Can a dog outgrow epi?

[Phil@jagarch.com]

Caesar-GSD, was a rescue to me at about 3 years old in 2013, he was 55 pounds and skin and bones, typical EPI case, found enzyme diane and this site and it saved his life. He originally took three quarters of a teaspoon of 6x pancreatin with 2 cups of taste of the wild and two large tablespoons of canned food twice a day and within four months he was 105 pounds and a beautiful healthy dog. Over the years he has been able to maintain a healthy weight with less and less Pancreatin powder to the point where now he only gets just under 1 cup of taste of the wild dry food with a spoonful of can food for flavor with less than 1/8 teaspoon of Pancreatin twice a day and he's overweight. I hesitate to cut out the Pancreatin entirely but it's such a small amount now I'm not sure it would make a difference. My question is: Is it possible for a dog with EPI to 'outgrow' it and get to a point where they don't need the enzymes anymore? At 9 years old, for a full sized german shepherd, he's getting up there, I don't want to shock his system or start him on a roller coaster of weight loss and gain, he's been on the Pancreatin for almost 6 years, though less and less of it. He's a beautiful healthy dog, he's a bit slower and can't jump into the car like he used to, knock on wood, he's a very healthy dog, but starting to have a problem with being overweight and not being able to drop the weight. thoughts? Thanks, Phil & Caesar

[Phil@jagarch.com]

Update, I guess not, I tried skipping even a light dusting of Pancreatin for one feeding and he had to run outside within an hour and poop. He hasn't done that since I started with enzyme Diane. It's just such a minuscule amount anymore it's hard to believe that it's doing anything but I guess it is. I guess I need to cut his food amount back to control the weight, at less than one cup twice a day for what is now a 115 pound dog it seems almost cruel but he's definitely not starving, could the Pancreatin be affecting another organ that would affect weight? Phil & Caesar

[jilbert57]

Well, the only way to find out is to jump in and you did. The amount of enzyme goes by how much food you feed and not how much the dog weighs. My dog was 18 lbs and started with 1 teaspoon enzyme per cup and I was able to reduce it to 1/8 teaspoon per cup.
Usually as dogs age the level needs to be adjusted In your pups case it adjusted down. That is good!

[Jean]

hi and welcome

what was the original result of the cTLI test for EPI ?

If it was a positive result, then its not normal to recover, and the "norm" is that they tend to need more enzymes as they grow older but as they say

"when you know one EPI dog, you know one EPI dog ," none are the same

the only way to check if EPI is still evident , is to re run the cTLI test

however the statement you made about leaving the dusting of powder out, and the result of that says it all

i dont know of any problems that Pancreatin could cause, might be as well to get a check up with the vets

what food to you feed ?

Jean

[Olesia711]

Many EPI dogs, after the become stable need less enzymes then what they started with... however.... some (as mentioned above) as they age, will need a pinch more.

The fact that your dog is quite "pleasantly plump" on very little food... if you are concerned.... ask the vet to test for low thyroid.... even if your dog does not have any of the low thyroid signs.

[Jean]

what Olesia says makes sense

j

[Madelon]

Hi and welcome to our EPI family. Glad you have found our website so helpful. I'm curious if your dog was diagnosed EPI through the blood test and what the results were. The pancreas does not regenerate itself so what's its destroyed - EPI - it never comes back which is why the enzymes are needed for life. I would definitely talk to the vet if your dog is overweight and being feed such a small amount. We often think EPI is to blame but a lot of times it's not EPI related. Keep us posted.

[Franz123]

hi and welcome

what was the original result of the cTLI test for EPI ?

If it was a positive result, then its not normal to recover, and the "norm" is that they tend to need more enzymes as they grow older but as they say

"when you know one EPI dog, you know one EPI dog ," none are the same

the only way to check if EPI is still evident , is to re run the cTLI test

however the statement you made about leaving the dusting of powder out, and the result of that says it all

i dont know of any problems that Pancreatin could cause, might be as well to get a check up with the vets

what food to you feed ?

Jean

I agree with Jean.