Fats, Pancreatitis, and Holiday Tips
The holidays are nearly here and every year around this time there is a spike in medical emergencies for both people and dogs. Family gatherings, lots of sugary food and drinks, and extra time indoors can all be taxing on the body. For dogs, the abundance of food, trash, and table scraps increase the risk of illness. Today we share some of the research behind pancreatitis as well as practices to help keep your pups safe this holiday season. Before that here is a recipe for Dog Nog and one you might have missed.
Is there a connection between fats and pancreatitis?
While many vets attribute the spike in holiday pancreatitis to high fat consumption, there’s actually no strong evidence that high-fat diets cause pancreatitis. In one retrospective study, the most highly correlated dietary event to pancreatitis in dogs is eating out of the trash. Furthermore, Mars’ (the maker of Pedigree, Royal Canin and Nutro) research arm, Waltham, suggests that the ancestral ratio of macronutrients for a dog to be 63% fat, 30% protein and only 7% carbohydrate. Of course modern dogs are not as active as their ancestors, so how much this matters is debatable.
Some older studies show an association between “high-fat diets” and the onset of acute pancreatitis. However, there is no consensus on what actually constitutes a “high-fat diet”. Anton Beynen, a prolific Dutch researcher, points out that there are only three studies that show increased pancreatitis risk with diets greater than 60% fat. He goes on to suggest that high-fat, low-protein diets could be concerning, and ultimately recommends diets under 60% calories from fat.
Another small study of dogs with medically induced pancreatitis showed that high-fat diets exacerbated symptoms. It is unclear how medically induced pancreatitis and naturally occurring pancreatitis differ. Ultimately, most of the data on canine pancreatitis comes from case studies. Due to the uncontrolled nature of case studies, this type of data is unable to establish causation. Unlike clinical trials, case studies don’t compare pancreatitis cases to the number of dogs who ate high fat meals and did not get pancreatitis. In other words, if a dog is metabolically unhealthy, a sudden high-fat meal can be problematic, but this certainly doesn’t mean that higher fat diets are bad for dogs. There is also no evidence that fat intake increases the risk of non-gallstone pancreatitis in people.
The type of fat appears to matter. In small controlled studies, dogs fed high levels of sunflower oil had significantly higher output of lipase compared to diets with high levels of virgin olive oil. Since lipase is the enzyme that helps to digest fats, a higher level indicates increased strain on the pancreas. Studies in rats have shown similar results.
Sunflower oil is very high in linoleic acid, while olive oil has much less. Many common vegetable oils are also high in linoleic acid including safflower oil, grape seed oil, and corn oil. Furthermore, linoleic acid is highly susceptible to oxidation (like metal rusting) and those oxidized fatty acids are linked in multiple studies with increased inflammation markers. Though we could not find any studies on oxidized fatty acids and canine pancreatitis, it is likely that they contribute to the onset of pancreatitis due to inflammation.
For these reason our maintenance recipes avoid adding oils high in linoleic acid and typically aim for 50% calories from fat and 30% from protein. Our weight loss and working dog recipes are less than 60% calories from fat and contain approximately 30-35% calories from protein.
Pancreatitis is still mysterious
Despite many claims on the internet about food causing pancreatitis, most of the researchers who study the disease classify it as idiopathic, or without identifiable cause. Genetics seem to play an important role as certain breeds, like the Miniature Schnauzer, are particularly susceptible. Adding to the confusion is the fact that many diseases look like pancreatitis, from gastric obstruction to enteritis (food poisoning) to name just a few.
Furthermore, one post mortem study on dogs who died of other causes found that at least 34% of dogs had chronic pancreatitis. In other words, a dog could have chronic pancreatitis, but that may not be the reason why they are actually sick.
The most common test for pancreatitis test has a false positive rate of up to 40%
Not only are researchers unclear about the exact causes of pancreatitis, accurately diagnosing the condition is extremely difficult. Unfortunately, even a positive pancreas lipase test in addition to ultrasound confirmation is not enough for a definitive diagnosis.
Holiday precautions
Here are a few tips to keep your pups safe this holiday season.
Trash disposal. With increased cooking, guests, and eating comes increased amounts of trash and scraps. Whether something gets dropped on the floor or the trash lid is left open by mistake, it’s easy for pups to sneak a bite, especially if they are normally deprived of the good stuff. Make sure to secure the lid on your trash can, place it out of reach of your dogs, and get it out of your house quickly.
Communicate with guests: especially kids. Dogs are so good at looking cute and starving even when they are full. Guests who like dogs but don’t have any themselves, might feel bad for the pups and try to give them something extra. When dogs and people overeat, the risk of gastrointestinal issues increase. Make sure your guests know not to feed anything without your explicit approval. Keep an eye on kids who may not understand or are extra messy eaters.
Provide safe treats and a safe space. Provide a special treat bowl (eg plain turkey, blueberries) that you and your guests can feed to the dog in moderation. You can also use puzzle toys to keep them occupied in a separate space away from the cooking and eating.
Recognize dangerous foods (don’t worry, there are only a few). Cooked bones can splinter and cause injuries, while foods like dark chocolate and raisins can cause illness. When chopping raw onions, make sure that they don’t fall onto the floor. (It takes quite a lot of onion and chocolate to be dangerous. See this post for more.)
Make the dogs their own dinner! Throw a few items from your grocery haul (turkey, eggs, green beans, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, etc) into a pot to make a simple meal for your pup to enjoy. This way they can share in the fun and no one feels bad.
Even if pancreatitis is often misdiagnosed, the data shows that chances for holiday illness are higher than normal. It doesn’t take too many extra steps to drastically reduce the risks of your pup falling ill over the holidays.
That’s all for this week.
All the best,
Joelle and R.A.