EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Cooper is my 2 yr old Havanese and has been on his EPI powder enzyme med for 3 weeks now.  We went on vacation for a week and Cooper was boarded at animal hospital where he was finally correctly diagnosed with EPI.  When we got him back yesterday, I noticed a very strong odor that I couldn't immediately distinguish.  By last night, he was very, very antsy; wouldn't sit or lay down (which he always does right beside me or on my lap), and then went into crying jags.  Those crying jags have now developed into crying out loud at times!!!  I think the strong odor is actually a very strong/odd urine smell.  Does this sound familiar to anyone??? 

I will be calling the animal hospital this morning (yes, it is a Sunday....) but thought I'd check here to see if this sounds at all familiar. 

He was doing SO well before we left; this just make me ill to see him suffer like this again. 

OHHH, also - We noticed Cooper is losing some hair now.  Started on back of his neck and has now spread to his chest area.  Side effect of medicine...??

Thanks,

Kim

HI Kim,

I'm sorry to hear Cooper is having problems...I cannot address the crying in pain or hair loss as that does not sound like any side effect I've heard about from enzymes, but the smell is quite common in the beginning.  It's a phonomena that many experience and it does seem to go away on it's own.  While I've never experienced it, others here who have describe it as anything from baby vomint to a pole cat. I'm sure many who have will chime in here and tell you what they thought it smelled like...

As far as the crying and hair loss, I would definately call the vet...Please let us know what he/she says!

HI Kim ~

Please let us know  what the vet says.... the crying and hair loss are not things I have heard of specifically because of EPI ...

The stinky smell could very well be the enzymes... as Donna said...... many of us noticed a stinky smell brought on by the enzymes.... but it does tend to go away eventually.

It sounds like something else is going on thoguh, especially since Cooper is crying.... sounds to me like he is in pain.

Regarding the hair loss... although not directly associated with EPI....we have heard of some dogs that lose hair, but it is usually because of something else or a deficiency that has gone on for so long that the hair gets thin and patchy... but if it happened rather quickly... my guess is something else.

My older dog, Not with EPI.... lost his hair in patches in about a week... turns out it was alopecia and then they determined that it was caused by A Typical Cushing Disease...........they did an ATCh test on him..... in his particular case, they suspect  this imbalance was brought on not via genetics but by heavy doses of drugs (Doxycycline) for Erichea (tick borne disease)  that he had to be aggressively treated for 3 times........and they think it wrecked havoc with his adrenal gland

Again, please let us know what the vet thinks. Will be thinking of you!

Hi Kim:

I'm so sorry that this is happening.  I was wondering if his tummy is bothering him, and if it's something that a H2 blocker might help.  That might be something to ask the vet when you talk to him/her.  I know that there have been a few times that I've had to use Tagamet (cimetidine) or Pepcid (famotidine) with Akira for a few days.   Just a thought...

As far as the hair loss...I'm not sure what to say.  This time of year with the weather changing a problem can come about.  Did they feed him the same food as you had been?  Did they give him treats?  It could even have something to do with the cleaning products they used at the boarding facility.  Could the fact that he was boarded, and therefore was stressed maybe be the cause of the hairloss??? 

Please keep us posted... 

Hi Kim

Sorry to hear Cooper is having problems. Can you let us know what the vet said.

Barney lost lots of hair, it was coming out in clumps but since he started on treatment for E.P.I it has started to grow again and his coat is better now than it has ever been.

Wondering if this could be another symptom ?????????

Keep us posted.

 Eileen ~  so glad to hearr that Barney's hair is coming back in nicely..... isn't it amazing how much better they not only feel but how much better their skin and coat feels once they start getting the nutrients they are supposed to.

Kim ~ if you have time, please do post, as we would like to know how Cooper is doing now.

Hi Kim,

Just checking in to see how Cooper is.

Debra at April 21, 2010 at 5:47 PM

Hi Kim,

Just checking in to see how Cooper is.

Sorry for being absent from here for so long.

Cooper is a healthy boy -- YEAH!!!

Trip to vet this am for a weigh-in confirmed it; he's up to 12.2 lbs now.  I think that's amazing, considering he was 8.6 lbs the beginning of March.  Medicine is obviously working!  

He also also has endless energy, wants to play with his "babies" a lot now, and chases his brother (our other Havanese, Eli, who does not have EPI) til they're both breathless.  

Thanks everyone!!     

Kim  (and the boys...)

So happy to hear your pup is feeling better!

We experience hair loss too in the beginning of treatment. I think it might be due to the malnourishment they are dealing with. But strange Susies did not start until 3 weeks into the enzymes. We put vitamin e on the areas since they were a little dry and itches. I can remember when we bathed her tons of hair would come out, but it did get better a few weeks to a month later.

Hey Kim,

That's GREAT news!!! Isn't it beautiful when it all comes together and you get your dog back???  Congratulations!!!

DryFur at May 8, 2010 at 11:48 AM

We experience hair loss too in the beginning of treatment. I think it might be due to the malnourishment they are dealing with. But strange Susies did not start until 3 weeks into the enzymes. We put vitamin e on the areas since they were a little dry and itches. I can remember when we bathed her tons of hair would come out, but it did get better a few weeks to a month later.

When we took Cooper to the groomer a couple weeks ago, she said the hair loss was probably because of his system not getting the vitamins/nutrients it needed, so it affected his hair.  The groomer could tell that the new hair coming in was different, and much healthier.  We wound up having to clip his hair way down, but now all the new hair is coming in healthier.  So right now, he looks more like a Chinese Crested, but in a few months he'll be back to his Havanese hairstyle!  

Great news Kim,

So glad Cooper has improved and doing well.

So glad to hear that Cooper is now donig better!