Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

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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RichardB
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Posts: 55
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Sassy
My name: Richard

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by RichardB » 11 Apr 2019, 12:05

Hearing the stories of others, I and Sassy are so lucky she only had about a month of cow pies before getting a correct diagnosis. My vet told me to go online and look up EPI, and that's how I found you!!! But YOU have given me the info on how treat this and care for her! Thank You! Consequently she only lost about 6 lbs before starting treatment and is doing great now!

Her brother finally decided he wanted to eat what she was eating! After we had to stop free feeding for both he was having a hard time adjusting and hardly ate anything. I even tried feeding him the salmon and sweet potato I was feeding Sassy and he didn't want it then. We bought him the beef and sweet potato in the hopes that he would like that and it didn't work. Then I put down 2 bowls, one with the beef and the other with the salmon. Guess he figured he better make a choice from these two and he chose the salmon. He's been eating better now for 2 days and it will make it easier just having to buy and feed one dog food. I think Costco will take back and credit me for the bag of beef and the other bag of chicken he didn't want.
After 2 days of human EPI I'm feeling better. My wife even asked if it was contagious:) Time to go out and see what she left me.

Today for the second time since diagnosis Sassy has peed in the house, guess I didn't hear her wanting to go outside. Is this more common in EPI dogs? She hadn't done that in about a year since house broken. She still appears to drink a lot at times. It's not like she drinks more often, more like when she drinks she drinks a lot.

Thanks,
Richard and Sassy

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jilbert57
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Posts: 2088
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by jilbert57 » 11 Apr 2019, 12:10

Sometimes when they start the enzymes they drink more and accidents in the house happen. This usually calms down and stops as the dogs body gets used to enzymes.
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
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Posts: 918
Country: United States
State: New Jersey

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by Barb » 11 Apr 2019, 14:15

Hi Richard,

Yes, some dogs pee a lot more when they start the enzymes. Others are not affected.
Kolby had several accidents in the house and he had been trained for almost a year without incident. I always give the example of walking into the house one day to find the entryway full of water. I thought we had a flood or the washing machine overflowed. Then I discovered it was pee. I was so shocked. It was like a river. Poor Kolby just stood there looking as shocked as I was, like he had no idea what happened. This happened a few more times, but then stopped just as mysteriously as it started and we never had another incident (he'll be 10 on Sunday). We started taking him out more frequently while this was going on.

So give it some time. It lasts longer in some dogs than in others, but it usually goes away on its own.

Barb

RichardB
Member
Posts: 55
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Sassy
My name: Richard

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by RichardB » 12 Apr 2019, 17:24

Thanks, just happy to know it's part of the process and not something isolated to just her. It's a relief. She hadn't had an accident in almost a year. Between her and her brother she was the hardest to house break, GIRLS!!! Only kidding:)!!! She got in her brothers food again today!!! Don't know how much she ate because I didn't notice how much was in there. But she had just finished her 2 cups and I give him a little over one, so....I didn't give her anymore enzyme this time since it was right after she finished hers.
Also, I must confess, I cheated yesterday for the first time. I had a little left over meat and gravy that I put on her enzymed food to give her a treat. I think I should be OK doing that occasionally, Right?
Cleaned up two days of poops today and some looked OK, the more recent ones and some so-so. Didn't see anything to worry about. I'm starting to add a squirt of Salmon oil to her meal and watching out for that also. I think it will help in giving her a good fat, and also help with her coat. I'll watch for changes in the poop.
That's all for now, I think you all are teaching me well, hope it shows!

