposite effect; create digestion problems instead of curing them. If your vet prescribes one of these prescription diets long-term, you may want to discuss the corn issue or consult a holistic vet or nutritionist about alternative foods.
• Pancreatitis is serious. Stick to your vet's orders for successful healing.
• Even after pancreatitis clears up and the blood work results are normal, a cat may still show signs of digestion problems such as diarrhea and vomiting. This may be due to Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), an enzyme deficiency that develops from chronic pancreatitis. If you suspect EPI, discuss it with your vet. Prescription enzyme supplements that come in powder, tablet or capsule form can be mixed in with your cat's food to keep the condition under control.