Allergies and b12 amounts

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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ed7385
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Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by ed7385 » 12 Oct 2018, 09:46

Ok, two new questions...

First, how much b12 do you give your dogs? We've been doing injections but I want to switch her over to the wonderlabs capsules and not sure where to start on dosage.

Second, talk to me about allergies. I have a hunch something is going on, it's minor right now, but not sure what direction to go. It may be environmental, we live in Houston and pretty much every living thing has some type of allergy...

Symptoms are itchy ears, licking and biting at the paws and this morning I saw a butt scoot outside. I may start with environmental because it is the season for that and see where we go, but curious how everyone else has handled it with their dogs.

TIA!
Roxanne, foster dog extraordinaire, GSD/malinois mix (Lord help me with the high energy)
Diagnosed 6/18, new to foster home 9/18 and let the treatment begin
PancreaPowder Plus 2tsp, 3x/day mixed with 2 cups Victor, weekly b12 injections, metronidazole

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Jean
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Jean » 12 Oct 2018, 16:22

1 per day

the but scooting could be anal glands, visit to vets

Kara is intollerant of anything

we have used Piriton, one per day, for many years with three dogs

j
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

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Madelon
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Madelon » 12 Oct 2018, 20:24

Hi! With regard to the WonderLabs the dosing is on the bottle and is based on weight - up to 50lbs 1 pill per day, over 50lbs 2 pills per day. That being said you can adjust to find the perfect amount for your dog - some who have dogs over 50lbs have found they don't need 2 pills a day whereas some of the little dogs require more B12 than what is recommended. I personally would start with what's recommended on the bottle and then as long as things are going well (good appetite, good mood, good weight, good poop) you could try to reduce. My boy requires 2 pills a day - when I've tried to reduce he immediately lost weight and poops went south.

With regard to allergies - boy oh boy oh boy can I talk to you about allergies. My boy has a lot of food sensitivities and environmental allergies. If you are suspecting it's food, I highly recommend the NutriScan Food Sensitivity test by Dr. Jean Dodds. There is much research behind her test and I, as well as a few others here, have used it with great success. I suspected a food sensitivity as the reason for his itching and skin infections and pyoderma - I did the test and when I switched foods based on the test it cleared up. THEN, the following Spring he started a slight itch again so I knew it was environmental. I had the blood allergy test and he's allergic to everything in the environment. He does pretty good with Zyrtec, Duoxo shampoo and Chlorhexadine spray.

I hope you figure it out quickly. I think allergies are worse than EPI.
Madelon, owned by DOC. DOC dx EPI 5/2015 = TLI < .4, B12 406; Folate >24. DOC taught me so much and together we battled and overcame EPI, food sensitivies, environmental allergies but we lost the cancer battle. DOC was dx with hemangiosarcoma 5/2022 and crossed the rainbow bridge July 24, 2022. He is and always will be the love of my life, my soulmate, my heart dog.

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Jean
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Jean » 14 Oct 2018, 07:26

many apologies, doidnt realise they are weight dosed

never used them over here

too expensive to import, but luckily we have our own

j
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

Barb
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Barb » 14 Oct 2018, 13:40

Hello. One thing that might help you to sort things out, in addition to seeing your vet, is keeping a log/journal. It helped us enormously when Kolby was first diagnosed. Record everything you give your pup and the amounts.....food, enzymes, antibiotics, B12, and any other meds....and the resulting poos. This will help you to see what is working. Yo86 u could also add the behaviors that seem to indicate allergies and what activities came before them. It might help to keep everything in one place.

I also give my dog 2 Wonderlabs B12 pills. He is 86 pounds and did not really stabilize until we got the B12 dosage right.

Good luck and let us know what you find out about the allergies.

Barb

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ed7385
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by ed7385 » 15 Oct 2018, 08:48

I'm going to try Benadryl or Zyrtec for the allergies. Talked to some 'locals' and their dogs are having similar stuff going on.

