Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located inside the abdomen behind the stomach. The pancreas has a portion that produces insulin, a hormone that helps regulate the sugar levels in the blood. The second portion produces digestive enzymes. Sometimes the pancreas gets inflamed and starts digesting itself with its own enzymes.

Most cases are due either to excess of fat in the diet (hyperlipidemia), or to liver disease. Some cases may be due to an autoimmune reaction. Pancreatitis may appear as an acute disease with vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, listlessness, low grade fever and abdominal pain. Not all of the symptoms may appear in one case.

Blood work helps to confirm the disease. In an acute bout of pancreatitis, the animals must be put on IV fluids and antibiotics, and not fed anything for 3-5 days, until the inflammation subsides. Pancreatitis may become chronic, where an animal may have a low grade inflammation or repeated acute bouts. The treatment of chronic pancreatitis requires 1) avoiding high fat diets 2) vitamin supplements, and most importantly 3) reduction of susceptibility to the disease by means of constitutional homeopathic treatment.