Canine Pancreatitis: Have We Been Looking At It The Wrong Way?

Important Disclaimer

This article reflects personal observations only based on my experiences of working with dogs since 2010. It is not medical advice, is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease, and should not replace guidance from a licensed veterinarian or qualified animal health professional.

Every dog is an individual, pancreatitis can vary significantly in severity and cause, and exceptions will always exist. Any dietary changes should be made cautiously and in consultation with a licensed physician.

 

What is canine pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is one of the most challenging canine conditions, and understandably, advice around it can feel overwhelming and often contradictory. In simple terms, canine pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas in a dog. The pancreas helps with digestion by producing enzymes and supports blood-sugar control through hormones like insulin. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, those digestive enzymes can activate too early and irritate the tissue, which can cause signs like vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy, and dehydration. Pancreatitis can be acute (sudden) or chronic (recurring/ongoing), and severity ranges from mild to life-threatening, so veterinary assessment is important.

 

The Contradiction of the Conventional Approach to Managing Pancreatitis

Apart from pharmaceuticals, one of the most common recommendations is to place dogs on low-fat diets, often relying heavily on processed foods such as dry kibble or canned formulations. While this approach is well-intended, my personal experience over many years has led me to question whether fat itself is always the core issue or whether inflammation plays a much larger role than is often acknowledged.

For starters, it is my opinion that the root of all disease is inflammation, so I have always been confused as to why we would approach an inflammatory condition by increasing inflammation in the body through diet, specifically by feeding processed foods.

 

Why Some Dogs Improve on Gastrointestinal Prescription Diets – and Why That Isn’t the Whole Story

When pancreatitis develops, what the body actually needs is not a specific brand of food, but a reduction in a small set of physiological triggers that increase pancreatic stress. An inflamed pancreas is sensitive to excessive digestive demand, particularly strong enzyme stimulation, high fat loads, rapid digestion and dietary variability. Anything that reduces those pressures can ease symptoms during an acute phase.

This context helps explain why some dogs appear to improve when fed gastrointestinal prescription diets. These diets are typically formulated to be very low in fat, highly consistent and easy to digest, often relying on processed carbohydrates and simplified protein sources. By broadly reducing fat intake and digestive complexity, they lower pancreatic workload, which can result in fewer outward signs such as vomiting, discomfort or loose stools. In this sense, these diets can be effective at symptom management, particularly when the pancreas is actively inflamed.

However, it’s important to distinguish symptom relief from biological recovery. Improvements seen on gastrointestinal prescription diets do not mean the pancreas is being healed or that underlying inflammation has been resolved. Rather, the digestive system is simply being asked to do less work. This distinction matters, because long-term health depends not only on reducing immediate stress, but on supporting metabolism, nutrient status and resilience once the acute phase has settled.

This is also where confusion often arises around dietary fat. Reducing problematic pancreatic stimulation does not mean that all fats behave the same way, or that all fat must be eliminated. Fat type, quantity, processing and metabolic handling all influence pancreatic demand. Certain fats, when used in small, appropriate amounts within a fresh, thoughtfully designed diet, place less enzymatic strain on the pancreas than others. This allows energy needs to be met without relying on chronic ultra-low-fat feeding, which can create its own nutritional trade-offs over time.

Understanding these differences helps reconcile why some dogs feel better on very low-fat prescription diets, while others can be supported through carefully structured fresh diets that prioritise reducing inflammatory burden rather than blanket restriction. The goal is not to label one approach as universally right or wrong, but to recognise what the body needs at different stages — and why short-term symptom quieting is not the same as long-term physiological support.

 

How This All Started: Intuition Before Explanation

My perspective on pancreatitis and other inflammatory conditions didn’t begin as a theory. It didn’t begin with research papers, and it certainly didn’t begin with pancreatitis. In fact, what I’m about to share came about accidentally - through intuition first, and understanding much later.

When I produced my first fresh-food recipes for Augustine and handed them over to a nutritionist for review, I wasn’t trying to solve pancreatitis. At the time, my decision to recommend lean meats while making coconut oil the primary fat source in the recipes came down to intuition - a gut feeling formed after years of having and observing dogs, their digestion, their energy levels, and how they responded to different foods. I couldn’t fully articulate why that combination made sense. It simply felt right. Then something unexpected happened.

People began sharing outcomes. Then more people. Over time, patterns started to emerge including from dogs dealing with inflammatory and digestive conditions, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and pancreatitis among them. That’s when I began looking deeper.