I keep reading about the journal, and haven't started it yet because I thought we were so close to good. But it's still a good idea!
Roxanne, foster dog extraordinaire, GSD/malinois mix (Lord help me with the high energy)
Diagnosed 6/18, new to foster home 9/18 and let the treatment begin
PancreaPowder Plus 2tsp, 3x/day mixed with 2 cups Victor, weekly b12 injections, metronidazole

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Madelon
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Location: Nashville, TN
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Madelon » 15 Oct 2018, 16:17

Be careful with Benadryl as it has been linked to dementia in humans. You might want to talk to your vet about it.
Madelon, owned by DOC. DOC dx EPI 5/2015 = TLI < .4, B12 406; Folate >24. DOC taught me so much and together we battled and overcame EPI, food sensitivies, environmental allergies but we lost the cancer battle. DOC was dx with hemangiosarcoma 5/2022 and crossed the rainbow bridge July 24, 2022. He is and always will be the love of my life, my soulmate, my heart dog.

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ed7385
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Posts: 24
Country: United States
State: Texas

Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by ed7385 » 16 Oct 2018, 09:00

Wow really? I hadn't seen that study.

I talked to the vet tech that volunteers with the rescue. Haven't made an official vet appointment yet!
Roxanne, foster dog extraordinaire, GSD/malinois mix (Lord help me with the high energy)
Diagnosed 6/18, new to foster home 9/18 and let the treatment begin
PancreaPowder Plus 2tsp, 3x/day mixed with 2 cups Victor, weekly b12 injections, metronidazole

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Olesia711
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Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Olesia711 » 16 Oct 2018, 11:33

ahh... allergies........... UGH!!!!

My non-EPI gal did the same... butt, rub, gunky ears, itching everywhere..... and paw chewing..... that was the biggie. I was convinced it was environmental... (i thought outside cuz it appeared to be worse spring and fall)..... i tried booties, washing the feet with baking soda & water or betadine solution, EVERY time she came back inside.... i tried all the allergy drugs, we even put her on hydroxy and this ALL helped a little but nothing really fixed it..... we even tried prednisone and that helped, but i had to start increasing the dose for it to remain effective and that scared me..... so.... i talked to the vet (before i knew of Nutriscan) and my vet said those "allergy" test are very inaccurate UNLESS the results come back "off the charts" and only then can you safely assume that your dog has an allergy to that source.

So.... we did the blood test allergy thingy. OMG... anything over 100 (according to the test guide means your dog is allergic- -my vet said that is BS) .......However...................when tested, my dog Lulu came back with a score of 3,800+ allergy to STORAGE MITES. along with certain grass allergies,cat dander and flax seeds. When we got the results, my vet assured me that my dog indeed had a major storage mite allergy and that explained everything.

SO.......... i worked with Allercept to have an antigen made specifically for my Lulu and i give her these oral drops twice a day (this technique works well with mite allergies.. but my understanding is not so much for food allergies)..... when i got the drops in, the first month everything got worse... and the vet explained that this means that it was going to work.... body was over exposed to the offending antigen.... afterwards OMG worked like a charm.... that was 8 years ago.... i have since added a small dose of Apoquel to her regimen..... and this has kept my girl under control.

Because yours sounds like environmental.... maybe more so than a food allergy... you might want to look into this. Unfortunately storage mites are everywhere..... one thing you can try is feed 100% all homemade with NO grain at all.... just use potatoes meat veggies.... storage mites are not killed by cooking so any flour, oats, rices, wheat, etc. etc. all have storage mites in it....................

Just mentioning this in case this is a possibility of what is going on with your pup..................
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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Jean
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Posts: 1707
Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: Allergies and b12 amounts

Post by Jean » 16 Oct 2018, 14:51

you also need to check on where you keep your dry food, mites can get into anything, get a very HIGH quality container with a TIGHT lid

We use Piriton over here

https://www.amazon.com/piriton-Piriton- ... B001RYSDKW

scroll down

however, that is for my dogs, check with your vet, this is all without any indication of diagnosis

Jean
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

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