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The goal of treatment is to rest the pancreas, provide supportive care and control complications. Treatment always begins with a withholding of food, water, and oral medications for at least 24 hours. The lack of oral intake stops the stimulation of the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. Depending upon the animal's response, food intake can be started again after a few days. The cat is generally fed small meals of a bland, easily digestible, low-fat food. Over the course of a week or more, the size of meals and quantity of food fed are increased. The cat may need to stay on the special diet for life, or it may be possible to gradually reintroduce the former diet.
The second major component of treatment is fluid therapy. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are common in cats with acute pancreatitis, and water intake is often restricted so fluid therapy is usually needed. Fluids are either given subcutaneously or intravenous.
Cats who are experiencing severe pain can be treated with pain relievers such as meperidine or butorphanol. Antibiotics are often administered prophylactically to protect against infection...Pancreatitis can be a very unpredictable disease. In most cases, if the pancreatitis was mild and the pet only had one episode, chances of recovery are good and avoiding high fat foods may be all that is necessary to prevent recurrence or complications. In other cases, what appears to be a mild case may progress, or may be treated successfully only to have recurrences, sometimes severe.
