Sticks1977 Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) Finally able to sit down and relax - and after such a long and exhausting day I'm here to hopefully find out some more information about how I can change Fraser's diet due to pancreatitis. Currently Fraser is fed 2 cups of Royal Canin Labrador Dry Food kibble (1 cup in the morning, and another at night) per day. Should I be keeping Fraser on this type of food, or should I be looking to switch his diet to another form of dry food or a low fat diet that would suit him? The vet at the Emergency Hospital said that I should have him on a low fat diet to help prevent pancreatitis in the future - so I'm hopeful that some here at DOL have been through a similar unfortunate experience and may be able to offer some dietary tips. Fraser is currently at the Animal Emergency Hospital in the best of care by the staff there. Luckily for me I took out Pet Health Insurance at the end of July so Fraser is covered for all costs (I just have to pay the excess). We are due to have him home on Tuesday night, I just want to make sure that I can have his diet worked out for him as soon as he arrives home. If I do have to change his diet away from Royal Canin - should I gradually introduce a new food into his diet so that I am not upsetting his stomach? Hopefully I will find out more over the coming days an I will be sure to report on how he is progressing - it sure is a quiet house without him around here... Regards, Shaun (sticks1977) Edited September 14, 2009 by Sticks1977 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineDream Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 My last GSP had pancreatitis and his diet was changed to a dry food that had 8% or less fat (that was the cut off point for him with dry food) and chicken mince boiled in the microwave, then into the fridge to cool and then all the fat scraped off. He could have VIP roll in the mornings and was fed the chicken mince mixed with cooked rice and oatmeal at night. Never had another attack, but I became the food nazi and no-one was allowed to give him anything without my approval.....no bones, no bacon, no ham, only tiny pieces of cheese. Once you stabilise your dogs diet and his health, you have a good chance of keeping him healthy and comfortable. Also you will learn the signs that Fraser has an attack building up by the appearance of clear mucus in or around his stools...at that point, go straight onto boiled chicken breast, rice and yoghurt and no dry forood for a few days till his gut settles down again... Lots of luck..these things worked for Cadence - they may not work as well for Fraser though as every dog is different - there's some experimenting before you get it settled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 The emergency Vet will most likely be dispensing prescription diet food when you pick him up so it is the same as what he has been eating in the hospital. I imagine you will have recheck visits with your regular Vet so that's the time to discuss the possibilities of brand food vs home made. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shmoo Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 My boy Sweep has diabetes and Pancreatitis. He is on Royal Canin Digestive Low Fat which is a vet prescribed diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Avanti* Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 My Labrador has pancreatitis for the first time (and I hope only time) a few months ago so you have my sympathy. She was in hospital for 3 days on a drip and given anti-biotics. After she came out initially she was put on Hills id prescription diet. Later I moved her onto cooked chicken breast with all the fat removed. Now she is on cooked kangaroo meat that is very lean. In her case the pancreatitis was most likely caused if not exacerbated by long-term prednisolone she had been on for an allergic skin condition. But that's another story. I hope your dog is much better soon, its very upsetting to see them with pancreatitis. My girl has made a good recovery but like TangerineDream mentioned I will have to stay forever watchful with her diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks1977 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thanks to all for the replies - unfortunately Fraser is not getting better... he has gone downhill throughout the night... The Emergency Hospital rang me this morning to update me on his progress, he has been vomiting overnight and again this morning with some blood coming up with the liquid. They said he has a severe case of gastro-interitis and that he is still appearing very dehydrated and that fluids are not working as well as they can. (sorry for my vague description, can barely think at the moment!) They are now in the process of a blood/plasma transfusion to see if this will help - I am due to visit Fraser when I finish work at 1.30 pm and I might quickly rush home before hand and grab some of his old toys that remind him of home. I just hope that he will pull through this and begin to start feeling better - I miss him. Will have more information as it comes to hand - hopefully he will show signs of improvement when I pay him a visit, the vet mentioned that the blood/plasma transfusion will be completed by the time I come around to see him. Please keep your fingers, toes or anything else crossed - I just hope that he pulls through - I am just not ready for him to leave yet, that might appear selfish but having only 2.5 years with him doesn't seem long enough... Regards, Shaun (sticks1977) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Oh, Shaun That's awful news. Fingers and paws crossed for your boy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy06 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thanks to all for the replies - unfortunately Fraser is not getting better... he has gone downhill throughout the night...The Emergency Hospital rang me this morning to update me on his progress, he has been vomiting overnight and again this morning with some blood coming up with the liquid. They said he has a severe case of gastro-interitis and that he is still appearing very dehydrated and that fluids are not working as well as they can. (sorry for my vague description, can barely think at the moment!) They are now in the process of a blood/plasma transfusion to see if this will help - I am due to visit Fraser when I finish work at 1.30 pm and I might quickly rush home before hand and grab some of his old toys that remind him of home. I just hope that he will pull through this and begin to start feeling better - I miss him. Will have more information as it comes to hand - hopefully he will show signs of improvement when I pay him a visit, the vet mentioned that the blood/plasma transfusion will be completed by the time I come around to see him. Please keep your fingers, toes or anything else crossed - I just hope that he pulls through - I am just not ready for him to leave yet, that might appear selfish but having only 2.5 years with him doesn't seem long enough... Regards, Shaun (sticks1977) Oh iam terribly sorry to hear this news. I hope he picks up very very soon and you get him under control!. My baby Lizzy suffers from pancreatitas. She has had multiple multiple attacks and she is only 3. First started for her at around 1.5 years. (after being fed a treat from china) Poor baby. I understand you not wanting to say goodbye to him. I'm the same with my girl i always thought i would have her for 17 years now the future is so uncertain. I just hope you have so much more luck with controlling and keeping him controlled than the luck i have. I love my girl more than anything. I cry myself to sleep most nights worried about her. I'm in the middle of debating whether to put her in for invasive surgery for biopsies to see if we can find something else causing her attacks. You are lucky you have insurance. I do not and have already spent many thousands. If i put her in for the surgery it will cost another $1500.00. But i will do anything to try and help her. I'm just worried that something may go wrong. She had an attack a couple of days ago and she is so not well at the moment. I have started her on a new diet to see if that helps but she is not picking up as yet unfortunately. Again i'm so so so sorry. This is something i would not wish on my worst enemies dog it is a cruel and pathetic disease. I hope you he picks up very soon and you never have to go through it ever again. Kris and the gorgeous miss Lizzy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I'm very sorry, I hope the plasma helps him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shmoo Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I'm so sorry to hear. Hold in there, I bet Frazer is a strong fighter and is doing all he can to get himself home asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks1977 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 I am so numb and frankly I think I am still in shock. We had to make the decision early this morning to put Fraser to sleep... Fraser's protein levels were rising and the red blood cell count was improving with the plasma transfusion that he was given - he sure was a fighter and one tough little guy as his heart rate got up to 200 bpm during the transfusion but he kept on fighting and wanting to live. Throughout the day he was still vomiting and they were attempting to get this under control. He was mainly vomiting up blood and liquid and doing this whenever he was suddenly moved or had to go out to the toilet. They had a vet change over around 6.00 pm Monday night - and the emergency centre got in contact with us to say that he was not improving as hoped and they were wanting to put him into surgery to get to the bottom of why he was not feeling well. There was a big build up of gas in his stomach and intestines... He went in for the operation at 9.00 pm on Monday night, and they said that the later that the call comes through - the better outlook we have for Fraser. The time approached 12.30 am the next morning and I still had not heard anything. I gave them a quick call to get an update and he made it through surgery. It was a blockage that was the main cause of the problem - a knot of the end of a piece of rope, around the size of a golf ball if a little bigger. He had so have some intestines removed and they said he would most likely have diarrhea for the remainder of his life due to food being unable to be digested properly. They were going to monitor him over the next few hours to see how he would go - but there were no guarantees. Unfortunately we received a phone call at 4.00 am to say that he had gone downhill and the toxins throughout his body were starting take effect. He was passing blood in his urine, and there was a possibility of blood hemmoraging into his eyes and then his brain. We made the decision to send him over to the rainbow bridge - this is as hard to type as it is to think of the closing minutes we both had with him this morning. I don't mean to upset anyone here and my apologies if I have - I just want to tell the full story of what has happened and to make people aware - TREASURE EVERY MOMENT with your pets. I will add a post to the rainbow bridge sub-forum when I gather my thoughts and think about what I want to write. It is so very quiet around here at home at the moment - I miss him terribly but I am trying to think positive and know in the back of my mind we did everything possible to help him - it just was not enough. Thanks for reading - and please keep Fraser in your thoughts - I hope that he is now in a better place and looking down on "Mumma and Dadda"... Regards, Shaun and Gaylene WE LOVE YOU FRASER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 :crying: so sorry, shaun and gaylene.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineDream Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 so, so sorry....hugs to you both... RIP Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy06 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Iam in tears and balling. Iam so very very very sorry. This is not fair!!!! RIP peace Fraser. I'm sure he is looking down on you guys!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 so very sorry to hear this news, take care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ari.g Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Oh no! So sorry for your loss RIP Fraser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 ;) ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I'm so sorry RIP Fraser ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harper Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I am so sorry. My thoughts and sincere condolences to you and your wife, Sticks. ;) Romp and rest easy at the bridge, Fraser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabrador Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 So sorry Shaun. Rest easy Fraser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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