EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
managing EPI
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Member Posts: 7 |
Just wondering if any of your EPI babies have had any other immune issues or unusual joint diseases? My girl has been stable for 1.5 years, but now may have immune-mediated polyarthritis or some other unusual disorder affecting her joints. She's only 4 and it seems to be affecting most leg joints, hips and spine. We ruled out Lyme disease and all bloodwork and urine came back normal, so no underlying cancer or major disease likely. We may do joint taps and x-rays, but the doc questioned if it was somehow related to her EPI. Neither of us found any link in our initial research, but I thought it might be worth asking. | |
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Member Posts: 884 |
My pup Vito has been showing signs of a limp since I adopted him, but we haven't been able to get a diagnosis yet. His hind end just doesn't seem as powerful as it should. I don't know if the two are actually connected, or if he just got the short end of the stick when it came to getting the 'body working properly' genes. | |
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-- Proud mommy to Vito, 3(?) yr old GSD. 90lbs, goal weight 85-90lbs (ACHIEVED!). Tested positive for EPI on March 30th, 2011. His TLI was 1.0, Cobalamin 225, Folate 22. Feeding 2 cups of Taste of the Wild Bison once a day with one teaspoon of Pancreatin 8x enzymes per meal. Also proud mommy of a (non EPI) Belgian Malinois tripod named Lizzie. That means three legs. "Sometimes it takes an imperfection to create perfection."
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Member Posts: 575 |
Has your dog had a vaccination or booster lately ...........evidently this can be one of the causes. | |
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-- Maddie orginal Diagnosed 12/04/11 her TLi was 1 Folate14.2 DOB 01/10/2007 B12 140/165/235 now 644 was on jabs until 28/01/2012 now on B12 intrinsic factor tablets daily with food. Weight was 22.3 Currently 27.1 (13-09-2011)28.8(27-10-11)31.7(02-12-11)32.5(27-01-2012) up 10kgs and Down to 31.7 (not feeding the correct amount 28-02-2012) need to get back to 32.5 this was her weight before DX.Hooray.............33.2 (04-05-12) Feeding grain free- Burns/Fish4dogs/Simpsons/Changed foods more digestible now on 400 grams per feed Panzxym 1.5 ml teaspoon per feed(used to use 2 lypex per feed) She had SIBO but this has not flared up since last august she was on Oxytet this didnt work so put on:stomorgyl- Treated with Synbotic capsules as well (pre-probotics )
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Member Posts: 7 |
Sandy hasn't had any vaccines since March (lepto), but that is one possibility the doc mentioned and is looking in to (a viral immune response to the lepto vaccine). thx for your input | |
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Member Posts: 3926 |
I just recently found a new vet who I love (combines holistic and conventional) and she gave me a brochure for Duralactin - it's for long term management of chronic inflamation - she uses it and said it may be something I want to look into for my two for joint issues. Just thought I would share that... | |
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-- Michele "No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich" - having 2 makes you even richer! :-)Jackie (back in pic) Diagnosed at 9 mos (09/09) - TLI 0.3 and low end of B12. Pancreatin 8x dosing 3/4tsp per cup. Natures Domain, Trinfac-B Intrinsic Factor daily, probiotics and Duralactin in the am. Stable and happy 115 lbs - thanks to all the beautiful souls on this forum, we could not have done it without YOU. Dexter - Diagnosed 11/10 approx 3 yrs of age. We failed fostering and now he has his forever home
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Member Posts: 2190 |
Just one more problem for our pups Kara has an over developed muscle in one of her back legs which is a bit of a pain but the vet intends to take it out at some point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also she has a hole in both of her back paws just behind the big pad which fills up every so often more antibiotics but there you go I am not a great fan of vaccines either but with Parvovirus rife what else can we do??? my last dog to have any issues was on Catrophen and Metocam for arthritis but nothing to do with EPI I am going to have a look at Michelles suggestion Jean | |
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-- Kara:: adopted at five months old 26th December 2009 always hungry more than any of my other dogs became noticeably distressed August 2010 Two vet visits and............. Diagnosed with EPI at 14 months old September 2010 tli<1.00 folate 8.3 cobalimin 611 taking 2 Oxytet antibiotics 3 times a day and eating Nutrix grain free duck and potato kibble and starting to put weight on currently 33 kilos as of 20th June 2011 we also use Tylan if we dont have the time to use the oxytet as it has to be on an empty tum, enzymes at the moment Pancrex granules 3 teaspoons per meal she is 2 yrs old as of 21st July 2011 "UNCONDITIONAL LOVE WAS INVENTED BY DOGS"
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Member Posts: 1560 |
I don't really think there is a lot of joint problems caused by EPI as such.... Razzy was a big, heavy, wild child and often had compression injuries to her front legs as a youngster by dashing round like a steam train. The vet said then she would have either front or back joint problems and she did end up with a clicky back hip, but it didn't bother her that much and I guess it would have happened EPI or not. Otherwise she was ridiculously healthy once stable.... This is a picture of her TWO DAYS before she died having her spleen removed because of cancer.... You can't look much healthier than this, eh?
