Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Epi4Dogs Foundation Inc.’s mission is the advancement of science and education relating to EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), yielding useful insights and positive outcomes in better managing EPI in dogs and cats. Our goals are to support and/or collaborate with veterinary EPI research and researchers, and to promote EPI awareness by educating the general public, pet owners, pet organizations, rescue and shelter organizations, veterinary schools and veterinarians.
lucky13
Member
Posts: 4
Country: United States
State: Washington
Pet name: Juniper
My name: Dan

Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by lucky13 » 09 Sep 2021, 10:53

Hi There,

Our GSD, Juniper, has been stable on enzymes for about a month now. Although we've not yet started her on B12 supplements. As new epidog parents, that piece slipped through the cracks on us and we didn't get them ordered right away. We're currently waiting on them to be delivered.

Since she'd been stable for a while we thought we'd try to move away from boiled chicken and prescription food. Some of the info we read here suggests those might not be the best options for epi dogs. So, we started slow by replacing the chicken with a canned stew topper for sensitive dogs made by Hill's Science Diet. (She's currently eating Hill's Prescription Diet I/D).

We noticed that after using the topper for about a day, her stool began to soften slightly. So we went back to chicken immediately. She ended up eating about half of that can over the course of a day. Over the next day, after getting her back on chicken, her stool got back to normal but then it's like a switch flipped yesterday afternoon. She now has diarrhea. She's going every hour or two. Her stomach is rumbling like crazy, and she vomited over night. After the diarrhea showed up we added some Slippery Elm powder to her dinner. So far, it hasn't seemed to help.

I think this is our first bout of SID since getting her stable and we're not really sure how to handle it. Our plan is to give her slippery elm again this morning at breakfast and to go to the supplement store to get some B12 today instead of waiting for the mail. We have some Tylosin on hand, should we use that as well?

Any suggestions on how to get her ship right again would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Seattlelove13
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Seattle
Country: United States
State: Washington
Pet name: Juniper
My name: Jennifer

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by Seattlelove13 » 09 Sep 2021, 12:41

Adding to my husband's post here that she refused food this morning and vomited the tylosin I gave her. She sees the vet at 10am.
Juniper is our 6 y/o GSD diagnosed with EPI in June 2021. TLI 0.9 and Cobalamin (B12) <150. Lab and U/S confirmed SIBO/SID. Lowest weight 60.6 on 6/29/2021. Currently stable/healthy weight of 74lbs :D EnzymeDiane 6x 3/4 tsp per cup. Prednisone 5mg/day. B12 supplement 1000mcg/day orally. She received a 6 week course of injections before we started. Eats Hills Prescription Digestive Care i/d and boiled chicken.

lucky13
Member
Posts: 4
Country: United States
State: Washington
Pet name: Juniper
My name: Dan

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by lucky13 » 09 Sep 2021, 12:44

Just an update....

She refused her food this morning. That's the first time that's happened, she's usually very excited for food. We went to the store and got B12 supplements instead of waiting on the delivery but since she's not eating we're unable to give them to her at the moment. We tried giving her a Tylosin capsule. She took it but she vomited it up a few minutes later.

We're concerned about dehydration and we're concerned that she's not eating. We called our vet and they're going to squeeze her in today.

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Jean
Forum Director
Posts: 1707
Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by Jean » 09 Sep 2021, 13:33

let us know please
My name is Jean we live in Liverpool in Uk

I am the Forum Director which I am very proud of

My Kara born 21 July 2009 diagnosed with EPI by cTLI test August 2010 TLI = <1...folate 14 Cobalamin 408, shot down to 94, b12 injections every other day

Lowest weight 39 pounds

We used Panzym enzymes, Tylan and Chemeyes b12 capsules

Sadly, on 10th May 2019, we lost her to DM


Jeanx

Tuckaboo Pam
Member
Posts: 1335
Country: United States
State: Florida
Pet name: Tucker
My name: Pam H.

