Dog with EPI and IBD

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

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Madelon » 10 Nov 2019, 14:35

If you have not been supplementing the B12 that can play a huge factor in not gaining weight and SID. B12 supplementing is for LIFE with these dogs as they cannot maintain their B12 without supplementing - it's just a matter of finding the right dosage/frequency. My boy is on two B12 Intrinsic Factor pills a day - when I tried to reduce him to 1 a day he quickly lost 6lbs - as soon as I went back to 2 a day he gained the weight back right away.

As you can see, we are a family here and care deeply about these very special dogs :) do keep us updated on how things are going and don't forget to keep your EPI log.
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
Forum Director
Posts: 1707
Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Jean » 11 Nov 2019, 03:33

just a heads up Flagyl is Metronadazole

of which I personally am allergic to !

let us know what occurs
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

Ben j v
Member
Posts: 20
Country: Australia
State: Washington
Pet name: Rorschak
My name: Ben

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Ben j v » 11 Nov 2019, 05:31

Ok we just got back from the vet, and as you can expect we had alot of info to unload on him, so we have him our report on weights, poop photos and our general feeling, as well as bringing up as much of the info you guys have given us as we could remember on the spot, i think we pretty much covered it all.
Since it was such alot of great info, we left our vet with a link to this site and this particular thread, so he will read up on our queries as soon as he is able. Understandibly he wanted time to go through it slowly and digest it all.

As of now we have 2 antibiotic courses to get through. We are saving a poop sample from today, and will gather one friday after a weeks worth of antibiotic and take them both in, as well as see what his weight difference is.

This afternoon pup us full of ebergy and barking at me and putting his squeaky toy in my lap, so i better go throw it.once again thank you all so much. We are looking foreward to hearing from our vet soon.

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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: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Jean » 11 Nov 2019, 06:02

that sounds encouraging

what antibiotics are you giving now

you are welcome to share any information on this website
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

Ben j v
Member
Posts: 20
Country: Australia
State: Washington
Pet name: Rorschak
My name: Ben

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Ben j v » 11 Nov 2019, 06:27

He is taking flagyl (metronidazole 200mg)
And amoxiclav 250mg(amoxycillin 200, clavulanic acid 50)

He has taken both of these immediately post surgery, and that was the first time in about a year i have seen him taking a normal brown poop. So we are really hoping to at least recover some of his weight from this trial. Then i guess its on to more trial and error stuff.
But i have to say hes better now on this steroid than i think hes been in the last 2 years. Consistent formed poops are great to see. Just need to get him absorbing more nutrition.
Im eager to see what our vet thinks about coconut oil.
We try to change only 1 thing at a time to help us hone in on what helps and what doesnt agree with him. I

Ben j v
Member
Posts: 20
Country: Australia
State: Washington
Pet name: Rorschak
My name: Ben

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Ben j v » 19 Nov 2019, 04:52

Hi guys. Just updating pups progress.
He has finished his antibiotics courses, and appears to have gained a bit of weight. He loses and gains weight very quickly, and according to his last weigh is was about 1 kg heavier. I know thats not realistic for 1 week, and most of that is either his brekky and water. But he has visibly improved, and has apparently been taking better poops.( im not home at the moment)
So i think our next step is to monitor him as he is for a while. If he sheds weight again i believe our vet wants to put him on tylan, perhaps forever.

Our vet and several other vets from the same practice, all of whom have helped us and worked with us through this, and with our other dogs, all read through this thread. We are so so grateful for your incredibly prompt replies, and the general wealth of knowledge you have compiled into this site.

I think the reason we were so distraught at his most recent weight loss, is that it has been such a long road, and when he finally started passing formed poops, and being generally so much more himself without his IBD, we let ourselves believe we had it all sorted out, and it would be relatively smooth sailing from then on.
It was a massive let down for him to deteriorate after all that, and knowing he should be no worse off than on his previous diet, which he was pretty much allergic to. Yet somehow he seemed to be.

Anyway, i really feel we are very close now to being on top of this and his quality of life has already improved an incredible amount.
We will keep you updated and help out in any way we can.
Once again a massive thanks to everyone who replied to us, and to everyone who has contributed to this website. And to out great vet team in dunsborough.

Ben j v
Member
Posts: 20
Country: Australia
State: Washington
Pet name: Rorschak
My name: Ben

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Ben j v » 19 Nov 2019, 04:57

Screenshot_20191011-190535_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20191011-190535_Gallery.jpg (972.18 KiB) Viewed 3761 times

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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: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Jean » 19 Nov 2019, 08:35

thank you so much for your Pupdate, and your very kind words

and I am so pleased your vets have taken the time to look at this thread and the website

all I can say is I went through a long time of roller coaster rides with Kara, and she was on Tylan for 9 years, we just couldnt stop it ever she was allergic/intollerant of so many proteins, lamb was the one we ended up with

what a very noble face , and a very handsome young man Pup is

I reallu understand your frustration, just remember to keep your diary

keep us up to date with everything


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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jilbert57
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Posts: 2092
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by jilbert57 » 19 Nov 2019, 09:52

Wow your Pup is gorgeous!
Thank you for the update!

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
Founder & Research Director
Posts: 3858
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Dog with EPI and IBD

Post by Olesia711 » 20 Nov 2019, 08:53

Ahhh... what a real sweetie!!! So glad to hear that he is feeling better now. Please know though that sometimes they have yet another set-back... if this happens, just do a repeat of the antibiotics to get things back to a manageable stage... however.... sometimes what works even better is (even thou this is not required) when you are almost done with the antibiotics, instead of stopping completely when the anti's are done, talk to your vet about slowly reducing the meds. For example... when at the end, start giving once a day instead of twice a day (for about a few days)... and then reduce that once a day dose to 1/2 a dose for the next few days, and then give that 1/2 dose every other day for another few days.... and then stop completely.

Paws and fingers crossed that all continues to go well!
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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