EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Hi All,

In the scheme of things, seeing what others are going through right now, this is not an earth-shattering question, but my husband and I do have a question.  Both are dogs are plush coat and it is expected they would shed more in the summer.  Pharaoh ( 2 1/2 yrs., grey sable, male) has a much thicker coat than Taiko (almost 4, brown sable, female) and does not shed nearly as much as Taiko.  As I look back for the last 1 to 2 years Taiko's coat has been on the thin side and since she has been on B12, enzymes, eating better, gaining weight this last month her coat has been looking much better, though still not like Pharaoh's.  But she sheds a LOT!  It feels like we could brush her 3 times a day and she would still need to be brushed again.  I know some use salmon oil and some other supplements for the coats and was wondering about that.  If we were to add one thing first which would that be and for 80 lb. dogs about how much?  On one hand her coat looks so much better than before but the amount of shedding has us scratching our heads.  Thanks.

PS:  I want to update my avatar with a photo of both dogs.  Do I just go in and edit my profile and remove the photo I have and will there be a prompt/link to add a new one (It's been too long for me to remember how to do this here)?  Does the photo have to be a certain size?  Thanks.

Hi Terry.  One thing I noticed, for the first few years, Hondo hardly shed.  It was so unusual.  But I loved it.  Then about 1 year after I finally had him stable, he shed, and shed and shed.  I do think it was his body was healing, he was aborbing nutrients again, and decided to be a dog w/ normal shedding.  At first it was hard to get used to, but his fur came back so much nicer looking.  Maybe it has to do w/ now you know you are dealing w/ the EPI in her, too, that her body is healing and so she is shedding more, so her coat can come back prettier yet! Right now, he is shedding bad.

I use coconut oil, about 1 tsp 2X day.  Have also recently started him on krill oil.  1 pill every other day.  He's never been able to tolerate fish so not pushing my luck there.  But O just posted somewhere else re the fish oil. 

Good luck.

Someone once referred to German Shepherds as German Shedders (which I loved)...that completely applies in my case.  I can brush Jackie one day and the next she jumps in my car and it is covered.   I believe you just go to your profile - edit profile - and it says "remove pic" - remove then add new one...not sure about the size thing...try it though! :-)

Hi Terri,

As I have two German Shedders myself, I can certainly understand!!!   Before Tara was stable, her coat was thin, brittle and basically non-existant, but over the last several years, she likes to share it with us - often times more than I care for!!  We live, breathe and eat dog hair now...It's a good thing I love them!!  When folks ask me if they shed, I tell them only once a year - January thru December.

There are days when I think Ulric should be bald, he leave so much hair behind. German Shedder I love that. 

Ya'll make me laugh.... thanks... really needed the chuckle.

Terri, i was going to second what Karen said, in short, i think they are so depleted from nutrients for so long, that they don't shed much... but then... once they start receiving the proper treatment, they improve and then start shedding.. really shedding!   i think what starts to happen is not only do the finally really shed... but then seem to shed all the not so healthy stuff too...

For the itchies... all 3 of my dogs started itching once i started them on high quality grain-free food- -so i started supplementing them with one day wild salmon oil  and the next day 1 tsp of 100% pure cold pressed (virgin) coconut oil. We have been doing this for years now and for us the "itching" stopped. (it took about 3 weeks before it started really working)

Teddy didn't shed when I first got him and his coat was rather thin and dry. His coat is great now but he does shed like crazy now. No matter where you go there is fur - places you would not expect it!

Where do you find the wild salmon oil and the coconut oil?  I want to start her on at least one and see how she does (introduce one for awhile and see if there is any reaction); any suggestion as to which is best first?  It is sounding like the shedding is because she's healthier.....it's just Pharaoh doesn't shed like this yet has a thicker coat which had us wondering.  Well, as we keep stressing, each puppy dog is different!;)

I don't think it matters which one would be best to start first.  The Krill oil I buy from Mercola, the coconut oil from a vitamin store.  Those who use the salmon oil can tell  you where they buy it from.  I do think after the initial bad shed, Hondo just sheds like a normal dog now, which right now is bad.  Course, just had a bath, which doesn't help.

HI Terry,

I get all my suppliments from Puritan's Pride:  http://www.puritan.com/  As suppliments are not required to fall under FDA guidelines, many are "not" necessarily what they say they are, but Puritan independendently 3rd party test theirs, so they are...Olesia's vet had her subscribe to a watchdog type list and Puritan is in the green according to them... I get the 500 mg salmon oil caps and all three dogs get 1000mg (two gel caps).  Like Olesia, I just cut it or poke it with a pin and put it directly in their food

While pulling up their website, I noticed their semi annual sale (buy one get three free) has expired, but you can still buy one and get two free...

Taiko's shedding has calmed down some.  Her coat is not quite as thin as it was before, but still not like her brother's whose coat is quite thick.  We bought coconut oil to start.  Pharaoh doesn't like fish so thought we would wait on the salmon oil.  What is the best dose: 1 tsp. per meal or per day?

HI Terry... i started with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil... gave that for a week... (watch the stools to make sure they don't get loose... sometmies until they get used to it, that happens... or if it is just too much for them, the loose stools can also happen)

Anyway..then i increased it to 1 level teaspoon every other day... once i knew my dogs could handle it.

Just like Donna said, my father always says that German Shepherds only shed once a year, ALL YEAR! I've been noticing Bella shedding more and more, and the best solution is to just keep brushing brushing brushing! I would recommend outside. Oh , and I think I go through vacuum bags like it's my job. I can vacuum one hour, and then 2 hours later it's covered again!

I do not have any experience with coconut oil.. I'm sorry!

German Shedder

Yep... I got one of those. She had a lovely coat until I had her spayed and (as always with a bitch) her coat doubled.

Then EPI came and she ran a thinner coat for a while, but it thicked over a year... THEN.... I decided to go all raw and boy did she shed.

I was warned that a complete change of diet from kibble to all raw MAY cause this but it was scary. She shed like crazy and put back a coat that is now so thick it feels like 'flock' around her feathers, Shedding seems to go on year round... it seems to take weeks as she loses her winter coat... then loses her summer coat ready for winter again.

I HAVE to get the vac out daily just to keep the dust out of her coat (she likes being vacced)... one day I will look in the vac and find a postman I haven't seen fopr ages.

Val

Hi guys from a non shedding owner I use flax oil which is superb for the coat and skin and works well with raw. BUT I was researching a good shedding comb for the cats and came across the furminator (or similar brands) and they look like they work wonders so might be worth a look at those.

Hi Laura,

I have a Furminator and while I questioned my sanity in spending that kind of $$ on it, it does work well on TWO of my dogs, Tara and Zeke (both normal, double coated dogs), but not Zoey as she's a long coat.  We find a comb with two different layers of teeth works best.

Hi Donna

I might just have to get one for Cleo the puss cat then for definate as she has fur so thick you can lose your fingers in it - no good for Mishka it would ruin his coat - did i mention he's a non shedder (grin!) - s'ok just want to rub it in !

Actually there is another brand - have a look at this for Zoey - it does look slightly different to the Furminator...

http://www.wanimo.com/fr/chiens/accessoire-de-toilettage-sc227/foolee-brosse-poils-courts-longs-tres-grand-modele-sf7187/

Best wishes