EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
managing EPI
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| Forum Home > General Discussion > Grooming an EPI dog | ||
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Member Posts: 4445 |
Hi Christa! I know exactly what you mean about feeling like a bad caretaker because your dog is so thin. With that said - forget about what people think - if they say anything to you, it is your opening to bring awareness to EPI. We know and you know, you are a great mom and Skye could not be in better hands. This year our shepherds are blowing their coat like never before too. Once Jackie was done I saw how think she was also - people commented and my response was "she is sick" (her EPI is under control - she was having other issues). I laughed when I saw this topic because I was going to start a new thread and post this video - BUT...something tells me, this is the perfect place for it. The things we do to avoid hair... http://s970.photobucket.com/albums/ae189/danimi01/?action=view¤t=MAH01021.mp4 From one great mom to another!! | |
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-- Michele http://gardensoftranquility.com/ Jackie - 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. Mega-E: cisapride and metoclopramide. Stable and happy 122lbs - 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: 78 | Wow Michele I thought Skye was the only one that liked to be vacuumed. That's too cute. Skye also likes the hair dryer. I love to brush her it's very soothing for her and me (except for when I saw how truly thin she was) then I kind of freaked the other night. I have much to learn about how this disease affects the dog in many ways. That's why I give thanks to everyone here. By the way your dogs are gorgeous. | |
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-- Skye (female GSD) Age-(?) rescued 8/2004 b/t 8-10yrs. Weight 58lbs. Long history of chronic pancreatitis. Dx'd on 7/23/12 with EPI, SIBO & Low B12- Results: TLI (2.3), B12 (165), Folate (21.1) Feed 2-3 times a day 1can tuna, yams, chickpeas, cottage cheese & carrots to make 2cups- Dose with PancreaPlus 2tsp-incubate for 20min- B12 shots weekly for 6 weeks and Amoxicillin (twice a day) for 2weeks- Treatment started 7/26/12. She also is being treated with Melatonin for Atypical Cushings dx'd in 2011. 8/2/12-Started on Natures Variety Instinct-Salmon meal 1/8cup per feeding along with homemade and increasing kibble each day by 1/8cup. 8/4/12-Weight down to 57.3lbs. 8/5/12-Increased feedings to total 6cups per day. 8/10/12- Started 1c 4x's a day- Orijen Regional Red with 1T of Natures Variety canned raw Venison. 8/12/12 Weigh in-gained 1.7lbs (total 59lbs). 8/26/12-Weighed 60.3 9/15/12-Weight- 64lbs (Yay)...Dx'd with Lymphoma (Yuck), no chemo...started Prednisone. Still eating Orijen Regional Red 1c 4x's a day (kibble smashed with mallet) with 1/2 can tuna fish per feeding with 1tsp 6x per cup, incubating 30mins. Started Trinfac B on 9/17/12. Giving her tons and tons of love and living in the moment!!! Helped Skye across the bridge on March 23, 2013. She is tracking with angels now.
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Site Owner Posts: 10067 |
Hi Christa~ I am so glad that Michele uploaded that vacuuming video.... i was sitting here reading all the posts, getting all choked up with emotion- -such moving words from so many... on dogs, our bond with them and the journey we take together... wasn't sure i was going to be able to type anything.... and then..... i watched the video of Jackie being vacuumed.... that was perfect! I hope you are feeling better about Skye now...my gal has thick curly hair, and i did not notice and then she had a haircut... OMG... i was mortified....it was horrible. Her haunches were sticking out, the ribs were showing. Just prior to diagnosis, she had lost so much muscle tone, she no longer wanted to even get up to go outside to the bathroom.... i started making up excuses that we wer "busy" with this that or whatever whenever anyone called and wanted to visit. BUT.... once all the treatment kicked in... and we started seeing a tiny hint of improvement... then things started getting better and better. It was a wonderful to watch My gal get better... as i am sure you will soon experience too. You will still probably have a set back here and there, but if overall, things are improving.... then Skye is on the road to recovery and we will walk the whole journey with you! | |
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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: 1661 |
Michele, that video is great! My dogs can't stand the vacuum...they bark and run around like crazed dogs, and occasionally try to bite it. I just can't picture any of them being vacuumed! | |
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-- Mom to Pixie, 7 year old sheltie,inherited from my mother-in-law 3/11. Dx of EPI 9/09. TLI in 10/09 was 0.4 ug/L. As of 12/2/11, Folate fasting levels was 13.6 ug/L, and Cobalamin fasting was 615. Current weight 21.7 lbs (4/13), solid member of the Chunky Monkey Club! Ideal weight around 17, I think, but she's not obese at this weight, so maybe 17 is a little low. Feeding grain free - Natural Balance canned lamb and Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Lamb kibble. Giving slightly less than 1/2 tsp Pancreatin 8X per 1/2 cup of food. Tylan currently 1x/day. Also takes 1/2 tablet pepcid for stomach upset 2x/day. Primal Defense probiotics 1/8 tsp, 3x/week. Getting bi-weekly B-12 shots. Our little pack also includes my husband, our 12 year old sheltie, Lucy, and our 9 year old sheltie, Einstein.
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Member Posts: 2088 |
That was a super video and vacing is great. For MANY years I had a pack of never less than three big dogs (and sometimes more) and they were great about being vacced. They would line up for a daily go-over and I think I vacced them as often as I vacced the floor. Sadly Cassie isn't good with vaccing yet but I'm working on it because she has a very, very thick coat and I will disappear into the fur if I don't get her to be vacced. The nice thing with using the vac is it gets the dust out of their coats as well as hair and no amount of brushing can shift the dust so well. CARRY ON VACCING, FOLKS. It may show the bad things at the beginning but it pays off later. Val. | |
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-- Razzy, GSD. EPI for 4 1/2 years... sadly lost to cancer 30th July 2011 aged 9 1/2 years.
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Member Posts: 2847 |
Christa, I got Ted in the dead of winter, snow on the ground and he didn't have an undercoat, his coat was so dry and thin. As she continues absorbing nutrients her coat will come back. I'm another one who vacuums dogs. | |
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-- Kathy and Ted 10 yr old GSD rescue ~ gained 39 lbs
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