EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Hi Katy.  How's Sophie doing?

Leslee

Hi Leslie... thanks for asking...  am wondering too....

Hi everyone!!  I am so sorry I have not been able to post for awhile.  My family has been in town and I have been with them mostly all the time!  Plus we found out that we are expecting our first baby so things have been kind of hectic!!   

We have been back to the vet with Sophie.  Her ears are not doing good.  The doctor says she has an allergy to something.  She is on Orijen right now and has been since I found out she has EPI.  (grain free)  Before she was on the porcine enzymes she was on the plant enzymes with the Oijen while we were waiting for the prescription.  She was not itching.  Once we started the porcine about a week later she started itching and it has not gone away.  I believe that it is the porcine she is allergic to.  AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!  Just the other day the doctor told me to switch her back to Wellness.  I stated about grain free diet but was dismissed right away.  So I thought I will try it.  She DID NOT do good back on wellness.  She was pooping more often and we could tell she was not digesting it as well by seeing the grains in her poop.  

Just tonight I put her back on Orijen and am trying to figure out what to do.  Has anyone ever run across this???  I was thinking about trying the plant enzymes for a week to see if the itching stops.  However,  she is up 6 pounds!!!  Since we started this!!  I can just keep giving her Benedryl??? Maybe she will have to be on Steroids?? I don't know.  I am excited about her weight gain but I am nervous about the allergy!!!   

I know Orijen has a higher protein content would that affect anything?  I was thinking about switching to grain free Wellness fish to try.  Any suggestions?  

Thanks Katy and Sophie

Ahh Katy... I am SO sorryto hear that Sophie just might have a pork allergy afterall. That bites the big one.

We are privately checking into another viable option for you ... but in the meantime, your options at this point are:

• 1. stay on the pork enzymes a little longer to help build Sophie's body back up and deal with the allergies as best you can for now.... and then switch to plant enzymes or raw beef pancreas
  
• 2. Switch to plant enzymes now.. you will have to at least double the dosage or more
• 3. Switch to raw beef pancreas.

"If you would like to try using raw pancreas;  beef, lamb or porkpancreas may be used. One to three or four ounces of raw pancreas canreplace one teaspoon of pancreatic extract. Raw pancreas may be frozenin cubes for future use and thawed naturally, but never heat on thestove or in the microwave."

Hi Katy,

Have you tried the new Regional Red Orijen? It does not have any poultry in it.

Leonbergers, Barnum's breed, are allergic to poultry. Maybe Sophie is too? I noticed Orijen has a fish version too.

I have noticed Barnum being more itchy again too. I wonder if it is the seasonal change though.

Hi Katy,

Throwing a thought out here...Has Katy had a T3/T4 test done to check her Thyroid? zoey (my non EPI dog) itched terribly and had chronic yeast infections in her ears.  I had her tested and she was Hypothyroid...Since getting the med dosage correct (it's a cheap little pill twice a day), all those nasty symptoms have gone away...

Again, just a thought...

Thanks everyone,

DxdBarnum:   she is on the fish Orijen.  That does not have anything I should be worried about does it??  Wellness does make a grain free diet so I was thinking about maybe trying that to see if that would help.

Donna, I am going to ask my vet about that.  I am beginning to think my vet is getting rather annoyed with me!!   I am game for trying anything!  

Olesia,  I am going to keep doing what I am doing as of now.  I will just keep giving her Benedryl.  Where would I get raw pancreas?  

Thanks so much 

Hi Katy,

Sorry I called Sophie Katy in my last post...

The Golden is the second most affected dog in cases of Hypothyroidism:  http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hypothyroidism.html  I found out about chronic yeast ear infections in Hypo dogs after Zoey was dx'd. As I said, after I got her meds correct, the yeasty ears went away... I think it would be worth mentioning to your vet...BTW, I just got my WDJ today and Dr, Nancy Kay (a member here) wrote an article about  approaching your vet with internet research.  I have already read her book, "Speaking for Spot" and I've always used this approach, but it would be interesting for folks who have not read her book to read, if they get the WDJ.

BTW, Katy I almost forgot to send you a HUGE congratulations on your first non-furred family member!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D

Katy,

Sorry to hear Sophie still has the itch problem   But that is great news about her weight gain   And extra special congrats on your first baby... at least first non-fur baby

Donna - We had to laugh when we got our recent WDJ with the article regarding talking to vets about internet research.  We had just spent tons of time discussing exactly how to approach our vet with our research the month before.  The article does a nice job outlining a non-confrontational approach.