What followed wasn’t invention. It was reverse-engineering. I had to work backwards to understand why an approach born from intuition appeared to be making such a meaningful difference.

 

Dogs, Energy, and Fat

From a biological standpoint, dogs are metabolically adapted to derive a significant portion of their energy from fats. Removing fats entirely can sometimes leave dogs struggling with energy, weight maintenance, and overall vitality.

That doesn’t mean all fats are appropriate just as not all proteins or carbohydrates are equal. For example, while our own weight management depends on calorie consumption vs how many calories we burn, we can have very different health outcomes depending on what foods those calories come from.

In my experiences, the type and source of fat matters far more than simply the total fat percentage.

Inflammation and Processed Foods

Inflammation is a common underlying factor in many chronic conditions. Over the years, I’ve observed that highly processed foods including many dry and canned diets, may contribute to systemic inflammation. From my perspective, it can seem counterintuitive to manage an inflammatory condition by relying heavily on processed food.

Instead, what I’ve personally found helpful over many years is:
•    A fresh food diet
•    Lean protein sources to reduce excessive animal fat
•    A conscious decision to change the fat source, rather than eliminate fats entirely

When you research pancreatitis, you will find that fats are not necessarily the enemy. What will make a difference is the source of the fats, the quality and quantity of the fats and if they are raw or cooked.

It’s also important to acknowledge that excess consumption of cooked animal fats — particularly long-chain fats — is one of the most commonly cited dietary triggers for pancreatitis in dogs, especially when intake is sudden or inconsistent.

This distinction matters. The concern in pancreatitis is not simply “fat,” but how that fat is metabolised. Most cooked animal fats are composed predominantly of long-chain fatty acids, which require significant pancreatic enzyme activity to digest and can place added strain on an already compromised pancreas. This is where coconut oil differs fundamentally.

 

Why Coconut Oil? (What I Learned After the Results)

One fat source I’ve repeatedly seen tolerated well is virgin, cold-pressed (raw) coconut oil, used as the primary added fat rather than traditional animal fats.

Coconut oil is often misunderstood. While it is high in saturated fat, it is composed largely of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are metabolised differently from long-chain fats.

MCTs are transported directly to the liver and used as a readily available energy source, rather than being stored in the same way as many other fats. In my experience, this distinction appears to matter.

Just as there are high-quality and poor-quality proteins and beneficial and problematic carbohydrates, there are also different types of fats, and they do not all behave the same way in the body.

What I’ve Observed Over Time

Over the years, I’ve witnessed many dogs maintain comfort and stability, experiencing fewer observable issues for extended periods after switching to a fresh food approach with lean meats, wholefoods and coconut oil as the primary fat source.

That said, I want to be very clear:
•    This is not a universal solution
•    It will not suit every dog
•    It is not a substitute for veterinary care

It is simply one approach I’ve seen work in practice - one that began unintentionally, revealed itself through outcomes, and only later made sense when examined more closely.

 

Final Thoughts

Managing pancreatitis and other inflammatory conditions like IBD is rarely about a single ingredient or nutrient. In my experience, it is about:
•    Reducing inflammatory burden
•    Choosing ingredients intentionally
•    Supporting the dog as an individual

Sometimes progress doesn’t come from following a rulebook; it comes from paying attention, noticing patterns, and being willing to question assumptions.

If nothing else, I encourage you to ask thoughtful questions, work closely with their veterinarians, and remember that ingredient quality, food processing, and inflammation are all part of a much bigger picture.

For clarity, this dietary approach is not intended to cure, treat, or alleviate pancreatitis, nor is it presented as a medical intervention. Pancreatitis is a complex condition that requires veterinary oversight. The observations shared here relate only to dietary management and the reduction of known dietary triggers, particularly those associated with inflammation and fat metabolism. Where some dogs have appeared to live more comfortably or experience fewer episodes, this may reflect the removal of triggering factors rather than any therapeutic effect. Outcomes will vary between individuals, and this approach should always be implemented cautiously and in consultation with a veterinarian.

While this discussion has touched on pancreatitis, the underlying principle is not condition-specific. The central message is that reducing reliance on highly processed foods and prioritising simple, whole-food nutrition is generally associated with improved overall health. From my experience, this type of dietary approach may help reduce exposure to common dietary stressors and inflammatory triggers that are implicated across a range of health issues, rather than targeting any one condition. It is best viewed as a foundational nutritional strategy, not a disease-specific intervention, and should always be considered alongside appropriate veterinary care.