Low fat foods and tripe for pancreatitis.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for an interesting question!

When we are feeding a dog with a history of pancreatitis, the most important thing we look at is using a food that is low fat. High levels of fat can trigger off pancreatitis in some animals.

You've asked a good question about the protein levels.

Here are the levels of protein that veterinary nutritionists recommend for dog foods:

• For dogs with kidney problems - 12-16% protein.


• For healthy adult dogs - 20-22% protein.


• For puppies - 25-30% protein.

So yes, 35% protein seems like a lot. With that being said, a high protein food is not harmful in an animal with normal kidneys. So, if Shaylea does well on this food it should be ok.

I did some research for you on tripe. This is one of the reasons why I love answering questions online - because I am always learning things!

There is a connection between tripe and the pancreas, but it is not recommended for dogs that are prone to pancreatitis. If you are feeding raw tripe, it is believed that the enzymes in the tripe can help animals that have a condition called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. This is a problem where the pancreas is not producing enzymes and dogs have trouble digesting their food. However, in this case, the Green Tripette food is not raw but rather it is heated and processed and any live enzymes would be destroyed.

So why is tripe not good for pancreatitis? Tripe is high in protein (around 40%) but there are no carbs which means that tripe has about 60% fat. That is a lot of fat! If you were feeding significant amounts of tripe to a dog who was prone to pancreatitis you could very easily trigger an attack of pancreatitis.

It's hard to say whether canned or kibble food is better. They both have their benefits, but one doesn't outweigh the other when it comes to pancreatitis.

I hope this answers your questions!

Dr. Marie.



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Dr. Marie replied:

I am definitely a fan of probiotics. They never hurt. I tend to use them though only if a dog has diarrhea.

The priobiotics that I use the most are Florentero and Forti-Flora. Both are available through your vet.