Thanks,
Richard and Sassy

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Riley's Mom
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Posts: 203
Country: United States
State: Virginia

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by Riley's Mom » 12 Apr 2019, 19:07

I give my girl a little every now and then on her meal. Typically if I don't have anything leftover from dinner I sprinkle grated cheese. If I don't put anything she looks at me and refuses to eat. Super picky and reluctant eater. Heavy sigh.
If she ate his food so close to her meal she will probably be ok.
If you are seeing iffy poops, watch things. This can sometimes be a sign of SID and will need to be addressed if it continues or worsens.
Yes, you are doing well, learning more about poop than you ever thought possible I bet. lol
Just watch things closely with the salmon oil. Yes it's a good thing, but not all EPI dogs tolerate it. If it doesn't seem to suit her, you can also try coconut oil. Get cold pressed organic if you end up going that route.
Elisabeth

Riley is a 10 year old Labradoodle. She was diagnosed with EPI in 2014.
She currently eats Taste of the Wild, I cup in the morning, 2 cups in the evening, each meal with 1 Wonderlabs B12 sprinkled over her dinner. Enzymes are EnzymeDiane, 1 tsp per cup of food, mixed in home made bone broth. No other supplements or meds at this time.
Riley currently weighs about 44 pounds, which is pretty heavy for her.

RichardB
Member
Posts: 55
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Sassy
My name: Richard

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by RichardB » 12 Apr 2019, 19:50

Had to smile when I read your post Elisabeth. You may not remember, but I was the one that ordered the enzyme, B12, slippery elm, salmon oil and.....the coconut oil before I even had the official diagnosis. The day I got the diagnosis I received the enzymes from Diane and started her on it that day. I had already started giving her the B12 to prep her. I got all that info from all of you, Thank You!!! One of the big ah hah moments was when I read about them eating their poop; that's where I said to myself, that's gotta be it!!! She didn't do that before, so it went along with EPI.
Thanks for following my posts and helping!!!
Richard and Sassy

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Riley's Mom
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Posts: 203
Country: United States
State: Virginia

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by Riley's Mom » 12 Apr 2019, 20:48

My pleasure, glad to be able to pay it forward. I was where you are not so very long ago and this site and the forum members saved my sanity and my girl.
Elisabeth

Riley is a 10 year old Labradoodle. She was diagnosed with EPI in 2014.
She currently eats Taste of the Wild, I cup in the morning, 2 cups in the evening, each meal with 1 Wonderlabs B12 sprinkled over her dinner. Enzymes are EnzymeDiane, 1 tsp per cup of food, mixed in home made bone broth. No other supplements or meds at this time.
Riley currently weighs about 44 pounds, which is pretty heavy for her.

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Madelon
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Posts: 1317
Location: Nashville, TN
Country: United States
State: Tennessee
Pet name: Doc

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by Madelon » 13 Apr 2019, 12:51

Glad to hear things are going so well! You are doing a great job managing Sassy's EPI. If you give a treat with her enzymed meal, just watch the poops - also be careful what you give as a treat as there are a lot of foods out there that can be harmful to dogs.
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.

ibala7

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by ibala7 » 14 Apr 2019, 08:37

Richard,

From reading Sassy's and your story, we could be the same people! My Junior presented with EPI symptoms in January and we've been going through the exact same process since. Thankfully, he seems to be stabilizing and I'm glad to see Sassy is doing well. It's reassuring to know that it's not just us struggling through this process. Keep up the good work for your girl.

Mary Ellen

RichardB
Member
Posts: 55
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Sassy
My name: Richard

Re: Sassy says HI and Thank You!!!

Post by RichardB » 17 Apr 2019, 21:34

It is a touch and go process. I've already learned not to get to high when things appear to work or too low when they don't. And then you have like now, when it seems like we're in the middle. Half her poops are good and the other half not as good; I'm talking about at the same time, the same poop session. Color is good, and it's not a cow pie, so just roll with it and keep an eye on it. Sometimes she eats grass, and sometimes still her poop a little. Don't know how much either would effect the end.

One question: it appears I should be getting about 178 tsp of enzyme out of a 500G bag according to the info given. I know I'm probably giving a little more than a teaspoon each time, and I'm sure I'm never giving less. So I figure I got about 128 teaspoons out of my first 500G bag. Anybody else notice this? So, since I'm feeding 6 cups per day at 6 teaspoons it lasted about 21 days.
Just wondering what others are experiencing as I try to figure this out.

Thanks All!
Richard and Sassy

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