Newly Diagnoised
Posted: 25 Apr 2021, 06:30
Hello and thank you for allowing me to join the forum. Please let me apologize now if I get too lengthy with my words and if I am out of order on events. I am very worried and concerned and scared.
A little background. Piper, she is a rescue that came home with us Nov 2019. She is now 20 months old and 50lbs. We did the Embark test and Piper is Chow Chow, German Shepherd, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Bluetick Cookhound, Border Collie, and a tad bit of pit. Over 50% is the Chow and Shepherd alone which I know both are prone to EPI. At a few months old Piper was diagnosed with USMI (Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence) and is on Proin for that. She is also on Gabapentin for a pinch nerve in the base of her spine when needed. She has been table for over a year with both but will be on both meds.
Summer of last year, could have been earlier, she started getting bouts of diarrhea and/or loose stool. The vets first thought maybe from all the rain and eating something from the ground and gave her metronidiazole and it would get better before it would start again. She was then diagnosed with Gastro issue and colitis. Piper was doing well but her stool just never became firm and was often soft if not loose. It was at this time the doctor did an ultrasound and BW. Both came back fine with the exception of eosinophils which was high and took her off chicken and started Pepcid at night. Things got better and she is allergic to all things with anything with wings. No chicken fat, starch, etc. We tried an all Lamb diet and while it worked for a time the loose stool came back. She was placed on the RC HP Food. Her stool started getting this weird consistency with red fibrous material inside. As things were not looking up the vet did bloodwork and tested for cTLI. It was at this time she was diagnosed with EPI.
On April 8, 2021, Piper started on 1 tsp PancreVed Powder mixed with food and dampened with water. I let it still a minimum of 15 mins if not more. She was eating fine but I had to put peanut butter mixed in for her to eat her food. On April 12th she went in for her first B12 shot and had her second on April, 10, 2021. Her stool has been great since the 16th. However after the 2nd B12 injection she started not eating her food. I was able to mask it with peanut butter then cream cheese but as of yesterday I am lucky to get a quarter of her food eaten with a lot of coaxing. I have tried applesauce, pumpkin, beef and veggie broth. All of which she still will not touch the food. We even tried oatmeal and rice. Nothing.
We actually are going to try a fresh food Diet of Beef now. Since she will not touch anything lamb anymore (I have so many different lamb products here and will not touch any) we have fresh food meals coming in from The Farmers Dog. They are one protein only meals. This is the only service that offers two Proteins other then Chicken and Turkey both of which Piper can not eat. However in the meantime I am worried because she is not eating, especially this morning nothing. She had a belly ache all night with gurgling. I also noticed that for the past two weeks she is eating grass. She is not throwing up but she eats it. I do not know if it is just because there is fresh new grass with Spring or if it is her belly.
Tomorrow I give Piper her 3rd B12 and then next week I take her in for BW to test B12 levels. I will say that my vet has been very diligent in figuring out what Piper has. Now that we know we just need to get her food she can eat.
So I guess I have several questions....
~ How can I get Piper to eat the kibbles we have now until the fresh food comes (and I pray she will eat that)?
~ What if she goes a few days without eating much (I don't want her to loose the weight we just put on her)?
~ What is it with the grass eating?
~ Has anyone else tried a Fresh Food Diet?
Please, if anyone has any help, tips or words for me I would appreciate it. If there are sections I need to read or look at please let me know. I am very new to this site and have not read much. I am overwhelmed but I do know that dog with EPI can live a healthy long life. I just need to learn about this condition.
Thank you in advance for any help and information you can give.
PS, sorry for the long post.
A little background. Piper, she is a rescue that came home with us Nov 2019. She is now 20 months old and 50lbs. We did the Embark test and Piper is Chow Chow, German Shepherd, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Bluetick Cookhound, Border Collie, and a tad bit of pit. Over 50% is the Chow and Shepherd alone which I know both are prone to EPI. At a few months old Piper was diagnosed with USMI (Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence) and is on Proin for that. She is also on Gabapentin for a pinch nerve in the base of her spine when needed. She has been table for over a year with both but will be on both meds.
Summer of last year, could have been earlier, she started getting bouts of diarrhea and/or loose stool. The vets first thought maybe from all the rain and eating something from the ground and gave her metronidiazole and it would get better before it would start again. She was then diagnosed with Gastro issue and colitis. Piper was doing well but her stool just never became firm and was often soft if not loose. It was at this time the doctor did an ultrasound and BW. Both came back fine with the exception of eosinophils which was high and took her off chicken and started Pepcid at night. Things got better and she is allergic to all things with anything with wings. No chicken fat, starch, etc. We tried an all Lamb diet and while it worked for a time the loose stool came back. She was placed on the RC HP Food. Her stool started getting this weird consistency with red fibrous material inside. As things were not looking up the vet did bloodwork and tested for cTLI. It was at this time she was diagnosed with EPI.
On April 8, 2021, Piper started on 1 tsp PancreVed Powder mixed with food and dampened with water. I let it still a minimum of 15 mins if not more. She was eating fine but I had to put peanut butter mixed in for her to eat her food. On April 12th she went in for her first B12 shot and had her second on April, 10, 2021. Her stool has been great since the 16th. However after the 2nd B12 injection she started not eating her food. I was able to mask it with peanut butter then cream cheese but as of yesterday I am lucky to get a quarter of her food eaten with a lot of coaxing. I have tried applesauce, pumpkin, beef and veggie broth. All of which she still will not touch the food. We even tried oatmeal and rice. Nothing.
We actually are going to try a fresh food Diet of Beef now. Since she will not touch anything lamb anymore (I have so many different lamb products here and will not touch any) we have fresh food meals coming in from The Farmers Dog. They are one protein only meals. This is the only service that offers two Proteins other then Chicken and Turkey both of which Piper can not eat. However in the meantime I am worried because she is not eating, especially this morning nothing. She had a belly ache all night with gurgling. I also noticed that for the past two weeks she is eating grass. She is not throwing up but she eats it. I do not know if it is just because there is fresh new grass with Spring or if it is her belly.
Tomorrow I give Piper her 3rd B12 and then next week I take her in for BW to test B12 levels. I will say that my vet has been very diligent in figuring out what Piper has. Now that we know we just need to get her food she can eat.
So I guess I have several questions....
~ How can I get Piper to eat the kibbles we have now until the fresh food comes (and I pray she will eat that)?
~ What if she goes a few days without eating much (I don't want her to loose the weight we just put on her)?
~ What is it with the grass eating?
~ Has anyone else tried a Fresh Food Diet?
Please, if anyone has any help, tips or words for me I would appreciate it. If there are sections I need to read or look at please let me know. I am very new to this site and have not read much. I am overwhelmed but I do know that dog with EPI can live a healthy long life. I just need to learn about this condition.
Thank you in advance for any help and information you can give.
PS, sorry for the long post.