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 09 Sep 2021, 19:43

Hi Dan & Jennifer---Did you see your vet? Poor Juniper. We're thinking about you all. ---Pam & Tucker
Tucker was a shepherd/lab mix--- TLI 1.3, Folate 9.7, Cobalamin 666, Lipase 38. Took Diane's Enzymes 4 teaspoons/day, Wonderlabs B12 one capsule per day, and Tylan 1/16 teaspoon/ morning (to hold SID at bay). Taste of the Wild High Prairie, 1 1/2 cups/day, with a total of 4 cups of Fresh Pet. Stopped eating everything in sight, and went from 60 to 85 pounds! Tucker was my boyfriend, and my husband was OK with that. Tucker succumbed to hemangiosarcoma, but we cherished every day we had with that wonderful, beautiful boy. I will always, always miss my sweet big boy.

lucky13
Member
Posts: 4
Country: United States
State: Washington
Pet name: Juniper
My name: Dan

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by lucky13 » 10 Sep 2021, 10:10

Hi. Thanks everyone for checking in. Juniper went to the vet yesterday. They did another GI panel, gave anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medication, a B12 injection, and sent her home with some antibiotics. Later, we found a big piece of cloth from a toy in one of her stools from earlier in the day. It seems like that was the culprit. I think we'll be taking her back today for X-rays to make sure there's nothing else in there. Hopefully she's past it and it wasn't a bout of SID. We shall see.

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jilbert57
Staff
Posts: 2081
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by jilbert57 » 10 Sep 2021, 11:45

Thanks for the update Dan. Let us know about the Xrays.
If things don't improve with the B12 injection and added supplement I might look at one of the grain free foods with 4% fiber or less that do not have peas or legumes listed.
Just one to mention that folks are having good luck with is SportDogFood.Also Taste of the Wild Pacific stream. They are listed here.

https://epi4dogs.com/dog-food-options/

Jill
My name is Jill and we live on the Hood Canal in Washington State. We currently have 2 Jack russells, TJ is 8 and Sadie is 2.

Mickey and his pancreatitis brought me to Epi4dogs.com site in 2012 to help manage it.
He lived from 6/99 - 8/2014

Mickey, Jack Russell. Chronic Pancreatitis. Dianes enzymes, 1/8t 3x/day with meals.

Barb
Staff
Posts: 918
Country: United States
State: New Jersey

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by Barb » 10 Sep 2021, 20:05

Thank you for the update. Hopefully, things will improve now.

Barb

Tuckaboo Pam
Member
Posts: 1335
Country: United States
State: Florida
Pet name: Tucker
My name: Pam H.

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 11 Sep 2021, 07:31

Hi Dan & Jennifer--

Just wondering what antibiotic you got?

Aren't dogs crazy? I have had to pull strings out of my hound's hind-end, which was a really super fun thing to do. Last month, my daughter's lab ate a corn cob---$3,000 surgery. OY! Gotta love 'em, though!

---Pam & Tucker, who has stopped eating weird things. ie, there is hope for Juniper.
Tucker was a shepherd/lab mix--- TLI 1.3, Folate 9.7, Cobalamin 666, Lipase 38. Took Diane's Enzymes 4 teaspoons/day, Wonderlabs B12 one capsule per day, and Tylan 1/16 teaspoon/ morning (to hold SID at bay). Taste of the Wild High Prairie, 1 1/2 cups/day, with a total of 4 cups of Fresh Pet. Stopped eating everything in sight, and went from 60 to 85 pounds! Tucker was my boyfriend, and my husband was OK with that. Tucker succumbed to hemangiosarcoma, but we cherished every day we had with that wonderful, beautiful boy. I will always, always miss my sweet big boy.

lucky13
Member
Posts: 4
Country: United States
State: Washington
Pet name: Juniper
My name: Dan

Re: Stable Dog No Longer Stable

Post by lucky13 » 16 Sep 2021, 17:49

Tuckaboo Pam wrote: 11 Sep 2021, 07:31 Hi Dan & Jennifer--

Just wondering what antibiotic you got?

Aren't dogs crazy? I have had to pull strings out of my hound's hind-end, which was a really super fun thing to do. Last month, my daughter's lab ate a corn cob---$3,000 surgery. OY! Gotta love 'em, though!

---Pam & Tucker, who has stopped eating weird things. ie, there is hope for Juniper.
Hi Pam. We ended up doing a week of metro for her. Today will be her last day. She's pretty much back to being stable now. Seems like it all came down to her eating that little piece of cloth. I'm just thankful we didn't have to get her one of those $3k surgeries! Yikes!!

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