Canine Pancreatitas Diet for Sled Dog

by Bonnie
(Milwaukee, wisc. )

My dog is a sled dog,(Alaskan Husky), somewhat thin, uses many calories dog sledding. How do I keep his weight up while feeding a low fat diet?

Editor Comment

Hi Bonnie,

Your situation is a difficult one since adding fat is the easiest way to increase the caloric content of a food, but it could make your dog’s pancreatitis worse.

First, I’d try to do everything possible to maximize your dog’s intake of his current food. Feed him three times a day, and assuming he’s on a dry food, maybe mix in a small amount of canned to increase palatability.

You could also try a different low fat diet if he doesn’t seem overly fond of the one that he’s on. I generally recommend Hill’s I/D, Purina EN, or Waltham’s low fat.

If your dog is just a “little” thin but his weight is stable, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Research has shown that dogs like this actually live longer than do dogs who are a “little” overweight.

Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM