Pancreatitis in dogs and cats
What is pancreatitis?
The pancreas is an organ near the stomach and small intestine. It produces digestive enzymes and hormones, including insulin. Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas. This inflammation can cause pain, nausea and damage to nearby tissues, and in severe cases may trigger inflammation throughout the body. Pancreatitis may be acute, with sudden signs, or chronic, with milder episodes that recur over time.
Dogs and cats can both be affected, but they often show different signs.
What causes pancreatitis?
In many patients, no single cause is identified. A sudden rich or high-fat meal is a recognised trigger in some dogs, but this association is much less clear in cats.
Factors that may increase risk or occur alongside pancreatitis include:
- Obesity or abnormal blood-fat levels, particularly in dogs
- Certain hormonal or metabolic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus or high blood calcium
- Some medications, toxins, trauma or recent abdominal surgery
- Pancreatic or nearby abdominal disease
- In cats, concurrent intestinal or liver and bile-duct inflammation is common
Pancreatitis is usually sterile, meaning it is not caused by a bacterial infection and is not contagious.
What signs might I see?
Dogs commonly show:
- Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain, a hunched posture or reluctance to move
- Lethargy, weakness, dehydration or fever
Cats often show less specific signs:
- Reduced appetite or complete refusal to eat
- Lethargy, hiding, weakness or weight loss
- Nausea, dehydration or a low body temperature
- Vomiting or abdominal pain may occur, but can be absent
Because feline signs can be subtle, persistent loss of appetite or unexplained lethargy should be assessed promptly. Cats that do not eat are also at risk of developing hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver condition.
How is pancreatitis treated?
There is no single test that confirms every case. Diagnosis is based on the combination of history, examination findings, blood tests, pancreatic lipase testing and imaging.
- Complete blood count and biochemistry to assess hydration, inflammation, electrolytes, liver and kidney function
- Species-specific pancreatic lipase testing (cPL in dogs or fPL in cats), interpreted together with the clinical picture
- Abdominal ultrasound to assess the pancreas and look for other abdominal disease
- Radiographs when obstruction, foreign material or another cause of vomiting and pain needs to be excluded
- Routine amylase or general lipase values are not sufficiently accurate to diagnose pancreatitis by themselves. A normal ultrasound, particularly early in the illness, does not completely rule pancreatitis out.
How is pancreatitis treated?
There is no single treatment that cures pancreatitis. Care is tailored to the severity of illness and focuses on maintaining circulation, controlling pain and nausea, and providing nutrition while the pancreas recovers.
- Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids, depending on hydration and illness severity
- Pain relief and anti-nausea medication
Correction of electrolyte, blood-glucose or blood-pressure abnormalities - Early feeding once vomiting and nausea are controlled; prolonged fasting is generally avoided
- A feeding tube when a patient cannot or will not eat enough, especially in cats
- Monitoring and treatment of complications in moderate or severe cases
- Antibiotics are not routinely required because bacterial infection of the pancreas is uncommon. They are reserved for patients with a confirmed or strongly suspected infection or another specific indication.
What should my pet eat?
Diet recommendations differ between dogs and cats and should be individualised.
- Dogs are often started on a highly digestible, lower-fat diet, particularly when dietary fat, obesity or high blood-fat levels may have contributed.
- Cats do not routinely require a low-fat diet. Maintaining adequate calorie and protein intake is usually more important, and the diet may be selected around concurrent intestinal, liver or other disease.
- Feed only the recommended food and avoid rich treats, table scraps and sudden diet changes during recovery.
Do not force-feed a nauseated or struggling pet. Contact your veterinarian if your pet will not eat the recommended diet.
Will my pet need hospitalisation?
Mild cases may sometimes be managed as outpatients with medication, hydration support and close monitoring. Hospitalisation is recommended when there is repeated vomiting, dehydration, significant pain, poor circulation, inability to eat, marked weakness or concern for organ complications.
Severe pancreatitis can affect the kidneys, lungs, blood-clotting system, blood pressure and glucose regulation and may require intensive care.
What is the outlook?
Most mildly or moderately affected pets recover with appropriate supportive care. The prognosis is more guarded when pancreatitis causes shock, organ dysfunction, abnormal clotting, breathing problems or persistent inability to eat.
Some pets have one episode and never relapse, while others develop recurrent or chronic disease. Chronic pancreatic damage can occasionally contribute to diabetes mellitus or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Clinically reviewed and approved by Dr Giulia Agostini, Pet Emergency Senior Veterinarian and Clinical Manager, DVM MANZCVS (ECC) August 2026