Medications to Ease Pancreatitis in Dogs

Inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis, has several causes and can be sudden or chronic. When the pancreas is inflamed, its normal functioning is disrupted and regular pancreatic enzymes become toxic to the pancreas. Withholding food, fluid therapy and medications encompass treatment options for this painful condition. Dogs need hospitalization for proper monitoring during acute pancreatitis, but monitoring chronic pancreatitis varies, depending on the case.

Fluids and Nutritional Support

Vomiting and anorexia, two common signs of pancreatitis, cause dogs to become dehydrated. Lactated ringers or 0.9 percent sodium chloride solutions given intravenously or by injections under the skin will correct dehydration. Long-term food withdrawal requires enteral nutrition, defined as liquid supplementation given through stomach or nasal tubes. The liquid diet is made by pharmaceutical companies to be nutritionally optimal and its medical formulation includes proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Anti-Vomit Medications

Pancreatitis frequently causes dogs to vomit. The vomiting can lead to dehydration, physical exhaustion, and aspiration pneumonia. Anti-vomiting medications, antiemtics, are prescribed by veterinarians to control the impulse. Antichoinergic drugs block pathways from the intestinal tract to the vomiting center. Antihistamines block nerve transmission to the vomiting center and serotonin antagonists block the chemoreceptor trigger zone to cease vomiting. Also, butophanol, a sedative, works directly on the vomiting center.

Pain Medications

Pancreatitis is a very painful condition. The swelling of the pancreas causes abdominal organ displacement and abdominal pain. Injections of pain medications should be given for the duration of pancreatitis. Opioids, such as fentanyl or morphine, are considered the best pain medications for pancreatitis, but meperidine and butorphanol can be used as well. Also, abdominal infusions of lidocaine or bupivacaine alleviate abdominal pain.

Enzyme Supplements

When digestive enzymes become activated within the pancreas, due to injury of disease, the enzymes begin digesting the pancreas itself. Benefits have been shown from giving oral enzyme supplementation, such as Viokase. These additive enzymes seem to function on the feed-back mechanism within the intestines. Since the intestines sense digestive enzymes present, they relay the message to the pancreas telling it to cease enzyme production, thus decreasing enzyme production within the pancreas.

Lipid Regulators

Some dogs have a metabolic problem that prevents proper clearing of fat from the blood stream. It is called hyperlipemia, which contributes to the development of pancreatitis. A low-fat diet and the use of statin medications help control levels of fat, or lipids, in the bloodstream. Statins, such as Levacor, Zocor, Pravachol, and Lipitor, block the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for making cholesterol, lowering blood lipids.