Our rescue Rottweiler Lola has had Pancreatitis since we got her. She was rescued from a horrible breeding program, where she lived her life in a small cage on her side, with a clamp around her mouth holding it shut. She endured all the extremes of weather, with no relief. During the many years that she lived like this, her immune system was destroyed.
We truly get to witness the slow, but definite healing that takes place when a raw diet is introduced after a life time of abuse and damage to the system and spirit. It is a slow process and doesn't happen over night, but it happens indefinitely.
Lola is not on any prescription meds, and gets a diet low in fat, smaller meals per day, and WAY more meat than bone. For supplements she gets Omega 3 and a digestive enzyme (except when fed green tripe). If we stray at all from feeding her small, low fat meals, with little bone content, she will go into an attack.
She recently had an attack, her first since her switch to her new plan. The reason was she got into Ikura's meal-which was a whole chicken. Before we could get to her it was down the hatch. We didn't know what to expect and if it would affect her negatively. Sure enough, she got sick.
We knew that we could only feed her green tripe until she got better. It is the only food that Lola can eat and doesn't need enzyme powder. The juices that flow from the tripe, are high in digestive enzymes, Lactobacillus Acidophilus (main ingredient in probiotics), and the high acidic pH in the gastric juices aid in digestion. This is what is used in the expensive meds that you need to treat Pancreatitis. So it dawned on me...
When a dog has an attack you need to make sure they stay hydrated and get enough nutrients. Rather than feed her the whole pieces (after an attack you want to keep it easy on the pancreas and fast the dog), I poured about 2 cups of the juices into her bowl. She lapped it up and passed out after in pure bliss. All of her symptoms completely halted, she did not throw up, she was hydrated, her gums were pink and healthy. When she awoke I took her for an easy, calm walk. Then I fed her the second dose and she healed for the remainder of the day.
She is totally back to normal, and eating green tripe meals everyday. I just wanted to share this observation with anyone who struggles with a dog with Pancreatitis or the like.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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