I wonder if you could help me.  My blue roan cocker spaniel died in February of pancreatitus.  It happened so quickly.  What i would like to know, after reading up on the illness.  When I took Barney to the vet he had been vomiting constantly, his eyes were considerably red and he had a very high tempreture.  I think that had the vet been of any susbstance he could have suspected the symptoms.  Anyway he gave him an injection of anti biotics and anti sickness injection which took some time to work.  He made a reasonable recovery althouh wasnt really himself and was not eating properly.  Aweek on he started to go downhill again and couldnt even keep water down.  i took him to the vets again and they did tests and operated (which i am sure he did not need) on him and found a few nodules on his liver.  Aftller the operation he continued to be sick and was then diagnosed with pancreatitus.  Sadly he died that night.  What i am asking is does anyone think if the vet was really up to scratch he could have suspected the panreatitus from my first visit and medicated accordingly and perhaps still be alive today.

I don't know about dogs but I do look after humans with panceatitis.......high temperature and vomitting are common symptoms but if we suspect pancreatitis (which just means inflammation of the pancreas) we do a blood test for amylase to confirm the diagnosis and treat with antibiotics, analgesics, anti-emetics and IV fluids but if it is a serious attack it can be fatal despite everything we do, the pancreas more or less 'eats' itself. In humans surgery is sometimes used as a last ditch attempt to save life but is often unsuccessful becasue the patient goes into multi organ failure.

I'm really sorry for the loss of your dog but it may have been totally unpreventable.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you. 
Pancreatitis is a horrible thing.  One of my flatcoats has had an ongoing problem with Pancreatitis for 4 years, being hospitalised 4 times.
I have some info which my vet put together for me the first time Indy was ill.  If you are interested, I can email it to you and anyone else who may want more information.

So very sorry you lost your beloved dog this way.  My 10 year old Molly suffers with acute pancreatitis, it is 12 months since her first attack.  At first we had put her depression down to having recently lost her best friend, our Barney.  Molly then started with a temperature at which point she went to the Vets.  At the first visit it was thought that maybe she had some sort of infection somewhere so was prescribed antibiotics.  The sickness started soon after at which point I took her straight back to the Vets where a full set of bloods were taken & an anti-emetic were given with some stronger antibiotics.  At this point, no particular symptom pointed towards pancreatitis.

The bloods were rushed through although we had to wait an extra day for the Amylase & Lipase results.  It was only when getting those results that pancreatitis could be diagnosed.  At this point Molly's sickness was under control, she was being starved anyway & as she was getting her fluids little & often she wasn't dehydrated so thankfully she wasn't hospitalized.  I also only live 5 mins from our Vets & as Molly didn't at that point need a drip it was decided that it would be in Molly's best interest to stay home with me where she could be kept quiet & stress free (she hates the Vets BIG time!).

We spent what seemed like forever making daily trips to the Vets for check ups & repeat blood tests until her levels were acceptable & then she was gradually started back onto some food that was fed in minute amounts several times a day.

Molly's last attack was in February & we were all starting to prepare our goodbye's as we struggled to get the pancreatitis under control this time.  Molly was on fluids, antibiotics, metrodizanole, anti-emetics & still we were struggling to get normal range Amylase & Lipase results.  Finally after 2 weeks, just as we were about to call it a day, her bloods fell just within the high end of the normal range.

Since then, touching wood & everything else, Molly has been ok.  We know the signs to pick up on if she gets even the slightest tummy ache & do our very best to jump on it before it jumps on Molly.

It is my understanding that pancreatitis is not only a terrible disease but doesn't stand straight out & scream to say what it is, it can be difficult to diagnose simply because there isn't always a set pattern of symptoms to go on.

I can understand your hurt, grief & frustration at having lost your beloved dog & the feeling of wanting to blame your Vet but if the symptoms weren't screaming out or other symptoms were over-riding then that's maybe why it wasn't diagnosed early on.  You also say in your post that there was also a problem with your dogs liver which I understand can go hand in hand with pancreatitis so maybe your Vet was following the liver results before coming across the pancreatitis?

Again, I'm so sorry you lost your beloved friend.  Please try to remember the good times you shared together :-)

Thank you for your replies.  Perhaps I have been a bit harsh against my vet but I just couldn't get to grips with Barney dying so suddenly, he was only 8.  I would be most interested if you could send me your information Hopevalley my email address is lindabloo@aol.com.  Since Barney died I have now got a rescue cocker bitch 2 years old and a cocker puppy dog.  Both are absolutely adorable, the puppy is a blue roan like Barney and the rescue is a golden cocker.  Both of them have fantastic personalities and I love them to death.  But Barney will always have a special place in my heart.

Consequently I have changed vets and feel more secure with the present one, who I know people will say they are a take on because the vet is of the Medivet group, but thankfully there is solely one vet at the branch where I live, and he takes a great personal interest in my dogs and phones regularly to see how they are. The down side is it costs me a fortune, but nevertheless I feel happier with him.

Thanks once again everyone.

I think borderpride has got it right, it can be so difficult to diagnose.  A friend of mine had problems with her GSD for years, vomiting & seemed intollerent to various foods, stomach cramps, crying.  Numerous trips to the vets showed nothing, until she lost him. 
When Indy was diagnosed with Pancreatits, it all fell into place.  It was the exact same symptoms as her boy and I understand quite a few GSD's have problems with the pancreas.

Borderpride, I hope your baby is well, and is prancreas problem free.  Like yours, my lad is watched like a hawk.  If he vomits food, he is straight down to the vet for a blood test, just to be on the safe side.  We caught it in the very early stages once and he was simply treated with antibiotics, but last november, one evening, he wasn't quite right, so I slept on the sofa with him, then he went downhill within two hours and had to hospitalised in the middle of the night!! He had to stay in for 4 days on a drip. His 4th stay in 4 years!  He's 8 & a half now and loves every mintue of life.  :)
Li7nda, I have emailed you the info. i hope you get on well with your new arrivals & they bring you many hours of happiness :) :)