What Bismark has taught us about pancreatitis in schnauzers

Bismark is recovering from a four-day bout of pancreatitis—a mild case this time, thankfully. It’s something we face two to three times a year, as mini schnauzers are genetically predisposed to this condition. Layer on top of that a serious heart condition (pulmonic stenosis), an intensely driven personality (he always tries to impress us), and an incredibly sensitive nature, and it’s a perfect storm just waiting to happen.

While the attacks often seem to come out of nowhere, we’ve started to pick up on the early warning signs. One clue? A few days of those irresistible, snacky, begging eyes. Not that Bismark gets spoiled with random treats—we’re very strict. His snacks are always clean: chicken pieces, yogurt, fruit and veggie chunks, pumpkin biscuits, and the occasional rabbit ear. But social overload—school, exciting outings, and visitors—means more stimulation and often more snacks, even if they’re healthy. It all adds up. Then suddenly, around 2 a.m., the yellow foamy vomit makes its dreaded appearance.

Our first line of defense is a strong dose of activated charcoal dissolved in water, to absorb any fat or toxins in his stomach. We stay up with him for an hour or two, then try to catch some sleep and hope for the best.

This time, he was back to playing with Bjorn in the morning and even asked for breakfast. We gave him a bland meal of pumpkin, yogurt, and microwave-cooked chicken breast—no rice, as that makes him vomit. He seemed okay through the day. But again, the 2 a.m. vomiting returned—yellow foam and slime, though he was still alert and asking for food.

So we continued the bland diet, eliminated all snacks, and kept the day calm. Then came the third night—and with it, a 2 a.m. vomit that included blood.

That’s when we brought out the Ulsanic, a white fluid that helps coat and heal the digestive tract. We fasted him until lunchtime—about an 18-hour break—then gave him two spoons of the usual pumpkin, yogurt, and finely shredded chicken, with tissue salts for nausea. He napped well, and although he vomited up lunch, there was no blood, no foam, no yellow slime. That’s our sign: healing has begun.

By 5 p.m., he asked for a walk. Mom drove him to the park, gave him a breezy car ride with the windows down, and let him sniff the grass. He soon asked to go home. We gave him a gentle wipe-down to clean up the beard and bum after the last few days, and then he rang his bell—for supper. Same bland food. This time, he was so happy he shoved poor Bjorn away from his bowl just to steal a bit of cabbage!

At this point, the eye-rolls are dramatic—he hasn’t had a biscuit in three days. But one more dose of Ulsanic and a squirt of Diomec paste before bed, and we crossed our fingers.

And finally—nothing. No vomiting. He’s better.

By the fourth morning, Bismark had the same bland breakfast again, with added tissue salts. He’s looking forward to another gentle walk this evening, and maybe—just maybe—a half a biscuit during our evening coffee. We continue bland meals for a couple more days with milk kefir, probiotics and chammomile tea.

Over the years, we’ve seen Bismark through mild to severe pancreatitis attacks. We’ve witnessed foam, slime, and blood from both ends. We’ve endured nights of non-stop vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, we rushed him straight to the vet. In milder ones, we’ve consulted with Dr. Monica and managed things from home. We’ve seen him weak, refusing food, eating only grass, and wanting nothing more than to sleep. The first night is always the worst—pain, restlessness, pacing, panting. That’s when we know it’s time for emergency care.

Thankfully, he’s never had to be hospitalized for it.

Each episode is traumatic. We hate watching him suffer, and it breaks our hearts every time. To all the fellow mini schnauzer parents out there: know this—you're doing your best, and your pup is lucky to have someone who cares so deeply.

Pancreatitis in dogs is an ugly, exhausting illness. We will continue to feed low-fat meals made from the best ingredients from Bismark's Bistro, and we’ll do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again—for Bismark and for other dogs like him.