My cat has pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Is that dangerous?

Pancreatitis can present in two different ways in cats:

-Acutely: In acute pancreatitis cats often become very sick with vomiting and severe abdominal pain (as well as potential diarrhoea). This type of pancreatitis can be life threatening.

-Chronically: Chronic pancreatitis is a milder form of pancreatitis that goes on for a long period of time, and seems to come and go. In these cases cats tend to have a poor appetite and problems with intermittent vomiting/diarrhoea. This form is usually associated with a chronic bowel inflammation (IBD).

The liver can also be affected when cats have pancreatitis. Treatment consists of removing any known cause of pancreatitis, and symptomatically treating the cat to decrease the inflammation. This includes intravenous fluids, pain relief, anti-nausea medication, and importantly, a special medical diet. It can be difficult to find out exactly what has caused the pancreatitis. Prognosis depends on how sick the cat is and how well it responds to treatment. In acute cases pancreatitis can be cured if the cat survives. Chronic cases tend to require a lifelong dietary change and potentially other treatments to keep the discomfort at bay.