EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

I thought I'd ask this on a separate thread and not on Wallace's usual thread.

Poor Wallace as well as having EPI he also has a retained testicle, so at some point in the future he will need to be neutered. There is absolutely no rush, the vet says we can leave it until he is his fighting weight, in fact she says we can even leave for a couple of years if need be.

Just wondering what effect this operation will have on Wallace if any? My vet was going to look and see if there was any research on this, but thought the forum was a good place to ask!

Gillian x

Hi Gillian,

While I don't have any experience with altering a dog with EPI, I would think the biggest issue would be anesthisia and I can say our poster child, Claire, has been through this many times with various procedures and despite having EPI and diabetes, has done fine!

As a person who does rescue, I think the long term effect of not neutering/spaying would be much harder on the dog...Stress is a huge factor in EPI and I would think the stress of an unaltered dog dealing with a bitch in heat would be MUCH worse than anesthisia...Of course this is JMHO...

Hi Gillian - Jackie was spayed at 6 mos and was not diagnosed until 8 mos so it wasn't an issue for us at that time.  From what I think I have seen some pups MAY have a minor setback as the stress can set them back but they are back in several days - others do just fine.   By now you understand EPI well enough to know every dog is diff.    I personally would not be afraid to neuter him - but just know you might have a minor setback...again...might... :-)

Hi Gillian

I am in the same boat as you with Kara

I am going to speak to the university vet sometime and will ask his opinion my vet doesnt see a problem

Its a bit different with a female because of the obvious but we will see and hey my photos stayed pu

Jeant

I agree fully that the stress of a bitch in heat is not something I want Wallace to have to cope with. He will have to get neutered, so we will just have to cope with whatever the procedure brings at the time!

Thanks for the input everyone, really appreciated.

Gillian xox

Gillian,

Teddy was a rescue so he was neutered shortly before I got him. I did speak to the vet who had done it and he said everything went well. Ted was an owner surrender and it was the previous owner who had it done. The vet did have a notation that they brought Teddy back because he was a little swollen but there is no mention of it having affected his EPI.

Gillian:

The general rule of thumb, is to wait to spay or neuter them until they are stable.  Akira was born with EPI but wasn't officially diagnosed until she was around a year old.  I don't remember the exact age but I believe that I had her spayed between 6-7 months.  At that time nothing was stable and she had poop that would run from runny to cow pie to sort of formed.  The after surgery days were no different than "normal" for her but then normal wasn't great.  Let us know how he does.

Gillian

When I had Hans done I asked the vet to use the guidelines for Great Danes. Keeping the dog covered with a light blanket after surgery, not allowing him/her to trash around on the floor, Lay them on a blanket not on the cold floor, The even sugest if and IV is used to warm it.        Maybe it will help you to check out this link.   It may releave your mind or give you Ideas.  Good luck Hun       http://www.gdca.org/health/surgery.htm

Gillian

When I had Hans done I asked the vet to use the guidelines for Great Danes. Keeping the dog covered with a light blanket after surgery, not allowing him/her to trash around on the floor, Lay them on a blanket not on the cold floor, The even sugest if and IV is used to warm it.        Maybe it will help you to check out this link.   It may releave your mind or give you Ideas.  Good luck Hun       http://www.gdca.org/health/surgery.htm

I spayed my Izzy (EPI gal) after she was stable for 3 months.

She came thru the surgery fine... BUT.... scared the heck out of me because she had no interest in food for almost a week... I was freaking out....... but slowly (i think it was the 5th or 6th day) her appetite started to return... and all was well.

the recommendation is to wait until they are stable.... and just be prepared that there might be  a minor set-back ...but that it will work itself out........

Phew thanks everyone. Really put my mind at ease, feel more ready to cope with it when the time comes!

Gillian xox

Hi Gillian,

I got Kobe desexed about 4 weeks ago - he was diagnosed almost 13 months ago and had no problems recovering from the surgery or any side effects from meds. I did notice his poo pattern changed, but that has since returned to normal.

Each dog is different, but as long as he is stable he should be fine:)

Thanks Samantha!

Gillian xox

Glad to have been of help

I was really concerned about him doing something to the internal stitches. The wound on the outside wasn't stitched.. each vet does it different here, all the work is does on the inside.

Our backyard is at the front of the property and we have a footpath on our side of the road and also a wall which he can see over when he stretches (I really do need to get a photo of it..) so it was really important to make sure no jumping was done! Which he always does when he is guarding the house. People find it funny and stop and talk to him.. all they can see is wonky ears and a big black snoat. He doesn't appreciate it and it makes him even angrier. Because of this,  he was house bound for 2 weeks with a hat/collar on.. oh it was fun.. my legs copped it a bit !

Yara was spayed at about a year-and-a-half, which is standard for the guide dog school she's from. (They wait until they've been in training and ruled out any possibility of using them as a breed dog.) She wasn't diagnosed for another year, but all reports say nothing abnormal occurred.

In your case, though, I'd stick with the stability rule of thumb. Unless it is incredibly necessary to neuter sooner because, well, some health issues take presedence, in my opinion, even over EPI.

I just had my new Foster Dog (2 weeks) Neutered.  He was at half of what his body weight should be when I "acquired" him from his previous owners muddy, diarhea feces ridden back yard. 

He put on 7 lbs the first week with me.  I work at my Vet's office; so she has been working with me to get him back to health.  Since he showed that he can gain weight with good nutrition and the powdered enzymes, we went ahead and had him neutered.  He is almost 11 months old.  He is doing great with no problems.... Well there is one problem.  I can't keep him "quiet " after the surgery.  He has energy galore.