Just over a year ago, Lucas was one very happy, healthy whippet. Then, after some dental work, his body seemed to collapse, and the diagnosis of pancreatitis followed. His owner, Julia, remembers that his eyes said it all, and she feared she was losing him.
Lucas's early days were hard. He was uncomfortable, lethargic and reluctant to leave the house. His owner captured that time on video, recorded shortly after his diagnosis.
A Natural Path to Gut Comfort and Wellbeing
His general vet prescribed medication to manage his pain and symptoms, along with a prescription diet. Julia was worried about the long-term effects of that approach on his liver and kidneys, and kept thinking there had to be another way to support his body alongside his veterinary care.
That search led her to CanineCeuticals and VNG Vets. The vets at VNG Vets helped Lucas move to a carefully planned homemade diet with recommended supplements, and Julia began introducing CanineCeuticals, starting with Gut Restore, Gut Protect and Mushroom Elixir. In December 2025 she added P.E.A. Plus, and a few months later, Pure Lion's Mane and Pure Milk Thistle joined his routine.
"He has gone from not wanting to walk beyond the front gate to now running around at the golf course and swimming in the river." — Julia
A Layered Approach to Supporting Pancreas Health
Rather than relying on a single product, Lucas's routine supports him from several angles, always alongside his vet's guidance and his homemade diet:
- Gut Restore helps to restore & maintain digestive comfort and overall gut wellbeing.
- Gut Protect offers a synergistic blend of prebiotics, probiotics, herbs and enzymes to support healthy digestion, nutrient absorption and immune resilience.
- Mushroom Elixir provides medicinal mushroom support to aid healthy immune function.
- P.E.A. Plus provides Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a naturally occurring fatty acid amide studied for its role in the body's inflammatory response pathways and comfort.
- Pure Lion's Mane is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used to support cognition, nerve health and healthy ageing in senior dogs.
- Pure Milk Thistle aids healthy liver and gallbladder function and promotes improved digestion.
From Uncomfortable to Running Again
For Julia, the change in Lucas has been about far more than getting back outdoors. He no longer experiences diarrhoea, vomiting or lethargy, and the whimpering and crying that used to happen in his sleep eased. He and his cat companion Orlando, who used to always sleep together, had drifted apart when Lucas was unwell and started snapping at the cats. By January, well into his healing journey, they were peacefully cuddled up together again.
His new vet even remarked that, just looking at Lucas, you would never think anything was wrong with him. After seeing how unwell he was a year earlier, hearing that meant the world to Julia.
"It has taken us a year to get to where we are today, but seeing him happy, comfortable and running again makes it all worthwhile." — Julia
Julia also wanted to share a note of thanks:
"Most importantly, I want to share that I would not have made it this far through Lucas's journey without the continuous guidance and support from Bree and Narelle. Their generous, compassionate advice over this period, given purely out of a shared love for animals, was what truly got me through emotionally. Thank you for your support and for helping Lucas get his quality of life back!" — Julia
Is your dog facing a gut or pancreas challenge?
Every dog's journey starts with a conversation. If your dog is facing a gut or pancreas challenge and you are looking for holistic support to work alongside your vet's care, Narelle and Bree offer online consultations to talk through your dog's story and where to begin.
