The dog s temperature quickly rises and its belly aches. This is acute pancreatitis a medical emergency that requires hospitalization and aggressive treatment. Chronic pancreatitis is a slow dwindling of the pancreas and a decrease in its ability to produce enough exocrine juices to break down food units. The initial insult to the pancreas may be an acute pancreatitis that was not noticed the pet was sick for a couple of days and just laid around. These animals tend to relapse and have unseen repeated damage to the pancreatic tissue until the pancreas is withered and cirrhotic.
Most current theories point toward an immune mediated component to chronic pancreatitis.
Chronic pancreatic dogs and cats eat large amounts of food but get skinny and lose muscle mass. Their stools are composed of undigested materials and may be large and light in color. Often these pets need to have their food digested for them before they eat. If you suspect pancreatitis in your pet, see your veterinarian as soon as possible. The endocrine role of the pancreas is very important, too.