Food for pancreatic dog

Jen Pigs Fly

Hello, my 16 year old lurcher X has been very poorly, she was brought into the vet last week and stayed in for 3 nights as her pancreas and liver bloods were high, liver only slightly but pancreas was into the 5000 range when it should be in the 1000 approx range.
So long story short, she is home, doing very well and vet has put her onto the royal canin GI low fat food (LF22) both wet and dry.

It's costing a bomb (which I don't mind) however I don't like how RC are not clear on their ingredients or percentages, it's very vague to read the ingredients

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a similar food to the RC? Bearing in mind she has pancreatitis

aonb

There was a thread on this very subject I think - have a search. Im sure there will be lots of advice from people who have some experience - but you can provide a good alternative home cooked diet, which you should find both easy to prepare, but hopefully your dog will enjoy too. A pancreatic dog needs fat free/low fat diet. Ive always home cooked for my dogs. Maybe discuss with your vet, but basically chicken or turkey or white fish, mixed with vegetables and white rice, will be a good start. Organ meats (kidney, heart) are good. I seem to remember when my dog was first put on a diet, that it was lots of small meals a day, rather than feeding just once or twice, to keep the stress off the pancreas. Discuss or research the issue of protein and carbohydrates for a pancreatic diet.

Do lots of googling. I used to keep one or two tins of the prescribed dog food in the cupboard just for emergencies, but the home cooked diet worked really well, was much cheaper and my dog preferred it - he hated the tinned food.

This is useful:

https://www.dogsfirst.ie/health-issues/pancreatitis-dogs-part-2-solution/

em_cat

xxxJennyxxx wrote: »

Hello, my 16 year old lurcher X has been very poorly, she was brought into the vet last week and stayed in for 3 nights as her pancreas and liver bloods were high, liver only slightly but pancreas was into the 5000 range when it should be in the 1000 approx range.
So long story short, she is home, doing very well and vet has put her onto the royal canin GI low fat food (LF22) both wet and dry.

It's costing a bomb (which I don't mind) however I don't like how RC are not clear on their ingredients or percentages, it's very vague to read the ingredients

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a similar food to the RC? Bearing in mind she has pancreatitis

We have our EPI Mr C on Canagan Small Bites at the moment mixed with bits of cooked chicken, steamed fish or turkey.

So far he’s not had any pancreatic issues as long as we are consistent & keep it low fat.

beveragelady

My boy had pancreatitis a year ago. Since then I've been cooking his dinners once a week and freezing them. I roast sweet potatoes and chicken breasts then I boil the lot in a saucepan with some peas or carrots or another veg, depending on what's in the house. I chop it all quite small after it has cooled and I freeze it in portion-sized containers. I cook rice for him (it doesn't freeze well but I do two days at a time and keep it in the fridge). He bloody loves it and he's doing very well on it.
Sometimes he gets turkey breast, sometimes he gets a sheep's heart or two in the mix. As long as I know it's low in fat I'm happy.
The whole thing is a bit of a pain in the behind but he's well worth it. My girl gets the same thing but she insists on some dry food as well.

Jen Pigs Fly

Thanks fro the recommendations guys, my mother however would prefer to not have to prepare home cooked food as she feels it isn't fair to the other Labrador, so my plan is to compare the percentages in the RC to other similar kibble foods

DBB

I had a dog with pancreatitis, and fed her (amongst other things... My word, was she a fussy eater ) Barking Heads "Fat Dog Slim", and James Wellbeloved have a few varieties that bring the fat level below 10%.
She particularly enjoyed the James Wellbeloved as she got older, it seemed very palatable for her.

Latatian

Red Mills Engage duck dry dog food suited my girl pretty well- she had other issues too so the chicken might be fine for yours.

actaphobia

Would Hepatic food be any use?

Before my dog died last year, he had elevated liver enzymes and was put on Hepatic food for last 3 years of life. I don't known whether this applies to pancreatic disease.

Ultimately, listen to vet's advice.

Jen Pigs Fly

Despite my reservations about the RC food it has done wonders from her in the last 2 weeks. She has no body odour, her eye tear staining has disappeared and her colouring is brighter. She's very keen for walks and mad for her (4) dinners, at 16 years of age she's still trying to play, despite being a bit wobbly.

Brought her to the vet yesterday for her 2 weeks check up and her pancreas enzyme (?? Unsure if this is the correct working) has gone down from 5000 to 2000, so she's doing great on it....

Thanks for the help guys, it seems she will have to stay on the devils RC for a while anyway :rolleyes: