Causes and Treatment for Pancreatitis in Cats

For many cat owners, the contraction of pancreatitis by a beloved pet is a cause for worry. The pancreas is a pale pink organ made up of lobules that can be found behind a cat's stomach and near its liver. The pancreas secretes enzymes through a duct and releases hormones straight into the bloodstream. 

The pancreas also manufactures pancreatic juice, a digestive enzyme that contains a lot of sodium bicarbonate. This enables the pancreas to assist in breaking down carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Pancreatic juice is produced by the pancreas and stored in the pancreatic duct, where it merges with the liver's bile duct before it enters the duodenum.

A normally functioning pancreas will shield itself from the digestives enzymes that it produces, stores and secretes. The enzymes are secreted in an inactivated form, also called zymogens. The enzymes are not activated until they get to the duodenum. 

Pancreatitis in cats happens when the pancreas becomes swollen because its own digestive enzymes are inappropriately activated. What happens is that the enzymes will start to break down and digest the very pancreas that created them. Pancreatitis in cats can lead to acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas. Worse, tissues near the pancreas, such as the liver, may also be affected. 

Pancreatitis in cats can be caused by a lot of conditions. These are high fat content in the blood or hyperlipidemia, toxoplasmosis, hypercalcemia or high calcium content in the blood, feline infectious peritonitis, feline herpesvirus I, obesity, a high fat diet, feline parvovirus, some medicine, hepatic lipidosis, and trauma such as a high fall or a car accident. 

What is troubling is the when cats get this disease, most of the time, veterinarians will not be able to pinpoint the exact cause.  

Once a veterinarian has diagnosed your cat with pancreatitis, they will then try to find and treat the root cause. If it is abdominal pain that is at fault then the veterinarian will prescribe an analgesic, or painkiller. 

If your cat is vomiting, then the veterinarian will recommend that you buy anti nausea medication or antemetics. Many veterinarians also recommend that your cat be treated with intravenous fluids in order to treat dehydration or to prevent it. This is known as supportive care. 

Meanwhile, if your cat has hepatic lipidosis, then the veterinarian may recommend nutritional support. It might be necessary to avoid giving your cat food or water for 24 to 48 hours or for up to one to two days. You may also need to refrain from feeding your cat for the aforementioned period of time. 

Once the veterinarian gives the go-ahead for you to give food to your cat, be sure to only give them bland, low-fat food. If the veterinarian notices that your cat has an infection, they may prescribe antibiotics.