New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

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

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 26 Jul 2021, 16:22

Lisa, on the forum page, beside your title & name it counts the views of your posts. Nothing wrong with being loved!
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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Olesia711
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Posts: 3858
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Olesia711 » 27 Jul 2021, 13:11

Hey Lisa,

Obviously you and Sadie are VERY much loved ... going by all the posts on your thread :)
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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Sadie'sMom
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Posts: 172
Location: Wisconsin
Country: United States
State: Wisconsin
Pet name: Sadie
My name: Lisa

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Sadie'sMom » 29 Jul 2021, 07:53

Good Morning Pam & Olesia, et al:

Umm.....wow......I can't even begin to wrap my head around that number. To me it shows how many people there are out there who have found this incredible foundation and its wealth of information that they desperately need.....just like I did when I sent that first post/plea for help. I'm sure they are reading your posts that contained all of the information we needed to get Sadie on the path to healing and feeling better.

I have said it since my first post and I will continue to echo it for as long as we have our Sadie ---- we will be FOREVER grateful for the incredible guidance, support, compassion and endless amount of information that you all have given us since our journey began. I'm blessed to be a part of your EPI family.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Lisa & Sadie
Sadie is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever ("Toller" for short). She eats Authority Grain Free Chicken & Pea kibble. To make sure she ingests the enzymes, we mix some No Sodium Chicken Broth and a small handful of meat - chicken, hamburger, pork - and stir it up with her dog food (she eats like a champ now!). With each meal she gets 5 scoops (1 1/4 tsp's) of Diane's Enzymes and a WonderLabs B-12 with Intrinsic factor. She gets 1 Proviable-DC probiotic per day. Diagnosed in September 2019 with EPI. She has some issues with dry skin we are dealing with now.

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Olesia711
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Posts: 3858
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Olesia711 » 29 Jul 2021, 20:59

Lisa ... and Sadie too!

On behalf of the Epi4Dogs staff and the entire membership, thank you for your very kind words, but much of the thanks goes back to you and all the other members and people who get help and then give back by giving of their time to help others. Epi4Dogs is truly a community that has come together to help one another.... and i am lucky to be part of this community and family :)
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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Madelon
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Posts: 1317
Location: Nashville, TN
Country: United States
State: Tennessee
Pet name: Doc

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Madelon » 01 Aug 2021, 13:49

Hi Lisa! Yes you and Sadie are much loved - everyone here becomes like family - we all laugh, love and cry together.

As for the poops - I noticed a few things with Doc over the years - if he's out chasing flies in the backyard he will often poop more than usual and it will sometimes be softer - the more they are out running around I think the more it makes their insides move or something like that LOL LOL. I also found in the beginning we were at a consistent poop 4x a day - I decided that was the way it was going to be and was fine with it as the poop and weight were good. I had to change his food because they changed the ingredients and it caused him to have SID - when I did he began pooping 3x a day - then I had to change the food again (insert eye roll on manufacturers changing ingredients or discontinuing food) and he now poops 2x a day during the week and 3x a day on the weekend when he's running around more. Sometimes even the smallest change in fiber can change the amount of output as well as the smallest change in ingredients. That being said, I DO NOT recommend changing the food if the poops are solid and the weight is good. 4x a day is totally fine if they are good poops :)
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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Sadie'sMom
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Posts: 172
Location: Wisconsin
Country: United States
State: Wisconsin
Pet name: Sadie
My name: Lisa

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Sadie'sMom » 20 May 2022, 12:09

Good Morning my EPI family:

I hope all of you are doing well. First off, when I logged in, I saw that I had 2 more messages that I had never seen previously - so I apologize for not responding - but I didn't know about them. Yes, I do have my box checked for notifications. Thank you both for your kind words. Sadie continues to thrive because of this awesome group of members who help us.

Second, I wanted/needed to check in with my experts on all things EPI regarding a recent change with Sadie and to make sure we are doing the right thing.

The last 3-4 months, Sadie has had a big change in her eating habits. We have been feeding her 3 cups of food for the last 2 years, feeding her (and Bella) at 4:30 pm every day. They have always gobbled their food down within 10 minutes. Last 4 months, Sadie has been eating about 1/2 of her food and then stops. She then goes and lays down and sleeps for a while. 1 big burp (she has always done that), but then no more burps, stomach growls, etc. Then, about 2 hours later she will finish her food. Previously we would toss the food if not eaten within 30 minutes...but she would be hungry later. So, we decided to see what would happen if we left the food in her bowl to see if she would eat it and digest it okay. Her poops remains excellent. The only thing we have noticed is that she poops 3 times a day (she used to poop 2 or 3 times a day - now it's always 3 times). She has gained a few pounds. She is acting normal. When outside, she runs around like crazy all day chasing her ball that we throw. She has boundless energy.

My worry is that we might think something is okay now without realizing it's going to have repercussions down the road (letting her eat her food 2 hours after prep).

One other thing....Bella is doing the same identical thing as Sadie now...finishing half and then 2 hours later finishing the other half. Am I missing something with both dogs doing this? Or is one just mirroring the other now? Bella is 12 and going down hill pretty fast lately. She is also pooping 2-3 times a day....but her's is also normal and she seems fine. Any thoughts, help, ideas, etc....will be appreciated, as always.

Thank you in advance.

Lisa & Sadie
Sadie is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever ("Toller" for short). She eats Authority Grain Free Chicken & Pea kibble. To make sure she ingests the enzymes, we mix some No Sodium Chicken Broth and a small handful of meat - chicken, hamburger, pork - and stir it up with her dog food (she eats like a champ now!). With each meal she gets 5 scoops (1 1/4 tsp's) of Diane's Enzymes and a WonderLabs B-12 with Intrinsic factor. She gets 1 Proviable-DC probiotic per day. Diagnosed in September 2019 with EPI. She has some issues with dry skin we are dealing with now.

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jilbert57
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Posts: 2090
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by jilbert57 » 20 May 2022, 12:18

Hi Lisa and Sadie! So glad to hear things are good but sorry about Bella aging. I sure hear you on that.
Have you thought of feeding half their food at 430 then 2 hrs later feeding the other half? That way the enzymed food would not risk spoiling. My dogs aren't Epi but do give a good burp after eating. Just keep a wstch out for more gas.

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.

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Olesia711
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Posts: 3858
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Olesia711 » 20 May 2022, 12:41

First, i think i would have the vet check her out to make sure nothing else is going on.
This does not sound EPI related......

I would start feeding less... and see how that goes.... watch for if they both become more hungry .... or will they start to lose too much weight....

DO NOT leave enzymes food out for a couple of hours..... that will just invite trouble (out of control SID)

It is possible that they are mimicking each other.

And last but not least, when trying things out.... try switching out the food..... as that might be the problem....just keep notes so you can hopefully figure this out!
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: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Jean » 20 May 2022, 13:24

I was thinking SID, and yes, leaving food out attracts bugs as well as the enzymes not being as effective as they should be, they only last maybe an hour at a time.

I would be tempted to feed as much as they will eat at a go, leave for a while, and feed the remainder of what you would have fed as a new meal freshly enzymed , age gets us all

good luck

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

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 20 May 2022, 15:02

Hi Lisa! Tucker did the same thing awhile back, so I decreased his food by a quarter cup. I just figured his appetite may come & go, like mine.(especially with the weather getting warmer) I later started adding a tablespoon or so of Fresh Pet, which I feed another of my tribe, and this seems to have piqued his interest in food. Nice to hear from you!---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.

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