Recommended foods

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.
Angboys3
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Recommended foods

Post by Angboys3 » 26 Jul 2018, 15:45

Hello, I have a 20 month standard poodle. She has lost 7 lbs in the last few months. We have done x rays, diet change, antibiotic (metro) Beginning to think she has EPI, I am going to get blood work done at the vet to confirm. Definitely some kind of malabsorption issue because, she eats several times a day, large amounts, seems starving and doesn’t gain weight and poops too much.

Vet put her on Taste of Wild Pacific kibble last time thinking allergies to grain or chicken which I see is recommended so we did something right. She has slowed losing weight. We also add TOW canned food, cooked sweet potatoes, Stella and Chewy patties (duck) flavor crumbled and full fat cottage cheese, and Dyne high calorie nutritional supplement to encourage to eat her kibble.

Anything problematic? What should we add while waiting for diagnosis? Any help appreciated just looking for a starting point.

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Olesia711
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Location: North Carolina
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Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Recommended foods

Post by Olesia711 » 26 Jul 2018, 16:26

Hi there and welcome to our EPi family whether your young poodle does or does not have EPI.

The very 1st thing you want to do is the TLI test to confirm that this is EPI.... unfortunately the signs of EPI are similar to so many other gastrointestinal conditions that you don't want to just assume it is EPI and inadvertently not properly treat it if something else.

Be sure to food fast your pup for 12/+hr prior to the blood being drawn for the TLI- -and draw the blood only on Mon, Tue, or Wed... do not draw on thru or fri cuz then when shipped it can sit in the lab over the wkend and then the blood sample will not be any good..............

What you can do in the meantime is order a small sample of pancreatic enzyme powder from EnzymeDiane.... the good thing about these enzymes is that (1) giving enzymes will NOT skew the TLI test results when your vet draws the blood. (2) giving enzymes to a dog that does not need them will do no harm when given short term (3)enzymediane's enzymes are 2/3 less expensive than brand name enzymes.... and they are USA company, USDA.. https://enzymediane.com/

Just know that you really REALLY need to run the actual TLI blood test.... even if the enzymes help. We have repeatedly seen folks try the enzymes, and once they help, the pet owner assumes that that is proof that their dog has EPI... THis is not always true, and i really stress this because years ago, there was a pet parent who was adamant that her pup had EPI cuz the enzymes worked and refused to do the TLI test... sadly her pup passed away less than 2 yrs later- -the necropsy revealed that the dog never had EPI but had another condition that was very treatable, but since it was never propely treated it died.......... so.... we strongly advise,.... test your dog ... better safe than sorry.

If this is EPI,,, you will want to treat the whole dog, enzymes, an appropriate diet, B12 if needed (over 80% of all EPI dogs need B12) and if the SID (small intestinal dysbiosis) is not in good control, we first recommend prebiotics and if that doesn't do the trick, then we suggest Tylan (Tylosin Tartrate soluble powder 100grams) antibiotic... twice daily for 45 days.

Glad you are planning to do the TLI test...please keep us posted !
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.........

Angboys3
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Posts: 16
Country: United States
State: Texas

Re: Recommended foods

Post by Angboys3 » 26 Jul 2018, 19:13

Thank you for your response! Yes, I am definitely going to get the test done for sure next Tuesday along with the B12. We have to pin this down. She is starving.

In the meantime, do you think anything we are feeding her will make it worse. Is the full fat cottage cheese and the Dyne vitamin supplement okay?

She hates plain kibble so we have to keep something wet mixed in her food. She is also a very picky eater.

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Madelon
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by Madelon » 26 Jul 2018, 20:32

Hi and welcome to our EPI family! Glad you are having the test done to confirm. Olesia has given you the best advice as she is the expert on all things EPI. The best advice I can add is to read as much as you can on the website while you are waiting for the diagnosis so that you are fully prepared with any questions and you and your vet can come up with a plan to manage EPI together. My other suggestion is whether or not this is EPI, keep a detailed log of everything you feed your dog and the resulting poop, etc (including any behavior, skin, etc issues) - here's a link to the EPI log on our website that you can download https://epi4dogs.com/epi-log/.

