What To Know About Pancreatitis in Dogs and Treatment Cost

According to the American Kennel Club, pancreatitis is an inflammatory reaction in a dog’s pancreas that can cause mild to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and other issues.

Your dog’s pancreas is an organ in its abdominal cavity that produces digestive enzymes to help it break down food. Pancreatic enzymes can sometimes activate too early, causing the pancreas to digest itself and leading to painful inflammation. This can cause irreversible damage that, if left untreated for too long, can inhibit the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin and glucagon for blood sugar regulation.

Veterinarians often don’t know the cause of pancreatitis in dogs. However, there are some commonly associated factors, such as the following:

• Abdominal surgery complications
• Biliary stones
• Breed
• Eating a high-fat diet
• Eating table scraps and food left in garbage
• Hormonal disorders, such as Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism
• Obesity
• Pancreatic masses
• Severe trauma to the abdomen

Some breeds are more susceptible to pancreatitis. Miniature schnauzers, for example, are thought to be predisposed to pancreatic inflammation due to their tendency toward high blood triglyceride levels. The English cocker spaniel often experiences immune-mediated diseases that can cause the pancreas to attack itself. This is especially true for dogs on medication that triggers pancreatitis, such as chemotherapy medications and some antibiotics.

It’s difficult to diagnose and catch pancreatitis in dogs because the symptoms are sudden and nonspecific. Symptoms associated with pancreatitis could be the symptoms of many other  illnesses or injuries, sometimes making it hard for vets to reach a diagnosis.

Common symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs include the following:

• Abdominal pain
• Collapse
• Decreased appetite
• Lethargy
• Persistent vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Severe dehydration
• Shock

Dogs experiencing abdominal pain often attempt to ease the discomfort by hunching their backs or getting into what looks like a prayer position. In this position, dogs will lower the front of their body to the floor while keeping the tail end elevated. This helps them relieve pressure on their abdomen. Symptoms tend to come on quickly and become more severe and chronic over time, so be vigilant if your dog begins getting into this position frequently.

When a veterinarian sees clinical signs of pancreatitis, they can perform blood tests to check your dog’s pancreatic health. Unfortunately, these tests aren’t always accurate. If your dog is vomiting, abdominal X-rays can be used to rule out gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, such as from a swallowed toy. The best method to determine pancreatitis in dogs is an abdominal ultrasound. However, the pancreatic tissue must be abnormal enough to show visual signs of inflammation, which can be tricky in milder pancreatitis cases.

The treatment your vet administers depends on how early you catch pancreatitis and how severe it is.

Mild to Moderate Dog Pancreatitis

According to PetMD, the primary treatment for dogs with mild to moderate pancreatitis is rehydration. This is typically done via intravenous fluid therapy, which must be administered in the vet office. In more moderate cases, your dog may be hospitalized for a day or two to monitor the process and how your dog responds. Your dog will likely also be treated with antinausea medication, antibiotics, a stomach protectant and a pain reliever. 

Most mild to moderate cases heal within two weeks if treated properly. Your vet may suggest a permanent diet change that reduces your dog’s fat intake, especially if it’s predisposed to pancreatitis or has a history of the condition. 

Severe Dog Pancreatitis

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, severe pancreatitis requires quick and comprehensive medical intervention. In addition to antinausea and pain-relieving medications, your dog will likely need further measures to control pain, intensive IV fluid therapy and electrolyte support to address severe dehydration, and nutritional support via a feeding tube. 

Severe pancreatitis in dogs should be treated in a specialty practice, such as an intensive 24-hour care facility. Expect your dog to need to stay in the care of vet professionals for several days, if not weeks, and to be put on a strict low-fat diet.

Whether your dog’s pancreatitis is acute or chronic greatly impacts the associated treatment costs. According to PetMD, dogs with chronic pancreatitis may need anywhere from $500 to $1,000 of outpatient treatment, whereas treatment for an acute episode may exceed $2,000 if your dog requires inpatient care. 

You can expect your vet to administer certain diagnostics when you bring your dog in for pancreatitis symptoms. This will result in the following costs:

• Canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity test (blood analysis): $40 to $80 per panel
• Abdominal ultrasound: $300 to $350
• Abdominal X-ray: $150 to $250
• Urinalysis: Up to $30

These costs are approximate and vary based on your vet, location and the nature of your dog’s symptoms. 

In more intense cases, pricier treatments may be needed. An endoscopic examination may be necessary to get a clear idea of what’s occurring in the pancreas and can cost $800 or more. If a partial pancreatectomy is needed to unblock obstructed pancreas ducts or remove damaged tissue, you could pay $3,000 to $6,000, depending on the goal of the surgery.

