My 15 yr old westie has been under weather this week. Vomiting obvious tummy pain, trembling and looking very spaced out and not right.
Took him to vets and suggested bloods as well as anti emetic and analgesic injections.
Blood results urea 18 (9.6 is normal), creatinine 188 (N 160) and mild anaemia. That's for kidneys which we knew probably weren't the ticket as a urine sample 3 weeks ago showed low specific gravity, blood and protein. He had also been drinking a lot more.
His amylase was 1978 (N 1000) and lipase 1471 (N 250)! = pancreatitis
24hrs on from injection he definitely seemed more comfortable but quiet but vet yesterday suggested he better come in on a drip as he wasn't eating and not really drinking as much as normal.

I weighed up options of trying to get fluid in him at home and tempt him with low fat food, which yesterday he did drink a bit in the evening and ate a good amount of boiled chicken. This morning he has drunk quite a lot but then had a big watery bile vomit with a spec of red blood (fresh not old). Have tried to get him to eat and take his tablets (arthritis) but he will only eat ham! Won't touch the chicken unless wrapped in ham.
Vet said no ham he was just to have chicken or fish.

I don't know what to do. Take him to vets and put on drip, this might've help but he is so fussy on food I know it won't make him eat a bland low fat diet, he's been on and off food for months now plus each month has some bout of sickness (no diarrhoea). How long before he gets sick again? Could it be a tumour on pancreas? And with other bodily functions wearing out am I just prolonging things.

I don't want to sound harsh as he is our sweet little dog we have had from a pup but I am realistic and know he is old. Husband will do what I think best.
Not sure just to let him have what he wants for time left but I don't want him in pain. Up until this week his qualitiy of life was ok, could still do a half hour wobbly trot over the forest, but I think he only got excited about coming out as he knows sausages are given as treats!!thats all he looks for.

Any thoughts welcome as in a quandary.

Tinned Chappie is often recommended for pancreatitis because it's low fat, and dogs usually find it palatable. It might help him to take his meds; then if there's an improvement it might help you decide what to do.

My 13 year old goldie has pancreatitis but it is well controlled on medication and Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat food - I tried her on Chappie but she couldn't tolerate that.  It is a really hard call for you at his age - all I can say is that if you can get him stabilised he may cope OK long term as my girl does - I can see when she is starting a bout and if I can get anti-sickness medication in her quickly I can stop it developing. It will be hard for you if he is fussy about his food though, and I appreciate that he has other issues too.  It's so hard to see them getting old and all the problems that go with it.  Whichever decision you go with I wish you the best, and it sounds like neither choice would be wrong.

He had the royal canin gastro for a while but went off it, also eats chappie but again after two meals won't touch it. I tend to give him what he wants because of his age. My others all have raw but most times he won't eat it now. He was keen on tripe for a couple of days so may try this, will have to check fat content.
He can't really see and his hearing is very poor don't think his sense of smell is brilliant either.
Will see what happens today.

Yep go with the tinned chappie original !!

What pancreatic enzymes has your vet prescribed?

Very, very important in my experience.

Nothing yet! He phoned me yesterday with lipase result but didn't mention medication.
My little boy is looking brighter today, even had a walk out.
I will contact vet again tomorrow and ask about meds, my main concern is getting him to eat. Going out to buy chappie, fish and tripe.

My dog has been on Chappie for ages now due to severe pancreatitis. However he's much happier on Butchers Low fat tinned food, think it's called Lean & Tasty. We tend to swap between these two makes to keep him interested.

I can't advise on the pancreatitis I'm afraid; but having had 2 old dogs have to be PTS in the last 2 years Id say you need to think realistically about the benefits of treatment. 15 is a pretty good age for any dog, if it was a young dog it might be worth the time feeling unwell whilst medication and diet are juggled for the benefit of several more years. I'm afraid to say that I don't think that is a fair option with a dog of his age, however well the treatment goes he is unlikely to have much time left anyhow, he sounds like he has had a lovely time in his 'declining years' whilst able to potter about with you and still enjoy his life. I would personally think that the chances of giving him a good quality of life and keeping him going much longer with failing kidneys and pancreas are small, tumours are IMO quite likely in an elderly dog too. I would be very reluctant to have him kept in a vets on a drip, away from his home and people and would choose to have him PTS soon unless he can be kept pain free with minimum intervention for a little longer with you. Quality of quantity is so important for any animal.

