Slippery elm vs fortiflora

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.
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mollyseven
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Country: Canada
Pet name: walter
My name: Denise

Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by mollyseven » 29 Apr 2022, 08:47

I’ve been giving Walter 1 package of Fortiflora (Purina pro plan) per day.
Is this ok or is slippery elm better and is it a powder as well ?

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jilbert57
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Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by jilbert57 » 29 Apr 2022, 23:01

Is the Fortiflora working for you? If it is keep it up.
The SE will coat the intestinal tract and soothe it.
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.

mollyseven
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Posts: 18
Country: Canada
Pet name: walter
My name: Denise

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by mollyseven » 30 Apr 2022, 13:55

I’m not sure how I’d know if the Forta flora was working or not, I just give it daily.

Tuckaboo Pam
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My name: Pam H.

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 30 Apr 2022, 17:02

I give Proviable and slippery elm.
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.

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jilbert57
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Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by jilbert57 » 01 May 2022, 08:57

I usually give Fortiflora for diarhhea or vomiting(or Probiable is another I have on hand) and if those clear up I believe the probiotic to have worked. Is Walter having those two issues? Is he on a antiobiotic to address SID when he was diagnosed with Epi? SID is an overgrowth of bad gut bacteria which can cause gas, acid reflux, and the 2 aforementioned.
Is Walter on oral B12?

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.

Tuckaboo Pam
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Posts: 1345
Country: United States
State: Florida
Pet name: Tucker
My name: Pam H.

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 01 May 2022, 09:38

Denise---The fortiflora is a probiotic, and slippery elm is a prebiotic, which to my understanding, makes the probiotic more useful.

Like Jill, said, though, to paraphrase---if it's not broke, don't fix it.

How is Walter doing? --- Pam
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.

mollyseven
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Posts: 18
Country: Canada
Pet name: walter
My name: Denise

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by mollyseven » 03 May 2022, 19:25

Walters test results came back showing TLI of 20.8 and B12 575 and folate HIGH at 52 which the lab said showed SIBO
He takes Forta flora which the vet prescribed and she said it’s a pre and probiotic … ugh
He’s on a course of Metronidazole again which works for him and she couldn’t get Tylesin quickly apparently she has to get it compounded and it costs 169 plus tax for 42days
She told me the internal medical dr she spoke to didn’t think Tylesin was indicated but I’m unsure of some of her responses and this is our second vet in 4 months and about 1500.00 in tests/medicine (Walter is 6 months)

mwiiki
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Country: United States
State: Alaska
Pet name: hebe

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by mwiiki » 06 Apr 2023, 05:03

mollyseven wrote: 29 Apr 2022, 08:47 I’ve been giving Walter 1 package of Fortiflora (Purina pro plan) per day.
Is this ok or is slippery elm better and is it a powder as well ?
I often use my dog to take Probiotics and eat porridge when he has diarrhea.

Chance
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My name: Andrea

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by Chance » 08 Apr 2023, 00:33

I will say that I have not tried Forta Flora, so I can't really say much as to its effectiveness. But I will say the main ingredient is filler. Some dogs do okay with this filler/flavor, while others do not. It has ONE *weak* probiotic strain. ONE. Zero prebiotic. Healthy digestive tract of every species on the planet does have more than one good bacteria strain. So for me, I find it very expensive for what it is.

Slippery elm is different, in that it's more of a prebiotic than probiotic. Slippery elm with probiotics is also common. (So you can do both).

My vets had told me to look for probiotics with multiple different strains, preferably one with prebiotics as well. I did have to try a few different probiotics (all multi strain w/ prebiotic) before I found one that actually seems to help. Proviable (a very common one in the EPI world) was one of them. Proviable, I do believe has merit, but it was just not strong enough for my dog. (One of its 7 strains is the one in forti flora. And it's cheaper. So more bang for your buck, IMHO).

My dog has had repeated SIBO setbacks, all white on probiotics. When I found that infections were coming on, and not helped at all even when doubling the dose, it was a sign to me that perhaps it was time to move on. The probiotic he's on now is a human one, Garden of Life, with 100 CFU per capsule - so much, much stronger than most. (Because it's so strong, I did have to start this one very slowly, starting with 1/4 capsule per day, and slowly working up to a full capsule per day. He did start showing signs of a possible setback again last week. Then I gave an extra capsule earlier in the day for 2 days. That with a dose of Bentonite clay stopped it very quickly).

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Olesia711
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My name: olesia

Re: Slippery elm vs fortiflora

Post by Olesia711 » 09 Apr 2023, 13:53

Thanks Andrea! good suggestion with the Garden of Life.... i forgot all about that.... great company that many old timer EPI caregiver's used products from years ago.

And your vet is spot on about the multi-strains... EXCELLENT advice.
Olesia, was owned by Izzy, a 35lb Spanish Water Dog (SWD), Diagnosed at 1.5 years old - TLI results 1.. Izzy passed away on February 13, 2020 at 15 years old. She lived with EPI for 13+1/2 years. It was because of Izzy that Epi4Dogs was started... she was the inspiration. May her legacy of helping others with EPI continue for as long as needed.........

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