EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

THIS WAS POSTED FROM FROM SARAH (Trixie's mom), AN EPI FORUM MEMBER......

Finding this website has been the best thing that has happened to Trixie in the past year.  She is slowly getting better, but we continue to struggle with her small appetite. I have been obessively reading nutrition lables to find the most high calorie dense nutrition for Trixie.  Trying to find something that is grain free, has a lot of calories per ounce or per can, and is still affordable has been challenging. Trixie barely tolerates any dry food, and the food that she does tolerate must be soaked overnigt to be made very soft, and must be mixed with a large portion of canned food.  I wanted to share some of the best things I have found.

Dyne:  http://www.revivalanimal.com/Dyne.html?a=bing

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7382739_mix-albon-dyne.html

This product can also be purchased in the UK through Amazon.

A high calorie liquid nutrition supplement that has 150 calories per ounce.  This has been a real life saver for Trixe (and for me).  Mornings at my house have become extremely challenging, with the added 30-40 minutes it takes to prepare her food and help her eat it.  With the Dyne, I can give her 3 ounces in the morning with a food syringe. I giver her Pancreatin in pill form prior to giving the Dyne.  (She refuses food with Enzyme mixed in).  This has saved me so much time, and it prevents Trixie from having to skip a meal if she has a small appetite.  It runs about $50 for a gallon, which I figure can last me a month or a longer if I give her 3 ounces for a meal. This contains a high fat content and also soy, so be careful of food allergies. I know the ingredients are not perfect, but I have found that taking care of Trixie has led to a lot of comprimise. I have found this online at various retailers through Amazon. I have not found free shipping, so the cost is about $40 + $10 shipping.

EVO Canned Food:  The Venison version has about 500 calories per can.  This is a lot more than some other premium/grain free canned foods that may have only 300 calories per can.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canned Food and Blue Buffalo Before Grain Canned Foods: Some of these also have between 450 and 500 calories per can.

SPAM: This is has become our last resort.  One can of SPAM has nearly 1,000 Calories and is grain and gluten free. Do NOT feed the entire can. Please be careful if you feed this, this has a lot of Sodium.  Be sure to get the reduced Sodium if you can.  Even the low sodium will be too much if you give them an entire can.  Our Trixe LOVES this.  She gets a third of can at a time which equates to about 300 calories.  This is probably the most calorie dense food I have been able to find.

I hope this helps those of you who battle a small appetite.

CLARIFICATION........ i just uploaded this in the FILES section..... but whenever i do this... the topic pops up (again) in the general discussion area...