Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My cat has pancreatitis. Can digestive enzymes help with weight loss?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Female | spayed | 14 years and 8 months old | 6 lbs

Angel, 14 year old + my cat, hAs been diagnosed with pancreatitis. Rx budnesodide and ondansatron. Still losing weight, vomiting some, good appetite, loose smelly stools. Please tell me about digestive enzyme product.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

Veterinarian

Published on September 18th, 2017

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Angel has been so sick! Usually the need for pancreatic enzyme supplementation is based on blood work. Usually the TLI (a pancreatic enzyme) is low. Pancreatic enzyme are used to treat exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Which can result from chronic pancreatitis as can Diabetes. Use in dogs and cats is considered off label, so you would have to discuss the use in Angel with a Vet that has examined her. Cats reportedly hate the taste but may accept the powder if mixed with fish/tuna oil and then thoroughly mixed with a canned food. If using solid dosage forms (enteric-coated tablets or compounded capsules made from powder or crushed tablets) be certain that immediately after dosing, water or food is consumed to reduce the risk for esophageal damage. You may also want to consider a probiotic, like Purina Fortiflora. I hope this helps and I wish you and Angel the best!

Vote icon

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Image profile

    Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 1st, 2018

    Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Depending on the cause of Lok's pancreatitis, the enzymes may be helpful. If the pancreatitis is due to some sort of dietary indiscretion, such as a high fat meal, then the enzymes are likely not necessary. However, if the condition is due to a pancreatic insufficiency, then enzymes may be appropriate. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Can pancreatic enzymes powder help the situation of a cat having pancreatitis?
Thank you for using Boop by Petco! Depending on the cause of Lok's pancreatitis, the enzymes may be helpful. If the pancreatitis is due to some sort of dietary indiscretion, such as a high fat meal, then the enzymes are likely not necessary. However, if the condition is due to a pancreatic insufficiency, then enzymes may be appropriate. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog currently has pancreatitis along with heart disease. Trying to feed him low fat food but what exactly happens during pancreatitis? Does food not get digested properly? Should I be giving him a multivitamin that includes digestive enzymes like
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! I would not give Binx any additional medications or supplements as medications can cause pancreatitis. The pancreas aids in digestion by releasing digestive enzymes in to the duodenum (first segment of the small intestine). It also makes and releases insulin. Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas. The digestive enzymes that are normally excreted in to the small intestine are activated to early with in the pancreas, in a sense causing digestion of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can be caused from medications, obesity, high fat foods or getting in to high fat foods and underlying diseases can be a risk factor. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
Capone has had chronic pancreatitis for 2 years started on prescription food but did not do well. I home cook for him combinations of oatmeal blueberries skinless chicken breast beef liver lean hamburger meat broccoli cauliflower sweet potatos squash
Hello, sorry to hear about Capone. Yes there are protein supplements that can be added to food, however, these are typically better formulated by a nutritionist. Additionally, his weight loss may not be from the food itself but more so from his chronic pancreatitis or this could be signs that there is something else going on with him. If his weight loss continues, he may need to have more extensive diagnostics to look for evidence of other diseases. With chronic pancreatitis, he could eventually develop a deficiency in pancreatic enzymes that help digest food, and he may actually not be absorbing all of the nutrients in his diet. Talk with your veterinarian about testing for exocrine pancreas insufficiency (EPI) and consulting with a nutritionist. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat was diagnosed with pancreatitis. She is 15 and wasn't eating as much as she used to and has been losing weight (currently only 7 lbs, but she is small). Her ultrasound didn't show bowel or liver issues and no diabetes. We started b12 shots
Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Maggie. There are other gastrointestinal diets for cats, like those made by Hill's & Purina that you can try. She may like a wet vs a dry diet, too. But the important thing is just to keep her eating. Cats tolerate dietary fats better than dogs, so while she recovers, you might even talk to your vet about introducing her to a hydrolyzed protein diet ( also used for pets with food sensitivities ) as this is highly digestible, too. As for asking about Mirataz, definitely do ask as this it can help as an antiemetic & appetite stimulant. I hope Maggie is feeling better soon & thanks for contacting Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
I just read that cats with pancreatitis need low fat foods, how would I go about finding them? (i,e, what should I look for on the labels)? Or does it have to be a prescription diet?
Pancreatitis can be challenging in kitties as it can be more difficult to diagnose then in dogs, be more "quiet" in its presentation, can cause sudden, more severe signs and also chronic, more mild signs, and is often a secondary condition due to another underlying disease process such as gastrointestinal disease. Often prescription diets are better for animals with chronic disease as they have better quality control. And the diet selected is often based on what is thought to be causing the pancreatitis (hypoallergenic vs new protein/carb sources vs low fat, etc.). With kitties it can sometimes take some diet trial to see what the individual cat likes. Some of the pet food companies (science diet for sure) will offer a free trial prescription diet through your veterinarian for a prescription food. Meaning you can get a free bag or free cans to try. Also most of these companies will allow the food to be returned if the cat doesn't like it. So it might be a good idea to check into this
