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.
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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, 22:14

Hi Jill, Olesia, Jean & Pam!

I left for the day - so just now able to respond. First - thank you all for responding so quickly and for your continued guidance and support. I read your comments before we fed Sadie. I decreased her food to 2.5 cups instead of 3 - hoping she would finish. She didn't. She ate 1.5 cups, walked away, let out a huge burp, and laid down. (Bella ate all of her food this time). I left the cup of food down for about 20 minutes and tried to prompt her to eat - no interest. So the food was dumped. I did see her go back to her bowl a few times - wondering where her food was. We are going to repeat this same process tomorrow with the hope that she will eventually learn if she doesn't finish, her food will be gone.

May I ask each of you how often you feed your dog, how much you feed the pup, what time of the day you feed, and your dog's weight and activity level? I'm curious to hear what you all do and if we are doing the same or not.

I have not heard of Pet Fresh I will check that out. We do give both pups grilled chicken with their food and have done that for 2 years now. Wondering if they are sick of that and I need to add something "Sadie safe" to their food.

I feel like I'm back to square one....but...I'm extremely thankful she poops are good at least!

Have a good evening. Thank you, again, for your help.

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: 2089
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by jilbert57 » 20 May 2022, 23:33

I have 2 jack russells TJ(6) and Sadie (8mos)
TJ is 18lbs and Sadie 14lbs.
Both get same food:
5am 1/4 c Honest Kitchen beef, salmon oil, glycoflex 3
12pm 3 Royal Canin Dental kibble(Big Dog)
5pm 1/4 c Honest Kitchen beef
8pm 3 RC Dental kibble
Both are very active

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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Sadie'sMom
Member
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 » 22 May 2022, 06:12

Hi Jill:

Congrats on the new pup. Love her name. :) You have a busy feeding schedule! Am I reading correctly that your 2 little dogs eat over 6 cups of food a day? If so, wow! Our dogs are never hungry during the day. They don't "beg" for food (while we are eating) or go look in their bowls. So that's why we are doing the once a day feeding.

Friday night, Sadie ate 1.25 cup of her 2.5 cups. After 30 minutes, we tossed the food. At 9 pm, we were heading to bed and she walked up to me with "a look"...I knew she was hungry. I made her 1.5 cups of food and she scarfed that down. Last night we waited until 6 pm to feed them, and we had some leftover steak, so that was added...they both ate every bit! We are going to try this new way - feed at 6 pm. If she doesn't finish, offer her more food 2 hours later - just like you all said.

I still need to check out Pet Fresh. I would like to add something tasty but easy to their food.

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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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 » 22 May 2022, 11:03

at the moment we dont have a dog or cat first time ever, and I am nearly 70 we have had 1 bearded collie 3 GSD's and a part time Border Collie who is my Nephews, we have him when he works away 5 months last year, 2 months so far this year

the Sheps got fed twice daily, and Kara had an evening meal of scrambled egg and mashed potatoes which went back to when she was ill , she insisted on it for life

Jill I cant believe TJ is 6 !

jxxx
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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jilbert57
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Posts: 2089
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by jilbert57 » 22 May 2022, 13:58

I know Jean he will be 7 on July 4th!
Time is flying.....

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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Jean
Forum Director
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 » 23 May 2022, 11:26

Do you remember thinking the two dogs wouldnt get on
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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jilbert57
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Posts: 2089
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by jilbert57 » 23 May 2022, 11:36

Yes! That was bringing TJ in with Kiya and they got on great!

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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Sadie'sMom
Member
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 » 23 May 2022, 15:29

Jean:

What's it like not having a dog? I've had one all of my life (I'm 56). I've actually thought about not having another one after Sadie is gone....but I'm not sure how I would feel. Do you miss the company? Or enjoy your freedom more?

Sadie, once again, ate all of her food last night. I'm so glad I checked in with you all as it caused me to look at things differently so I could come up with a new plan.

The one thing that several of you do that I don't have the courage to do, is to feed a dog vegetables. I'm fine with meat and eggs....but I can't wrap my head around feeding a dog a vegetable (especially a potato, Jean!)

Wow - Jill - didn't realize TJ is almost 7. You have a LOT of life going on in your house with 2 youngsters!

Lisa
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.

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 » 23 May 2022, 17:37

That was going to be my next suggestion. I feed Tuck twice a day, but he's a big dog, and I think it;s different for smaller ones. Maybe try three meals a day, if you can. I believe it has been suggested to do a.m., after work, and bedtime, if the middle meal time is an issue.
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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Posts: 2089
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: New EPI Diagnosis - Feeling Overwhelmed...

Post by jilbert57 » 23 May 2022, 18:11

Our first jack Mickey had gout. He ate a lot of vegetables and eggs. Was bringing the groceries in to the 5th wheel one time and set down a bag with fresh romaine. Came back in again and his head was in the bag mowing down the head. These 2 always get bites of tomato and cucumber. All of my dogs est/ate mashed potatoes and loved them. Same for sweet.

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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