How to Treat Chronic Pancreatitis and Diabetes in Dogs

Diabetes is a complication of in 25–80% of dogs with chronic pancreatitis. Type 3c diabetes, also referred to as pancreatogenic diabetes, is the particular type of diabetes.

What is diabetes type 3c?

A functioning pancreas serves two purposes. one's pancreas

1) uses the hormones insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar, and

2) releases digestive enzymes to aid in meal digestion.

Diabetes is a group of illnesses where the ability to control blood sugar is compromised. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes fall under this category.

In contrast, type 3c diabetes impairs the release of digestive enzymes as well as blood sugar regulation, which might make treatment more challenging. According to estimates, 1.8% of dogs with adult-onset diabetes have pancreatitis-related type 3c diabetes, however many of them receive the incorrect diagnosis as having type 1, or more frequently, type 2 diabetes. This is problematic, because symptoms and treatment can differ, depending on the type of diabetes a dog has. In fact, more people are predicted to have type 3c diabetes than type 1 diabetes, and among hospitalized patients, type 3c diabetes patients comprise up to 9.2% of all diabetes patients. 80% of this type of diabetes is caused by chronic pancreatitis, but other conditions can cause it, too, including pancreatic cancer, the genetic condition cystic fibrosis, and haemochromatosis, a genetic condition where iron accumulates over time and causes damage to various organs.  The risk of type 3c diabetes is higher in those who smoke, pancreatitis patients with a partial pancreatectomy, and increases in people with chronic pancreatitis over time.

Type 3c diabetic symptoms and how they compare to type 1 and type 2 diabetes symptoms

Blood Sugar Management

People with type 1 diabetes are often reliant on insulin shots to help control blood sugar. People with type 2 diabetes may be able to control their blood sugar levels at first with lifestyle modifications or medication, but others eventually develop an insulin dependency. For blood sugar management, people with type 3c diabetes are likely to require insulin injections. Insulin treatment is used to treat about half of those with chronic pancreatitis-related diabetes.

People with type 3c diabetes may experience minor blood sugar control deficiencies or more severe blood sugar oscillations, known as brittle diabetes. This latter circumstance may be due to having impairments in the hormone glucagon or problems with nutrient digestion and absorption, due to pain or nausea from pancreatitis, or alcohol dependence.

Impaired Digestive Enzyme Production

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a disorder that affects nearly everyone with chronic pancreatitis and type 3c diabetes, affects the pancreas' ability to digest food. Taking PERT [What You Should Know About EPI], which are replacement pancreatic enzymes, can alleviate symptoms including bloating and persistent diarrhea. Although they are less frequent in people with other types of diabetes, digestive symptoms brought on by EPI nonetheless affect one-to-two thirds of people with type 1 diabetes and about one-third of people with type 2.

How does type 3c diabetes result from pancreatitis?

In chronic pancreatitis, the pancreas gradually loses its capacity to produce adequate insulin and, as a result, to regulate blood sugar. the capacity to assist release enzymes digest food also declines in parallel. Scientists don’t yet understand how this happens, but some preliminary research exists. It’s possible that the inflammation from the pancreatitis damages the part of the pancreas that releases insulin, or that the inflammation directly prevents the release of insulin. In later stages of the pancreatitis, the scarring of the pancreas destroys the insulin-producing parts of the pancreas. It is also possible that the body becomes less able to use insulin to regulate blood sugar – called “insulin resistance” – due to chronic pancreatitis over time.

In dogs with pancreatitis, there are other causes of diabetes.

Rarely does newly diagnosed diabetes in adults over 50 turn out to be caused by pancreatic cancer. This risk is greatest in the first two to three years following a diabetes diagnosis. People who subsequently receive a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer are significantly more likely to experience weight loss at the time of their diabetes diagnosis (59%) compared to type 2 diabetes (30%). The risk of pancreatic cancer can range from 1% to 13.5% among all adults with new-onset diabetes who are older than 50 (not only those with pancreatitis). However, the majority of patients with new-onset diabetes who receive a diagnosis at those ages only have diabetes. Additionally, it should be remembered that people with pancreatitis can still develop type 1 or type 2 diabetes, independently of their pancreatitis.

How to treat dogs with type 3c diabetes

If your dog has been diagnosed with this, we recommend a low carb dog food such as the recipes with Perfect Dog Food Mix, with our Perfect Digestion topper added to their food. Perfect Digestion has a wide spectrum digestive enzyme blend that can help your dog break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates more easily. 

Many pet parents have had success with these products. If you have any questions about your dog's situation, please schedule a free consultation call with our team.