Val | |
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Member Posts: 992 |
Cedar also has pannus which is an immune mediated chronic inflammatory condition of the eyes. It is also common in GSDs although Cedar is a very beautiful mutt | |
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- Barb -
Mom to Cedar, diagnosed with EPI Nov 1, 2010, TLI 1.2, April 2011 B12 310 (150-700), Folate 31 (7-39); Dec 2011 B12 349 (150-700), Folate 18 (7-39); now on B12 injections weekly; 1 3/4 tsp pancreatin 8X/meal, 1 1/4 c Evo Red Meat Grain free + 1/2 c add ins (pork, salmon, sardines, haddock, egg, pumpkin are the usual), 1/3 c water, incubated x 30 minutes; 2 meals/day; current weight 69.9 lbs. Also has Pannus; treated with tacrolimus ointment 2 x daily each eye and gets 100 ug Vit E daily for immature cataracts. Also Mom to pupkids Bree and Griffin, and catkids Abby, Diamond and Max...and skinkid Ayden
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Member Posts: 992 |
Oh Val, what a beautiful picture of Razzy! I love that thick silky wavy ruff and can just imagine you burying your face in it. I did the same with Toby's. What a precious memory | |
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- Barb -
Mom to Cedar, diagnosed with EPI Nov 1, 2010, TLI 1.2, April 2011 B12 310 (150-700), Folate 31 (7-39); Dec 2011 B12 349 (150-700), Folate 18 (7-39); now on B12 injections weekly; 1 3/4 tsp pancreatin 8X/meal, 1 1/4 c Evo Red Meat Grain free + 1/2 c add ins (pork, salmon, sardines, haddock, egg, pumpkin are the usual), 1/3 c water, incubated x 30 minutes; 2 meals/day; current weight 69.9 lbs. Also has Pannus; treated with tacrolimus ointment 2 x daily each eye and gets 100 ug Vit E daily for immature cataracts. Also Mom to pupkids Bree and Griffin, and catkids Abby, Diamond and Max...and skinkid Ayden
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Site Owner Posts: 7645 |
Hi Amy~ As far as what is known to date.... supposedly there is not a connection between EPI and joint problems. But as with so many other things.... maybe as EPI research evolves ... they will find otherwise.... My Izzy was diagnosed with EPI at 1.5 years old... and she is 6.5 years old now.... thankfully not a joint issue in sight. I am so sorry to hear that your gal is dealing with an immune-mediated polyarthritis or some other unusual disorder affecting her joints... hopefully they will be able to help her manage the the condition. Keep us posted. | |
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-- Olesia, owned by Izzy-45lb SWD, Diagnosed at 1.5 years old - TLI results 1.3, Stable almost 7 yrs! Once stable, was able to reduce enzymes to only 1/2 tsp of Enzymes with each meal, but after almost 4 years of stabilization... had to increase the amount of enzymes to 3/4 teaspoon with each meal. Feed various grain-free kibble+real meat, 6x pancreatin enzymes from EnzymeDiane. I give 1 tsp of coconut oil one day and 1 tsp salmon oil next day, and also give canned sardines packed without salt or canned herring for extra omega oils.
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Member Posts: 1560 |
Ah Barb I did indeed bury my face in that lovely fur and it does leave me with many happy memories... losing her like that was heartbreaking because she could have lived much longer even with the cancer if the nodules had not ruptured her spleen and cause big internal bleeding. But inside the heartache I must remember the four and a half extra years with her after I thought I'd lost my love to EPI. Those years gave me such fun and the pleasure of her wonderful (snobby) company. Dozens of memories that I will keep forever.... and I have Cassie now... little terror though she is I am growing to love her very much. Val | |
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Member Posts: 330 |
My Star has hip dyplasia, which seemed to pop up right around the time of the EPI, at about a year old. I figured she just had drawn the very short stick in the good genes department, with allergies, EPI and bad hips. Never occurred that they could be related. I think the bad hips were just always there. She is not much bothered by it though, she does 'bunny hop' at times when she runs, but gets up and down stairs just fine and doesn't seem to have much pain. She is a sweet, sweet dog but is a lemon when it comes to her health.
Lisa | |
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Member Posts: 884 |
Just tossing this out there, but it could be that they're not so much 'related' as 'partners in crime'. What I mean is, that our pups already got one bad gene going with the EPI, so it would be logical that other problems caused by genes might also come along with it. Even good breeders can't eradicate all the bad genes, and sometimes they just slip through unnoticed, and since I would guess most of them are recessive genes, then they could just kinda hang out until a pup with recessive genes is born. Just a thought..I only have a very slight education on genetics at all, so I could be completely off. | |
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-- Proud mommy to Vito, 3(?) yr old GSD. 90lbs, goal weight 85-90lbs (ACHIEVED!). Tested positive for EPI on March 30th, 2011. His TLI was 1.0, Cobalamin 225, Folate 22. Feeding 2 cups of Taste of the Wild Bison once a day with one teaspoon of Pancreatin 8x enzymes per meal. Also proud mommy of a (non EPI) Belgian Malinois tripod named Lizzie. That means three legs. "Sometimes it takes an imperfection to create perfection."
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Otherwise though, he seems to be fine, so I guess I better be thankful for small favors. 
Who is completely spoiled rotten, loves kids, and will be going into therapy dog training as soon as I can afford it.
who looks mostly like a red golden. She went lame in her back end the weekend that she was diagnosed, but since she has been on enzymes, she's been fine. She did have xrays that weekend and apparently has very deep hip sockets...they aren't anticipating any dysplasia problems for her.You must login to post.
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