Feathers, Fur and Fins

For Rocco I mean, not for the earth. Rocco didn't eat breakfast on Wednesday. He did eat his dinner so I didn't think too much about it. Yesterday he didn't eat breakfast again, and again I didn't think too much about it since New Year's Eve is pretty traumatic for him. He really hates fireworks. Last night he would not even look at his dinner. He wouldn't even take a treat. This is when I started to become concerned. Rocco may turn his nose up at kibble but he will never pass up treats. When he wouldn't eat the treats I started to worry. We bribed him with some meat and gravy trying to get him to eat a little bit. Then about 2 hours later he threw up everything we had convinced him to eat. He continued to vomit occassionaly during the night. Then this morning he was so lethargic and terrible looking I finally called the vet. I took him in this morning and they ran some tests and he has pancreatitis.

A glandular organ located near the liver and duodenum, the pancreas performs two different types of glandular functions. The first endocrine function is to produce insulin, an important hormone in the control of metabolism and blood sugar levels. Secondly, the pancreas has an glandular function, to make digestive enzymes (chemicals that break down food for digestion) that secrete into the intestines, critical for normal food digestion.

When the pancreas is injured either from disease or from trauma, the production of digestive enzymes decreases, or the enzymes may actually start to digest surrounding organs including the pancreas itself.

Even though I asked the vet a ton of questions I had to look it up when I got home. The above info is what it boils down to. I don't know what's going to happen. It's impossible to say how bad it really is or what caused it. I have to give him fluids and medication for the next week or so and we are hoping that will clear it up. Pancreatits can be life threatening and I've got my fingers crossed that it's not in this case. Say a little prayer for my Rocco.