I don't think the cottage cheese or anything else you are feeding right now is a problem. Once you know if it's EPI or not then you may have to adjust the food but for now I would feed whatever she will eat.
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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Bpcooper14
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Location: Lynchburg, VA
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by Bpcooper14 » 26 Jul 2018, 21:06

Welcome to the club! I'm a recent new member too. My boy Ace was diagnosed on May 31 and had lost about 10 pounds from January. I never would have known anything had the doctor not run a TLI test on a whim. We have both learned a ton from this forum and it has made our new life routine a lot more manageable. I haven't gotten his B12 yet (tomorrow we are going to the vet and it's slated to hopefully be run) but the enzymes from Diane have taken much of the sticker shock away. The biggest issue that I have had is getting the right food. We tried to go to TOTW and Ace wanted nothing to do with it. Long story short, after a chicken and rice belly reset, I think we are finally getting to a point where I've found something that he'll eat and will hopefully agree with what we need to do moving forward.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. There are plenty of others on here who have been dealing with this for quite a while and the support has been nothing short of amazing! What works for one, might not work for your pup. What might not be an "ideal" food might be exactly what is needed. And the last thing I would say is there are going to be ups and downs (I've finally come down from the ledge now that I've seen some light at the bottom of the food dish :lol: ).
Hi all, I'm Bill. Ace was diagnosed with EPI on 5/31/18. In January, 2018 he was at the vet for routine check-up and weighed in at 34 lbs. In May after fighting with weeks of poor poo, he weighed 24.6 lbs. On Saturday July 28th, Ace was diagnosed as diabetic.
2 meals per day. He receives 6 units Vetsulin injections twice daily with each meal.
1 cup Victor Multi pro with 1/2 cup ground chicken breast, 1/4 cup sweet potato, 1/4 fat free cottage cheese. 1/2 tsp Pantenex enzymes, incubated 20-30 minutes.

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Riley's Mom
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by Riley's Mom » 26 Jul 2018, 21:10

Welcome to the forum
I know the waiting to find out what is wrong with your pup is so hard.
Once you get your results we can help you sort through things. And if it is EPI, we have a lot of people world wide that manage it day in and day out...so there is help for you!
I'm with Madelon, I don't think the cottage cheese is hurting anything. I also have a picky eater, so I get it! When she will eat something I'm thrilled and want to stick with it. A lot of dealing with EPI is trial and error since every pup is so different. The food that works great for my girl might not work at all for you! The good news is that once you get your pup figured out, you can successfully manage EPI. Let us know the test results and ask questions as you have them.
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.

Barb
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by Barb » 26 Jul 2018, 21:33

Hello and welcome! I am sorry your pup is having difficulties. Doing the TLI test will confirm or eliminate an EPI diagnosis, and as everyone has said, this is so important. Having the correct diagnosis allows us to help our pups achieve good health. You are well on your way to doing just that. Your pup is lucky to have you. Once you get the results of the test, if you post them here, we can point you in the right direction. If your pup does have EPI, there are many knowledgeable people here who can support you as you begin to manage your dog's treatment. We have all been where you are, so we understand how hard it is to wait for diagnosis while you are concerned about your pup.

Let us know when you get the results.

Barb

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jilbert57
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by jilbert57 » 26 Jul 2018, 21:50

Hi and welcome to the forum. Feel free to ask any question, we will do our best to help. Everyone above has given you the correct steps to get your pup healthy. Now just wait for a definitive test result!
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.

Angboys3
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Country: United States
State: Texas

Re: Recommended foods

Post by Angboys3 » 27 Jul 2018, 10:49

Thank you for the response everyone! Just playing a waiting game now for the vet appointment and tests. At least, I have hope now. Frustrated as she is my baby and very attached to me, she has always slept next to me. I feel like I have let her down.

When this all started, she happened to be in heat and didn’t want to eat and became a very picky eater. So it sent us down the wrong path. Now she is eating all the time so it is clearly some kind of nutritional malabsorption issue. All I do is feed her and take her outside constantly. It has been very wearying for both of us.

On the upside, our 9 month GSP puppy is thrilled to go out so much so I guess it helped potty train her over the last months.

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Miss Maddie Moo
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Re: Recommended foods

Post by Miss Maddie Moo » 27 Jul 2018, 12:48

When you book your test its a 12 hr fasting test so best done 1st thing in the morning also try to get it done early in the week if it has to be sent out for testing and make sure they draw enough blood for the B12 and folate.
Maddie DX April 2011 along with low B12 she was feed with a low fibre food below 3% , fat was not restricted ( she wasnt good on pea based foods ) She initially had a course of B12 shots weekly over a period of 6 months and then we used the B12 pills from Chemeyes in the UK . We used Panzym and slowly had to increase the dose as she aged when she was first DX she was 23kg but she gained weight quickly and got back to 33 kg .
Maddie gained her angel wings in Jan 2018 at the age of 10 to a condition unrelated to EPI.
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