EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
managing EPI
Topic: Blood in poops
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
Hi everyone, Today I noticed some blood in Maddie's poop, I almost freaked out, but I gave a deep breath and came back at home. And I swore that I would wait to see the vet, but... I know it sounds stupid, obviously I'll go get her to the vet, and probaly he's gonna order a feces exam, or something related, but if it isn't that? What else could it be?
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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Linda Member Posts: 676 |
Melissa:
I'm sure this scared you...and this may sound like an odd question, but what color was the blood? | |
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-- Linda, Akira, Indy and the bratcats Akira 101 lb GSD, DOB 9/18/03 Dx'd around her first birthday. First TLI score 1.1, retested 9/07 score had lowered to 0.7. "Normally" eats 2 cups (lately eating only 1- 1/2 cups) Eagle Pack Holistic duck and oatmeal, twice daily. 2 t Pancreatin (or 1 t per cup of food) 8x enzymes given right before each meal in heaping t meat baby food with warm water and mixed to a gruel type texture.
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Donna Member Posts: 1930 |
Hi Melissa,
Yeah, it's a;ways an unsettling site to see blood in the stool...As Linda asked, what color was it? Bright red or dark brownish red? | |
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-- Donna
Owned by Tara, a 6 YO GSD w/EPI dx'd at about a year old. Fed Taste of the Wild High Prarie formular kibble and enhance this diet with cooked meat, veggies and fruit, Enzynes: Pancreatin 8x - 1 tsp per cup of food. Suppliments include 1000 mg Wild Salmon oil, Glucosomine/Chondrotin/MSM and Probiotic acidophilus. Stable since 2005 Also owned by sidekicks' Zoey my rescued GSD and Zeke, a PWC
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
dark brownish red! wow! its some sort of sign? | |
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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Donna Member Posts: 1930 |
Hi Melissa,
The color of the blood determines where it originated from in the GI tract. Fresh (red) blood usually means it originated in the lower colon, wheras older (brownish blood) means it originated further up the GI tract.
I personally think that any blood in the GI tract is worthy of a phone call to the vet... | |
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-- Donna
Owned by Tara, a 6 YO GSD w/EPI dx'd at about a year old. Fed Taste of the Wild High Prarie formular kibble and enhance this diet with cooked meat, veggies and fruit, Enzynes: Pancreatin 8x - 1 tsp per cup of food. Suppliments include 1000 mg Wild Salmon oil, Glucosomine/Chondrotin/MSM and Probiotic acidophilus. Stable since 2005 Also owned by sidekicks' Zoey my rescued GSD and Zeke, a PWC
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Linda Member Posts: 676 |
Melissa:
Donna has answered my question only I'm going to add something.."Fresh (red) blood usually means it originated in the lower colon" or lower. I do think that it's worth giving the vet's office a call and see what they say. Let us know... | |
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-- Linda, Akira, Indy and the bratcats Akira 101 lb GSD, DOB 9/18/03 Dx'd around her first birthday. First TLI score 1.1, retested 9/07 score had lowered to 0.7. "Normally" eats 2 cups (lately eating only 1- 1/2 cups) Eagle Pack Holistic duck and oatmeal, twice daily. 2 t Pancreatin (or 1 t per cup of food) 8x enzymes given right before each meal in heaping t meat baby food with warm water and mixed to a gruel type texture.
