High fat, high risk? Evaluating the strength of evidence linking dietary fat and pancreatitis in dogs

Pancreatitis is the most frequently diagnosed disorder of the exocrine pancreas in dogs, yet its etiology remains poorly understood. Early and frequently cited studies suggest an association between high dietary fat and onset of pancreatitis, leading to the long-standing recommendation to restrict dietary fat in affected dogs. However, these studies are limited by the use of experimental models, small sample sizes, variable diagnostic methods, failure to isolate fat-specific effects, and the use of diets that do not reflect current formulations. Anecdote also suggests that dogs can relapse or have persistently elevated pancreatic lipase concentrations despite strict adherence to a low- or ultralow-fat diet, indicating that fat restriction may not be the key to prevention of pancreatitis in all cases. In recent years, a small but growing body of work has revisited the relationship between dietary fat and pancreatitis. These studies have generally failed to confirm a consistent or straightforward association between dietary fat content and disease onset. This narrative review summarized the current literature on the role of dietary fat in canine pancreatitis, identified knowledge gaps, and outlined priorities for future research to advance our knowledge of this clinically important condition.