Becky

Donna,

Thanks so much for the information.  I am waiting for the new blood work to come back on Sophie and will mention it to my vet.  I hope that is the case.  

What is WJD??  

Hi Katy,

WDJ = Whole Dog Journal.  It's a publication for dog lovers.   

What you should ask your vet for is a free T3/T4 which will measure the dog's thyroid function.  It is a routine blood test which will determine whether the dog is showing signs of Hypothyroid (underactive) or Hyperthyroid (overactive).  These blood tests are bout $40...That said, if you can afford it, you might want to send the blood to Dr. Jean Dodds, who does a complete thyroid study, but the cost is a few hundred.

Katy:

Wow...congratulations on the news of your first human baby :D.  So are you going to share things like due dates and such?  This is great news...

Katy Oh my goodness... I missed that.... you're expecting.... CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Wishing you the very best!!! Of course now we'll want to hear all about that too

Now you'll have to post pics of two legged and 4 legged babies.

Congrats on the baby news.... we all want the details of when....:)

As to allergies... my Razzy is the queen of allergies and I have spent the best part of her life finding out what she can and cannot tolerate. We don't have no grain food here in UK, or I haven't seen any... But EPI or not I have been through loads of different kibbles to find one that suited Razzy.... Even going raw meant a process of elimination because she couldn't have beef, lamb, liver, heart or even fish... no vitamins because she turned out to be allergic to liver and seaweed products that are used in most vit tablets.

So if you are dealing with allergy then don't feel hide-bound to one or two foods... change now and again until you find one that does the trick... I now have two VERY unsuitable cheap kibbles Razzy can tolerate but she can eat without itching so thats what I feed her for breakfast.

Good luck

Val

Thanks everyone!  We are due in Oct!!  Very exciting.  I am curious to see how Sophie takes it!  HA!  I told my husband that she will protect the baby and he was laughing at me saying yeah right the only thing she will protect is You!  It should be interesting.

Sophie is on the plant enzymes now for 3 days.  I am experimenting with the doses but have to say her stools are not looking good.    But she is still itching which is a good sign because maybe it it not the enzymes.  

Donna, I asked my vet about hypothroidism.  She did tell me that it was low .9 but doesn't really concern her.  However she has not had the T3/T4 test done.  She did say that since sophie is not obese and that is one of the signs.....  I do want to get it tested though just to see.  I think we are after this little plant enzyme test that I am doing.  (which is not going good)  

Val,  is Razzy on the enzyme?  How long do you think I should do my tests before I switch?  She has been on the plant enzyme for 3 days?  One week??  

Thanks!!  

Katy,

That would be WONDERFUL if it is not the enzymes....  I would give the plant enzymes no more than 3 days... that should be enough testing... especially if she is not responding well... Did you at least double the dose? You may even want to triple it.

October baby, eh? http://www.caringbabygiftsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/big-baby-rattle-boy.jpg" /> we will certainly bee looking forward to hearing (and seeing pics) of the new addition to your family... and I bet Sophie WILL be protective of her!

Yes... I think a new baby will be protected by Sophie. I had both my sons at home and when the midwife left I called the dog up to see and smell the new addition. He was interested in the cradle then climbed on the bed for a cuddle. After that he was very protective and once let a neighbour in the kitchen but wouldn't let her in the rest of the house or let her leave. She yelled so loud I had to crawl down stairs only an hour after giving birth to call the dog off. Yet she could come and go as she pleased before the baby came... not so after, though.

I rekon any change shows if its good or bad within 3 days... after that I'd decide whether to stay or try something new.

A change of food I always did slowly though... replacing the old with the new a little at a time every 3 days over maybe ten days or so. If there was a problem I stopped at the last success and tried again. If the poops were OK I continued until I made the change and gave it a few days (maybe a week) to see if the itching stopped. It usually takes a few days to clear the system. If the poops went south I stopped adding the new and replaced it with the old food. The last thing you want is bad runs.

Then I'd leave it a week or so and try another kibble.

Thankfully Razzy has never had trouble with the enzymes so I can use either Tryplase or Lypex with success.

Its enough to drive you scatty, eh? I think I kept the local shelter in dog food from bags I had to reject.

Val

HI Katy,

I agree with everyone else...if the plant enzymes are sending her stools south, they are not working for her...

Hey an October baby!!! My daughter was born in October!! :DI'm sure Sophie and the baby will be best buddies!!!!!

All dogs present differently with hypothyroidism...My vet swore Zoey wasn't because she didn't have the skin problems associtated with it, but she was... Also, Sophie has EPI which would definately keep her on the leaner side because she's not digesting food properly...I think it's definately worth a shot to test her...