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
I just got back from the vet, he said she would probably have an infection, but as she didn't have fever, only asked to give her probiotics and another medicine to protect the gi tract. What do you thinK? Thanks for everything! | |
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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Donna Member Posts: 1930 |
HI Melissa,
I think your vet's advice sounds just fine...Just keep an eye on her stools and behavior. | |
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-- Donna
Owned by Tara, a 6 YO GSD w/EPI dx'd at about a year old. Fed Taste of the Wild High Prarie formular kibble and enhance this diet with cooked meat, veggies and fruit, Enzynes: Pancreatin 8x - 1 tsp per cup of food. Suppliments include 1000 mg Wild Salmon oil, Glucosomine/Chondrotin/MSM and Probiotic acidophilus. Stable since 2005 Also owned by sidekicks' Zoey my rescued GSD and Zeke, a PWC
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epi4dogs Site Owner Posts: 3112 |
HI Melissa ~ Poor little Maddie... and you too... seeing blood is always scary. So glad you contacted the vet.... hopefully the medicine will start to help right away. Please let us know how she is does. | |
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-- Olesia, owned by Izzy-45lb SWD, Diagnosed at 1.5 years old - TLI results 1.3, Stable almost 4 yrs! Once stable, was able to reduce enzymes to only 1/2 tsp of Enzymes with each meal, but after amost 4 years of stabilization...recently had to increase the amount of enzymse to 3/4 of a teaspoon with each meal. Feed various grain-free kibble+real meat, 6x pancreatin enzymes from EnzymeDiane. Give 1 tsp of coconut oil one day and salmon oil next day, and also give canned sardines packed without salt or canned herring for extra omega oils.
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Debra Member Posts: 1262 |
Hi Melissa, Bridie had the same a year ago..... I nearly fainted Get well Maddie x | |
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-- Owned mind, body and soul by a German Shepherd called Bonnie. Forever in my heart 6th September 2007 - 23rd September 2009 x Forever grateful I found this forum x
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Val Member Posts: 649 |
The sight of blood is scary but you did the right thing and usually antis will sort it out. I nearly had a seizure when I saw fresh blood in Razzy's poop...it turned out to be colitis and cleared up in a few days. Val | |
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-- Val from UK owned by Razzy. diagnosed Oct 2006. stablised with Tryplase capsules and Bakers Complete kibble. Changed to raw diet and Tryplase about Oct 2007. Now serving kibble with Tryplase in morning and raw with Lypex capsules evening and supper...she has her paws round my heart big time.
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epi4dogs Site Owner Posts: 3112 |
HI Melissa ` Wondering about Maddie and how she is doing? | |
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-- Olesia, owned by Izzy-45lb SWD, Diagnosed at 1.5 years old - TLI results 1.3, Stable almost 4 yrs! Once stable, was able to reduce enzymes to only 1/2 tsp of Enzymes with each meal, but after amost 4 years of stabilization...recently had to increase the amount of enzymse to 3/4 of a teaspoon with each meal. Feed various grain-free kibble+real meat, 6x pancreatin enzymes from EnzymeDiane. Give 1 tsp of coconut oil one day and salmon oil next day, and also give canned sardines packed without salt or canned herring for extra omega oils.
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
Updating:
Maddie is doing fine... somedays she wakes up with her belly making noises, and then she doesn't want to eat, she's get crazy about grass, and star to eat it... then when I offer some food she doesn't want to. I try something new... sometimes she wants to eat a probiotic sticks, sometimes Kenzo's dry food... then she starts to eat and don't stop anymore....
But I still don't know why she does that...
Thank you all for the concern!
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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karen & manfred Member Posts: 656 |
Melissa - we have the same problem
somedays she wakes up with her belly making noises, and then she doesn't want to eat, she's get crazy about grass, and star to eat it... then when I offer some food she doesn't want to. But I still don't know why she does that...
the grass eating is to try and throw up to clear their stomach
I believe it is due to a build up of excess bile and/or stomach acid. there are a couple things you can try that might help - 1/ try a late night snack - sometimes they need to eat more frequently - too long a gap between meals can cause this
2/ try adding a small amount of pumpkin to her meal - pumpkin helps to absorb stomach acid
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
Hi Karen & Manfred!
I will try it! I already gave her late meals at 11p.m., so I'll try give her pumpkin...
thanks !!