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, My older cat Ricky is almost 18 years old. Over a year ago he was diagnosed with Pancreatitis. He has lost weight because he is always going to the litter box. so he has diahrea always and the thing is he does a lot outside the litter box. He goe
Hi and thanks for posting on Boop by Petco! Diarrhea can be a common occurrence with pancreatitis patients. Metronidazole can help but there are also other medications and supplements that can be of benefit as well. The addition of probiotics are very helpful at reestablishing the good gut bacteria- usually this is given as a powder or capsule you can break open and place on the food daily. A couple great ones are Fortiflora and Proviable. Changing the diet to one that is more easily digestible can help to prevent diarrhea and firm up the stool. Foods I'd recommend would be Hill's I/D or Royal Canin's Low Fat Gastrointestinal diet. A B-vitamin complex is usually essential as this vitamin is typically deficient in patients that have problems with their pancreas. Medications such as Famotidine or Omeprazole which are gastric acid reducers an also help. You may want to ask your veterinarian about the above medications and supplements to see if any of these would be of benefit for Ricky.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi :) My cat has pancreatitis and he has been on and of treatment for more then a year. I want to know if he is in pain, and how to tell if he is. Also, what can I do to prevent complications - I have been giving him pills twice a day, which help his
Oh my goodness, Berlioz is adorable! Cats with pancreatitis can live well for many years, with careful management. Usually they don't need supplementation with digestive enzymes. Usually we concentrate on managing the symptoms when they are present (i.e., where there is an acute crisis) which typically includes therapy with intravenous fluids, pain medications, and anti-nausea medications. The best diets are those that are easy to digest, and often these are diets labeled as "hypoallergenic". You might also consider adding on a medication to manage acid levels in the stomach, such as famotidine or omeprazole.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat was diagnosed with mild pancreatitis. His Amylase was slightly above the high range, WBC also a little high and elevated Neutrophils (not through the roof). He was given about 12 days of Poly shots with an appetite stimulant and occasional B-1
Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. Pancreatitis in cats is often a chronic problem with occasional flare-ups. Treatment usually consist of pain relief and low fat diet. In more severe cases iv fluids, intravenous pain relief and appetite stimulants are necessary. In that respect the treatment Mahji received sounds appropriate. Antibiotics are not necessary in most of cases of pancreatitis but it is a common practice to use them. It is hard to make comments on the problem with oedema. I assume that the oedema was caused by overzealous intravenous fluids therapy and Mahji has fully recovered after a course of diuretic. The key in long-term management of pancreatitis is low fat diet. There are prescription diets for cats with pancreatitis but this type of food can be easily prepared at home (cooked lean meat with some vegetables). Using appetite stimulants should be only short term, however some cats require longer therapy with anti-sickness medications to treat nausea
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog Dexter is a boxer and in. The last 6 months has lost 20 lbs. My vet has no idea what is going on and has told me I need a specialist. I am broke but don't want to give up. My dog eats 4 meals a day and is always hungry but doesn't gain weight.
There are a number of pancreatic supplements on the market. Some of the really inexpensive ones do not seem to work as well as the more expensive ones and since we don't yet have a diagnosis on Dexter, I would start with a proven product first to see if it works. (If it does, you could consider changing to a less expensive product later to see if it works as well.) The least expensive company I have found that has a good quality product is Enzyme Diane. http://www.enzymediane.com/ordersusa.htm The dosage instruction is based on the amount of food fed because you mix the enzymes into each meal. So, I would follow their recommendations for dosing instructions. If you go with a different product, I normally recommend dosing a dog at their ideal body weight, so I would dose Dexter at a 70 pound dose. Good luck with Dexter! I hope that helps! Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 16 year old cat was diagnosed with pancreatitis and treated with antinausea, pain meds and antiobiotic. I think it was caught early and he seems to be better now, though I am still giving him the antibiotic until it finishes. How can I prevent it
I'm so glad that Mr B is feeling better. A prescription diet would be ideal, if he will eat it. However, it is more important that he be consistently eating something. Regular food intake and meals keeps the pancreas working at a steady pace to help digest food, rather than going from 0 to 60 so to speak; meaning not needing to work, then working really hard. Since he is an older guy, he is just more likely to start to have health problems. If he does have a recurrence of pancreatitis, it would be a good idea to talk to your vet about an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram of the abdomen) if that was not preformed yet, to see if there are any other issues going on, such as an obvious tumor, etc. I hope that information is helpful. Thank you for asking Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored