​A warning about feeding dogs fatty foods

The Fur Kids Foundation Board of Directors want to share a recent case story with our followers to make them more aware of the dangers of feeding our cherished pets extra fatty foods, such as bacon grease, ham and other pork products, among others. The Foundation does not frequently publish articles about pets who crossed the rainbow bridge, but we made an exception for this case.

Patches was a 10-year-old corgi/blue heeler cross. Over the Easter holiday, her mom gave her a little treat of ham, thinking nothing of it because she has given all of her dogs pork in the past. Shortly afterward, Patches’ mom started to notice that she was acting differently, and seemed to not feel well – Patches was lethargic and not acting like her normal self. A week later, Patches’ started to have diarrhea and was vomiting, so her mom took her to the vet immediately. 

While at the clinic, they found that Patches had pancreatitis, and had a tough road ahead of her. Patches spent a few days at the clinic while the vet tried to make her comfortable, but unfortunately crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

For those who don't know, the pancreas is an organ near the stomach that helps digest food and controls the amount of sugar that is released into the blood. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, it’s called a pancreatitis. Patches showed all the typical symptoms of a pancreatitis, but others can include:  belly pain, panting or a hard time breathing, dehydration or even a fever or low body temperature. 

The causes of a pancreatitis can be from a fatty meal, like bacon grease or table scraps. Other triggers could be caused by a side effect to a drug, or after surgery. Older pets seem to be more prone to this disease, and if your pet is overweight or has diabetes, they may have a harder time getting over an attack. Typically, pets can recover from mild cases, but severe cases can lead to death.

Patches family is going through some hard times, and this emergency vet visit was more than they could afford. They reached out to Fur Kids Foundation for help. Even though Patches didn't survive her ordeal, Fur Kids Foundation still helped cover the emergency costs that the family needed help with.

If you're looking for more information on pancreatitis in pets, please check out these articles:

1. AKC: Pancreatitis in Dogs - Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
2. Drs. Foster and Smith: Pancreatitis in Cats
   
3. Mercola Healthy Pets: Don’t Let Your Pet's Pancreas Inflammation Ruin Their Life
   
4. Mercola Healthy Pets: Pancreatitis: Is Your Cat Suffering from This Often Silent but Deadly Disease?
   
5. The Whole Dog Journal: Dog Pancreatitis Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment 

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Fur Kids Foundation is grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters who have helped local families stay happy and healthy, and together! If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help families in Campbell County, Wyoming with animals, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. The money helps families during a time when they may not be able to afford adequate veterinary care. Check out our Success Stories to read about more pets we’ve helped.