Pancrititis v pain meds

[glow232]

My dog was just diagnosed with pancrititis, after the vet she had thought she had swallowed part of her toy, and he cut her open, and found that she had pancrititis.  I have tried to locate what is best for pain for my dog, but there is no definate answer for that can you or anyone  suggest  what is the best pain med for her is?  she is in alot of pain, and is not the same dog since he cut into her.  I know that Rimadyl was used on her father, but that is prominently for artheritis, but I do understand it is also used for pain as well.  but what is the best medicine for her situation?

[Jaybay]

Sandy, you are wonderful!  Thank you for taking such great care of your Julie.  It's so sad that pet care tends to be the last thing on the economic list for many people.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "My dog is like my child, but...."  This from people who have computers and internet service and cell phones and every other comfort in life, yet the mere thought of paying for vet care is immediately rejected.  Astounding, isn't it?

[Sandra_G]

My mini poodle had Pancreatitis..she woke up in the AM & than went back to sleep all day...she wouldn't eat food.  She got up at 5 pm...kept drinking water & kept vomiting a bile like substance...not food...kept repeating it for hours. I thought it was a cold or virus. Than out of nowhere she had a seizure. My little baby was thrashing on her side & knew no-one for 5 min.. I just about had a heart attack myself.
We rushed her to the ER Vet & they kept her for 4 days. No food at all...just IV fluids & IV meds & lots of tests & scans & xrays. They were wonderful to her & to me too. They thought it might be from table food.
I think they were right ..I had given her fresh ham all week, left over from Christmas. I had also cut off all the fat.

Julie recovered & went home on a strict diet....Hills KD food & I cooked boiled chicken & rice too. She had antibiotics & Pepsid & pills for her Liver.  She didn't need pain meds once she got home.
2 wks. later I was told she has kidney disease. I was devastated for her. Than a week later she tested positive for Cushings Disease. When I think back, she also had all the symptoms of Cushings before the Pancreatitis attack, which I had no idea what any of these diseases were. I was told that all this is interrelated.

Now my Julie is on a drug for Cushings disease..Trilostane.
My vet thinks this will work to get her back to herself. It will take months of treatment & $$$$ but she is worth it to us. Today, was $265.00 for the 1hr. ACTH blood test....to make sure her numbers are in line.  I will have to keep her on it for the rest of her life.
I was told that the Cushings may be causing the kidneys to enlarge & it may "go away" once the Cushings is under control. I pray thats true.

This is a trying time for you & for all of us with sick pets.
My heart goes out to you & your dog. Do alot of research on Google...tell your Vet what you learned...& if you don't like what your vet says or wants to do, go to another one. I went to three & it's good for other opinions.  I think that cutting your dog open, attributed to her pain. Was that surgery really necessary or would xrays or a CT scan have shown that nothing foreign was in her?
Please have your dog tested for Cushings & Kidney Disease. You can't be too careful with your baby. Best of luck & love....Sandy



  



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Low Prices on Dell Laptops - Starting at $399

[walkinginlove]

my dog was diagnosed with pancreatites 2 weeks ago .we've come a long way baby. from antbiotics that still havn't stopped to now trying carafate pills to coat her stomach and kaolin pectin plus pain medicine by the way the pain med traminol is only 4.00$ at wal-mart. the kaolin-pectin is our biggest blessing her body stops shaking while it works to sooth her stomach.lots of love , Monica Maxies mom

[Jaybay]

Pancreatitis calls for some strong pain meds.  When my dog had it, the vet used a 75 mcg fentanyl patch.  This medication is also used for people who have chronic pain.  It's simply a gel-filled patch that stays on for 3 days, and dispenses a constant supply of medication during that time.  They also used hydromorphone (dilaudid) for breakthrough pain when the patch wasn't enough.  These opiate medications are VERY strong, and will have a sedative effect on your dog - just like with people.  Some vets may be very leery to send these medications home, because of the idiots out there who will abuse them.  If your dog is well enough to come home (i.e., eating a little and drinking well) tramadol is a mild option for pain relief.

Generally, if your dog is sick enough with pancreatitis, she will need to be an inpatient with IV fluids and supportive care.  There isn't a whole lot to do for pancreatitis other than literally starve the dog, treat the pain, keep up IV fluids and nutrition, and wait and see what happens.  It's a really heartbreaking, tricky thing to treat.

How old is your dog, and do you know what triggered the attack?  Many times, if dogs get into some "people food" that has a lot of fat, that's enough to really wreck the pancreas.  My vet said he can count on seeing numerous cases after Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day - when everyone fires up the barbecue and dogs are "treated" with fatty leftover rib bones and brisket.  If it wasn't a diet malfunction that caused it, you'll need to find out if there is a pseudo cyst (infection) or some kind of a tumor.