‘Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the house
a single creature was stirring, but it wasn’t a mouse;
The dishes were stacked in the sink with no care,
In hopes that tomorrow somehow there would be clean silverware.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With full bellies and dreams of presents opened danced in their heads;
And mamma and I had settled after a much needed nightcap,
Thought that the dog had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
When out in the kitchen there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to dining room I flew like a flash,
To see dishes strewn and someone had torn open the trash.
The dog had eaten his fill, the jams, the jelly, cookies, ham hocks, and stew;
He had gotten into grandma’s famous baked casserole too.
He gave me a wag of the tail, and a silly grin ,
The dog had a bit of gravy dripping from his chin.
And so soon to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a vomiting, diarrhea, and pain for my dog oh so severe,
What a mess that he made, I think that I lost most of my cheer,
I guess that I didn’t learn the lesson of last year.
With a dash to my vet, so sure in a crisis
He knew in a moment it must be pancreatitis.
He knew just what to do to make my dog feel all right,
To make up for what he had done to himself that night.
And so the to my dog’s rescue the drugs came,
“Now, Buprinorphine! now, Cerenia! now, Fluids and Plasma!
On, nothing by mouth until his stomach can rest.
Oh my vet, he is the best of the best.
As dry heaves that ever so slowly went away,
I came to realize that all of the bills I would have to pay,
The price that we would have to pay for my folly,
Of why Christmas makes dogs so very jolly.
The food is so delicious to us as can be,
Are also quite scrumptious to the family dog you see.
And in the quiet of the night, or when grandparents are near,
The dog will eat the treats to cost you so dear.
The pancreas gets angry from the fat in the meats and the treats
It causes inflammation which causes the dog’s vomit in your sheets.
The pain that occurs can be so sudden and severe,
Your dog may feel like he’s been gored by a reindeer.
But by the success of medications and a fluid pump,
the vet can give pancreatitis the trump.
My dog, with the crying and hard, painful belly,
now has an odor which isn’t nearly as smelly.
After a few days, my dog was back to his right jolly old self,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
With a dance to his step and a cock of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
And my vet, he spoke not a word of reproach but I knew in the end,
That while Christmas is great for family and friend,
The food we eat is too rich for dogs to eat and will certainly send,
Dogs to the vet and a lengthy stay will portend.
So take note of this tale and make sure to prevent
Your pet from eating a snack that causes such a wretched event.
And so please make sure to keep your dogs away from such a plight,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
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In all seriousness, pancreatitis is a very serious and potentially life threatening condition. Often, it is caused or exacerbated by ingestion of a fatty meal. So please be careful not to allow your pets to have an indulgence you and they will both regret.
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Author’s note: The poem above in not meant to diagnose nor recommend a specific treatment plan for a sick pet. Inaccuracies may be present due to artistic license (mostly to get things to rhyme).
written by Dr. Jeffrey Horn OC Veterinary Medical Center
reproduction is permitted if this note is attached