EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Some EPI dogs turn their heads  away from their food http://www.dogaware.com/Graphics/BulldogIgnoringBones.jpg" />  when treated with powdered enzymes for EPI.

Diane (EnzymeDiane)  http://www.enzymediane.com/ wrote the follownig post where she lists some great ideas to try in this situation... and i am greatfully placing her post in our FILES for future reference. Thank you Diane!!!

Some EPI dogs just think we are trying to kill them when we put those precious enzymes on their food.  Sometimes we find one thing that works for a bit then have to try something else.  Here are a few suggestions that I have learned over the past 5 years of dealing with EPI-Thankfully I have not had to use any of them as Sarge will eat the enzymes straight if I let him (Okay he did get a bag of them once)

• *Stainless bowls do not harbor the odor of the enzymes.  Ceramic bowls can even have small cracks and harbor the smell.
• *different enzymes smell different.  If the product uses enzymes from Europe they are processed different than those that are from US pancreas glands. 
• *Sometimes mixing the food with more or less water makes the difference.  Some dogs do not like oatmeal and that is okay for some dogs.  Each dog isdifferent
• *Try keeping out a handful of kibble and adding it before feeding if your dog likes crunchy food.  Sometimes that is enough crunch to make them eat the mushy stuff too. It all mixes in the stomach and intestines and digests.
• * Parmesean cheese, Green tripe, peanut butter, gravy, canned sardines/herring,  ...all the toppers you can imagine can mask it just put it on right before they eat and fingers crossed.
• *Some dogs still will not eat that food, they think you are killing them.  So capsules can work.  You can buy the generic enzymes and get a capsule filler (approx $20) and stuff them yourself.  You can feed the caspules before you feed the dog.  Now some dogs this will not work as well.  It depends on the PH of the stomach as the enzymes are neutralized by the stomach acid.
• *Creon can be a lifesaver.  The caspules are made to make it through the stomach to the intestines where they replace the digestive enzymes there.
• *Some dogs do well with a meatball of enzymes and baby food or some other tasty treat fed right before the meal and then given their kibble.
• *some dogs do better on raw or canned.
• *some dogs do better with a lower dose or have been turned off by the enzymes burning their mouth.  Try washing their mouth after eating if this seems to be the problem.
• *get another dog that likes to eat.  This may cause your dog to eat first or faster

There are many other tricks out there.  Hang in there I know it is no fun.

FYI:  Green-tripe may be purchased at Dog Food SPecialty stores or.... these on-line suppliers:

(USA)  http://www.greentripe.com/    http://www.greentripe.com/    http://www.greencuisine4pets.com/

(UK)  http://www.butcherspetcare.com/butchers/tripe/

HI Olesia,

We went straight down that list and did and in fact still do/have every one of those things (with the exception of Creon as back then we didn't know it was available to us)...Imagine how scared I was when I came to the last one, getting a dog who likes to eat...If Zoey didn't work, I don't know what I would have done...

Hi Olesia,     I also went thru almost all of these methods.   I also changed wht I fed her so many times that it was insane.       Thank God for Parmesan Cheese.   It was the only thing to do the trick for Suzie.

Very good info for so many.

THanks to you and to Diane for postng this.

Thanks Brenda... all credit goes to Diane ... i just thought it was such a good post, that i placed it in the FILES... Well, everytime i submit a FILE.... it also showsup here in our "recent posts" section.

Interesting and I'll bookmark it for sure.  I know the Parmesan cheese doesn't make a difference...although she likes kraft singles.  I tried mixing it in her food but she wasn't going to eat the i/d to get the cheese. 

I hope I find something soon...she's sooo skinny!