Pancreatitis can also commonly lead to diabetes, costing $250 to $500 for the diagnosis alone. The monthly maintenance thereafter costs up to $150 per month, depending on your dog’s size and breed.

Here are some other costs associated with treating pancreatitis:

• Insulin and blood sugar regulation
• Further blood tests
• Medications
• More extensive IV fluid and nutrition therapy

These costs will vary based on your vet and your dog’s needs.

Many pet insurance providers reimburse pancreatitis treatment costs if you have an accident-and-illness policy. However, no pet insurance providers cover preexisting conditions, so you’ll likely be out of luck if you wait to enroll in a policy until your dog is already showing pancreatitis symptoms. After the provider’s waiting period, which is commonly 14 days, you can file a claim for treatment costs and get reimbursed according to your agreed upon reimbursement rate. 

Lemonade Pancreatitis Coverage

Lemonade’s base accident-and-illness plan covers many costs associated with treating pancreatitis. This includes diagnostics such as blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, lab work, ultrasounds, MRIs and CT scans and treatments including prescription medications, fluids, surgeries and emergency care. Hospitalization will also be covered if your pet needs to stay overnight, plus diabetes treatment if your dog develops the condition from pancreatitis complications.

If you opt to add vet visit coverage for an additional monthly fee, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost of vet follow-ups. Lemonade has three reimbursement rates to choose from: 70%, 80% and 90%. The higher the rate you select, the more you’ll be reimbursed for treatment costs, though your monthly premium may increase.

Spot Pancreatitis Coverage

Spot covers fees associated with medically necessary diagnostics and treatments prescribed by your vet under its base accident-and-illness plan. This includes IV fluids, medications, X-rays, surgery, hospitalization, vet exams and lab tests. Spot also covers chronic conditions, so your pet can get ongoing care for issues such as diabetes. Spot’s highest reimbursement rate is 90%, so the bulk of your bills will be reimbursed. 

Get your quote: Visit Spot’s website

Healthy Paws Pancreatitis Coverage

Healthy Paws’ accident-and-illness plan covers many of the treatment costs related to pancreatitis. It reimburses up to 80% of costs for diagnostics and treatment, such as X-rays, surgeries, blood tests, ultrasounds, hospitalization, prescription medications and emergency care. However, vet visit fees and examinations aren’t covered. 

Figo Pancreatitis Coverage

Figo also covers all the vet expenses you can expect for pancreatitis treatment. Emergency and specialty care and chronic condition care are all covered in the base accident-and-illness plan. However, you’ll need to purchase a preventive care add-on if you want vet exam fees covered. 

A big benefit of Figo is that it will consider covering preexisting conditions if your dog has shown no symptoms within 12 months prior to enrolling, which is helpful if your dog has a history of pancreatitis. Figo offers reimbursement rates between 70% and 100%, so you can choose to be fully reimbursed for vet bills.

Embrace Pancreatitis Coverage

Up to 90% of your dog’s pancreatitis treatment costs are covered under Embrace’s accident-and-illness plan. This includes diagnostic tests, procedures, surgeries, hospitalization and specialty care, prescription medications and follow-up care. Embrace also covers exam and consultation fees. Since Embrace only reviews the last 12 months of your pet’s medical history when you enroll, your dog can still qualify for pancreatitis coverage if it has a history with the condition prior to that window of time. 

Fetch Pancreatitis Coverage

Fetch offers similar pancreatitis treatment coverage to the other providers under its accident-and-illness plan. It also reimburses diabetes care and insulin. Fetch’s highest reimbursement rate is 90%, so the majority of your vet bills will be covered. Fetch also offers therapy coverage in its base plan, something most providers don’t. This means you can get reimbursed for pet therapy if your dog develops anxiety related to its condition and treatment.

Trupanion Pancreatitis Coverage

Trupanion will reimburse 90% of each vet bill for diagnostics tests, medications, surgeries and hospital stays related to pancreatitis and other illnesses. You can also get coverage for recovery and complementary care such as homeopathy and acupuncture to relieve your dog’s stress for an additional $10.37 per month. Trupanion doesn’t cover exam fees. 

It’s hard to estimate how much pancreatitis treatment could cost, since it depends on the severity of your dog’s case. However, enrolling your dog in a pet insurance plan that covers pancreatitis treatments is only $17 to $87 per month for the providers listed in this article.* This could save you thousands of dollars if your pet needs extensive pancreatitis treatment.

Before enrolling in a policy, we recommend requesting quotes from at least three providers to compare pricing and coverage. You can also read providers’ sample policies and speak with customer service representatives about the fine print for exam fees and ongoing care for chronic conditions. 

*According to quotes we gathered for male, mixed-breed dogs.