Dogs that have pancreatic problems are unable to digest as easily as healthy dogs, this is due to fluids that a sick pancreas cannot, or does not, secrete during the digestive process.
In addition to the medication that our vet prescribes, which usually consists of digestive enzymes, we must completely change the diet of our dog, since from now on it will have to eat much less fat.
We have several options when it comes to feeding a dog with pancreatitis, we can do it using healthy food prepared by ourselves, we can do it using dry feed formulated for dogs with digestive problems or we can do it using wet food also prepared specifically for dogs with this sickness.
Homemade food for dogs with digestive problems (Pancreatitis)
If you do a little research on the Internet you will find endless recipes for making homemade dog food at home, using natural ingredients. But not everything works since those recipes are mainly designed for healthy dogs.
That kind of feeding it’s called the BARF Diet and it is the one that we must use with our dog, but with some nuances. We will eliminate all fatty matter, such as animal fat, oils, lean meat, animal skin, etc …
We can also stick to a very simple recipe that consists of cooking rice and chicken without skin, with a few pieces of carrot finely chopped. Once everything has cooled, we will remove the bones from the chicken and throw them away (dogs should not eat cooked bones). We chop everything and we will have an excellent plate of homemade food for a dog with pancreatitis, since it is very low in fat.
Wet dog food with Pancreatitis
If we do not have time or means to make homemade food, the most recommended for dogs with pancreas problems, we can always opt for wet food as another good option.
There are cans of dog food that have digestive problems, which are like a kind of pate that dogs love. They contain all the nutrients necessary to keep our dog fed and have very little fat, ideal.
Hills Prescription Diet i / d Low Fat Food Cans are great for dogs with pancreatic problems. You can also buy individual cans or complete boxes to obtain a cheaper price.
Hill’s Prescription Diet i / d Gastrointestinal Health can also be another excellent option, which you can find at the link above as well. It is very low in fat and very digestible, excellent option for dogs with pancreatic problems.
Dry food for dogs with Pancreatitis
This option we have not left the last one by chance, since dogs with digestive problems tolerate wet food much better than dry food. If you have the option of making the food yourself or buying it in cans (wet, pate) it is preferable that you do it.
As a last option, we can feed our dog with dog food. The problem with most feed on the market is that they are made for dogs without digestive problems. So finding a good dog for dogs with pancreatitis can be quite an adventure.
The feed must be very digestible and with very little fat, so any feed is not useful. The most used in these cases is the Hills Digestive Care, which is made mostly of cereals…. something that we do not recommend in healthy dogs, but that becomes an obligation if we want to use feed in their diet.
Remember that whatever diet you choose, you must observe how it feels. Dogs with pancreatitis / digestive problems need to adapt the diet to their tolerances, so we must keep trying until we find the one that feels good to them.