I'm really sorry that this is probably not the advice you were hoping for but I was surprised that the responses so far were all suggesting you keep him going on and wanted to put the alternative view.
xxx

Edited, I just read your update and I'm glad he's seeming better and I hope you find a food he will enjoy. Do you know if a change of diet is expected to be enough to relieve his symptoms?

I am being realistic because of his age and other problems that's why I refused the vets over weekend, and I understand totally your thoughts as they are mine, just not convinced he ready for pts just yet.
I will speak to vet tomorrow and ask re diet as tonight he hasn't touched chicken or fish and rice. He just wants ham or bread crusts!
He managed a walk out today but was sick again of brown deep orange colour this afternoon.
He doesn't seem to have pain like last week.

> my main concern is getting him to eat

He will eat when he has the medication that he so needs.  Insist on them tomorrow please.  My elderly girl went extra years because she stayed on the enzymes that her body needed.  I would be screaming at my vet for meds.  Honestly.

You will be able to mix the powder in with tinned Chappie.  The moist food will activate the enzymes.  Not sure I would be giving tripe, but white fish will be ok.

You mention that you are not ready to PTS.  My bitch was on enzymes for at least 8 years as I recall.  Unlike other people, I did not stop meds just because she appeared better.  My vet said that research had shown that it was best to keep them on it for life.  I remember reading up on it in the veterinary press.  I had to let my girl go 12 weeks before her 17th birthday.  She was only unwell right at the very end.

Back to the vets to try and sort eating, asked about the enzymes but the vet said no! Something about no real evidence they would work. He wasn't my normal vet and seemed in a  rush but he was quite sure the enzymes would not necessarily work and wasn't going to give.
Gave him another anti emetic and Zantac injection plus Zantac to take twice a day. He was still keen to have him in on a drip but as  no guarantees I said no, plus he is sort of himself apart from the eating.
Wait and see over next couple of days.

Might sound funny but have you tried hand feeding ?. After his pancreatitis my dog took ages to eat and the weight was falling off him. The vet said he was probably feeling a bit sick still so although he'd go and sniff the food in his bowl he couldn't face eating it. He was given something to stop him feeling so sick (sorry I can't remember what it was) but he still refused to eat from his bowl. We felt that he'd begun to associate the bowl with feeling sick. Anyway, in the end when he was curled up in his bed one night, and me in floods of tears, I sat beside him on the floor with a plate of chicken and his little nose started sniffing the air. It took a little while but he eventually took a piece from me and that was that. I fed him away from his bowl for a few days and he was soon able to eat there normally.
I hope your dear dog is feeling better soon.

In despair now, he won't eat anything still!
He has now been more alert, more bak to normal activity for a 15 year old. Has had a couple of walks but very short and he wanted to go out. Follows me around when it's dinner time but when I put the food down he won't even lick and try it. His nose twitches over it but he won't take the plunge. I gave him cod steamed up in goats milk (semi skimmed) 3 days ago and he ate it enthusiastically and I thought brilliant but since then he won't touch it. I've tried in a bowl, on my hands all kinds of dishes but to no joy.
He seems to struggle to eat and didn't know if dogs can get oral thrush but saying this he will eat a couple of mini markies at bedtime but no more.
He licked some pilchards in tomato sauce this morning and I was really hoping he was going to continue but he had one minuscule piece and walked away.
Vets still talking of drip but we are now a week and half on and he has improved in himself. Vet said just stick to offering low fat stuff and he will eat but he's not and is losing more weight back legs unstable.
Will a IV fluids really make his appetitie come back?

I believe being dehydrated can make you feel generally pretty dreadful even if nothing else is wrong. How long does the vet want him to be on the drip? does it need to be uninterrupted? if not would could you maybe ask to bring him in 1st thing in the morning and let you sit beside him for a day on the drip, if you think that would be less traumatic than an overnight stay away? could take him home and back the next day for a couple days?

just another thought, is he drinking much? when I've needed to encourage my dog to drink I offered home made stock, just simmer any bones for a couple of hours then drain and give them the liquid. If you need to keep it low fat then let it chill in the fridge and the fat will solidify on the top and be wasy to remove.
It may encourage him to drink more and will have some nutrition in it. If he likes it you could use it to soak some kibble.

That's a good idea re taking him for just the day & will check with vet but this morning he is so much brighter, ate about 3 teaspoons of minced raw chicken then some cooked chicken! Walking around and looking for food so have just tried him again with some chicken which he only ate with gravy, just a couple of small pieces but it's better than yesterday.
He drinks well as has kidney problems too, which he's had a while.