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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Linda Member Posts: 676 |
Melissa:
I know this is something you don't really want to try, but there have been a few times in Akira's life when I've had to put her on Cimetidine. It's a histamine H 2-receptor antagonist that inhibits the production of acid in the stomach. It's the ingredient in Tagamet...but I normally use a generic. There have only been a few times in her life that I needed to use it, and I only use it for a few days...starting with two a day the first day and then go to one a day for a few days after (usually no more than 2-5). The pumpkin didn't work for Akira during those times, but I know it does for some. She's never been low on B12 and I believe that's one concern with long term use. Anyway...just a thought and something that might help. | |
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-- Linda, Akira, Indy and the bratcats Akira 101 lb GSD, DOB 9/18/03 Dx'd around her first birthday. First TLI score 1.1, retested 9/07 score had lowered to 0.7. "Normally" eats 2 cups (lately eating only 1- 1/2 cups) Eagle Pack Holistic duck and oatmeal, twice daily. 2 t Pancreatin (or 1 t per cup of food) 8x enzymes given right before each meal in heaping t meat baby food with warm water and mixed to a gruel type texture.
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Melissa Member Posts: 41 |
Hi Linda!
Thanks for the advice!
If pumpkins don't work I'll try Cimetidine.
At least I know that it have a solution. | |
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-- Melissa, owned by Maddie 14.8lb - diagnosed nov'09, we live in São Paulo, Brazil. Feed 6x a day, enzymes, dry food/homemade, and fruits. Also give her 2 bone stick of prebiotic/probiotic, vitamins and mineral. Also owned by Kenzo & Olivia. All Westies.
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Linda Member Posts: 676 |
You are more than welcome | |
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-- Linda, Akira, Indy and the bratcats Akira 101 lb GSD, DOB 9/18/03 Dx'd around her first birthday. First TLI score 1.1, retested 9/07 score had lowered to 0.7. "Normally" eats 2 cups (lately eating only 1- 1/2 cups) Eagle Pack Holistic duck and oatmeal, twice daily. 2 t Pancreatin (or 1 t per cup of food) 8x enzymes given right before each meal in heaping t meat baby food with warm water and mixed to a gruel type texture.
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karen & manfred Member Posts: 656 |
if she's having the same problem I am - antacids don't help. at least - the one I tried did not help at all.
Manfred's issue is bile, not stomach acid - I have tried researching and cannot come up with any information on dealing with this.
he gets up in the morning with the upset stomach and refuses to eat anything until almost supper time. If I can get him to throw up, and he can clear enough of the bile, then he will feel better sooner. But grass is difficult to find all winter - and that's how he makes himself throw up.
he has fewer episodes now since I started adding a spoonful of pumpkin to each meal - but it does still happen.
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Donna Member Posts: 1930 |
Hi Melissa,
As you will find out, every dog is different...For us Pumpkin went the other way in the beginning... | |
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-- Donna
Owned by Tara, a 6 YO GSD w/EPI dx'd at about a year old. Fed Taste of the Wild High Prarie formular kibble and enhance this diet with cooked meat, veggies and fruit, Enzynes: Pancreatin 8x - 1 tsp per cup of food. Suppliments include 1000 mg Wild Salmon oil, Glucosomine/Chondrotin/MSM and Probiotic acidophilus. Stable since 2005 Also owned by sidekicks' Zoey my rescued GSD and Zeke, a PWC
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Let us know what Maddie's vet says.
....It was brownish/black blood in her poops which was called Melena, Antibiotics were prescribed and it cleared up. Good that you took Maddie to the vet, its always wise to investigate things such as this, keep an eye on it and if it doesn't improve then just run it by the Vet for reassurance............it will at least stop you worrying and causing even more grey hairs
. I do know of some dogs who are on Cimetidine most of the time, and a couple, all of the time. Give the Dosage about 1/2 to 1 hour before her meal...sorry I forgot to add that. Let me know if this helps. 
But Tara eats green beans just fine! We are one of the ones that found H2 inhibitors (Cimetidine is one) to work wonders. It's all trial and error and every EPI dog is different and they do not respond the same...You must login to post.