Last Updated: 08/09/2026
Best Low Fat Dog Food for Pancreatitis: Vet Recommendations
Managing pancreatitis requires a special diet. Our vet reviews the best low fat dog foods in Australia to prevent flare-ups, covering prescription, commercial, and grain-free options to suit your dog's needs.
Author: Dr Brittany Ward BVSc
Reading Time: 6 minutes - short read
When your dog is diagnosed with pancreatitis, it may initially seem daunting and create a great deal of worry about your pet's health. This painful condition can set in rapidly and reoccur at any stage, meaning that lifelong management is required. While the exact cause is unknown, there is suspected to be a link to foods with a high fat content. In fact, pancreatitis is colloquially known as 'Boxing Day Disease' because many dogs present with this after scoring some of the Christmas ham, or other fatty Christmas leftovers.
Most vets will recommend a prescription low fat diet designed specifically for pancreatitis, though we know these aren't suitable in all circumstances and can be costly long term. This article lists our top recommended low-fat options for a range of needs and budgets. See also our full guide to nutrition for dogs with health conditions and our guide to best dog food for sensitive stomachs, which often overlaps with pancreatitis management.
If your dog has been prescribed a therapeutic low-fat diet and you're considering an alternative retail diet, confirm with your regular vet first, not all dogs can tolerate the higher fat content of commercial food.
Why is choosing the right diet for pancreatitis important?
Once diagnosed, it's very likely your dog will experience pancreatitis again - managing it through diet is the most effective method, and dogs left on a high-fat diet see frequent recurrence. Pancreatitis is extremely painful and can become life-threatening, so home management is essential.
Four things matter most:
- Does the diet match the fat levels recommended by your vet, and suit any other health conditions your dog has (chat to your vet first)?
- Is it complete and balanced to AAFCO or FEDIAF standards?
- Is the quality and digestibility high (fewer, firmer stools, consistent ingredients)?
- Is it palatable enough for lifelong feeding, since pancreatitis-prone breeds like Schnauzers and Poodles are often fussy eaters?
In this article
How We Review Our Products
Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias.
Top Low Fat Diets in Australia For Dogs With Pancreatitis [Vet Reviewed]
What is the Best Prescription Diet?
Royal Canin Veterinary Gastrointestinal Low Fat
Pros
- Minimum Fat Percentage: 7%
- Prescription Diet for low fat conditions
- Premium quality, highly digestible ingredients
- Contains prebiotics, beet pulp and fish oil to support digestive health
- Protein source poultry and hydrolysed animal proteins
Cons
- Expensive
- Diets manufactured overseas: France and South Korea
- First ingredient rice
This is a top of the range prescription diet designed specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of conditions requiring a low fat diet, including pancreatitis. It contains prebiotics for healthy gut bacteria, fish oil for healthy skin and coat, fibres for healthy digestion and antioxidants for immune support and overall health. It is designed to be easily digested and contains a very low fat percentage at 7%.
This prescription low fat diet is also available in a wet food with a Loaf consistency, available as Royal Canin Veterinary Gastrointestinal Low Fat Cans.
What our customers say: "My senior dog who has had one acute episode of pancreatitis and is also a very fussy and picky greyhound just adores this kibble and gobbles it up. Highly recommended, a very high quality food that even the most discerning of dogs will love!"
What our vets say: "Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat is my go-to diet recommendation for dogs that require a highly digestible, low fat formulation - especially my pancreatitis patients! Its great to know that its gentle on the stomach and low in fat, however it still meets nutritional requirements and can be fed long term. Most dogs seem to love the taste too!" - Dr. Samantha
What is the Best Low Fat Wet Food?
Hills Prescription Diet I/d Low Fat Digestive Care Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Pros
- Fat Content: 1-2.2%
- Stew consistency with visible meat and vegetables
- Highly palatable and easily digestible diet
- Premium quality ingredients
- S+OX Shield - suitable for pets with urinary problems
- Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and prebiotics
- Uses pork liver and chicken protein
Cons
- Expensive
- Only available in 156g cans
A therapeutic low-fat diet using premium, easily digestible ingredients, formulated with the ActivBiome+ prebiotic complex. Can be combined with the dry I/d Low Fat formula, or a 360g mince-style can is also available.
What our customers say: "My dog had a very bad bout of diarrhoea for two days and required hospitalisation. My vet recommend her feeding this low fat digestive care wet food from Hills and it helped recovery. It was gentle of my pup's tummy and they liked the taste. Highly recommended."
Which Commercial Diet is Best?
Hills Science Diet Adult Light Dry Food
Pros
- Minimum Fat Content: 5.5%
- Chicken and barley based diet
- High quality, highly digestible protein
- L-Carnitine to support lean muscle mass
- Antioxidant blend for healthy immune system
- Omega 6 fatty acids and Vitamin E for skin and coat
Cons
- Higher cost per feed
- Recommended for adult dogs aged 1-6 years only
A reduced-calorie diet for pets prone to weight gain, less active or neutered, with a high fibre content for satiety. Also available in a wet food can and a large breed dry formulation.
What our customers say: "Our Cross Golden Retriever had digestive problems and after our Vet prescribed Science Diet light, we have had no further issues with not eating and he is an extremely happy and healthy dog."
What our vets say: "Hill's Science Diet Canine Adult Light is a suitable option for dog breeds prone to pancreatitis due to its reduced calorie content and high-quality, easy-to-digest ingredients. Some dogs may be able to transition from a prescription low-fat diet to this one, but it's essential to consult your vet first." Dr. Kes
What's the Best Budget Low Fat Diet?
Advance Healthy Weight Dry Food
Pros
- Fat Content: 9-13%
- Australian made
- Low cost per feed
- Zinc and Linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat
- Green lipped mussel for joints support
- Highly digestible ingredients and prebiotic fibre for healthy digestion
Cons
- Higher fat content than other diets in this list
A reduced-calorie diet with nutraceuticals for skin, joint and gut health, and tightly controlled mineral levels to reduce urinary risk. Advance Healthy Weight is also available for Large Breed and Small Breed dogs.
What our customers say: "Our dog usually takes her time with her biscuits, but from the first bowl of ADVANCE Healthy Weight Medium Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken with Rice, she was straight to her bowl to eat the whole lot! She seemed to really enjoy these biscuits whenever they were offered, and they are our new "go to" for her."
What's the Best Grain Free Diet?
SavourLife Grain Free Adult Lean Dry Food
Pros
- Minimum Fat Content: 9%
- Australian made and owned
- Gluten and Grain free, limited ingredient, natural diet
- Suitable for senior and adult dogs of all breed sizes
- Turkey based diet
- Glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support
- Natural prebiotics and Yucca extract for healthy digestion
- Fish oil included for skin health and coat shine
Cons
- Packaging not resealable
- Only available in 2.5kg or 10kg bags
SavourLife Grain Free Adult Lean has a lot of good qualities packed into it. Uses turkey as a low-fat protein alternative to chicken, with superfoods like sweet potato, blueberries, carrot and kelp. SavourLife donates 50% of profits to rescue and shelter dogs.
What our customers say: "My golden retriever is overweight and suffers from allergies and gases, everything. Since he is on this food he looks very happy, he loves the food! And his stomach is fine, no more gases, great quality food!"
What's the Best Novel Protein Diet?
Prime100 SPD-Air Kangaroo and Pumpkin
Pros
- Minimum Fat Content: 7%
- Kangaroo based single, novel protein diet
- Air dried, raw alternative
- Human grade, whole ingredients used
- Grain and gluten free
- Pre and probiotics for digestive health
- Australian made and owned
Cons
- Expensive
- Not available in bulk - only 120g, 600g and 2.2kg bags
A limited-ingredient, single-protein, grain-free diet made with kangaroo which is naturally low-fat, making this a good option for senior dogs or those prone to weight gain, and suitable for sensitive stomachs too. See our full guide to novel protein diets for more on how novel proteins work.
What our customers say: "My fussy pup loves this ~ and she is very very picky with her dry food. Gave it to her as a meal topper and treats."
What our vets say: "Prime100 Kangaroo and Pumpkin is a great option for pets needing a limited ingredient and novel protein diet. Using a single source meat protein, Australian Kangaroo, this is also a low-fat food suitable for weight control or could be used to support gastrointestinal health. It is a complete and balanced diet to provide for your dog's everyday nutritional needs." - Dr. Michelle
What should you look for in low fat dog food for pancreatitis?
Is it vet recommended? Many vets will recommend a prescription diet for this job. If choosing outside that recommendation, confirm with your examining vet first, since not all commercial diets are suitable depending on your dog's fat tolerance.
Is it really low fat? Weight-management or "light" diets often still meet standard adult maintenance fat levels (around 12-15%) which is too high for a dog diagnosed with pancreatitis, who ideally needs under 10% fat. Check the guaranteed analysis, not just the front-of-pack claim, since many products only list minimum fat content and the maximum can be significantly higher.
We see this mix-up a lot: owners assume a "weight management" or "light" label means low fat, and switch their pancreatitis dog over to one. Always check the actual guaranteed analysis.
Can it be fed exclusively? Your dog will need to be on this diet long term and fed exclusively (aside from low-fat treats) - any other food or table scraps could trigger a flare-up. Check it's also nutritionally balanced and complete for long-term, multi-life-stage use.
Is the cost maintainable? Work out the cost per feed and per year (cost per kg divided by daily grams fed) so the diet is financially sustainable long term. See our Best Affordable Dog Food article for our cheapest premium picks.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Mon 7 Sep 2026
Edited by Dr Angie Armstrong BVScDr Brittany Ward BVSc
Veterinarian
Dr. Brittany graduated from James Cook University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and started working in her home town in the Wide Bay-Burnett Region. She has always been excited about working in the veterinary industry, but over the last few years has grown especially fond of dog behaviour and training, surgery and orthopaedic disease.
