Hello from Michigan

[OldeEnglishD]

Hi my name is Matt and my family and I just adopted a 1 year, 8 month old Australian Shepherd named Fozzy. Fozzy came into the rescue where my older son and I volunteer at 27 pounds and out of it mentally. It was love at first sight. The vet at the rescue found Fozzy to have EPI and he was nursed back to (mostly) health. When he was able to be fostered, my wife gave her blessing and we brought him into our home. He fit in instantly with the family (me, the wife, 2 sons age 15 and 10, and our 8 year old boxer). We adopted him after a week. We know that EPI is a lifelong commitment and not a cheap one at that, but he is sooooo worth it. We currently feed Fozzy Merrick Grain Free Lamb and sweet potato with ThomasPet Bio Case Plus pancreatic enzymes, Proviable DC probiotics, and have just ordered (on the recommendation of a FB member of this group) Wonderlabs B12 with Intrinsic Factor (we were using a different capsule but heard these are better for absorbtion). I am sure I will have many questions for you all and look forward to getting to know everyone in this group!

[morgansh]

Michigan here too!

[Tuckaboo Pam]

Hi Matt! So glad you're here. About three new Aussies have joined recently. Sooo, the next thing you're gonna want to do is look into EnzymeDiane, which you have likely seen suggested to somebody else on the forum. Her product is wonderful, her customer service is personable, and they are much cheaper than the vet's. No prescription needed. Ask as many questions as you like. We've all been there, we're kind of like a self-help group, with some of us having learned little tricks that just happen to work for our dogs, while others are really smart & can answer all your technical questions with authority. If you want to see exactly what someone's situation is, just read their signature at the bottom of their post. Keep us in the loop, please...Rescues are the best!---Pam & Tucker in FL

[Olesia711]

Hi Matt and welcome to you and Fozzy! And thank you to both you and your son for doing such wonderful volunteer work at the shelter AND for opening your hearts and your home to Fozzy (with your wife's blessing giving him a second chance!

Sounds like you are well on your way giving Fozzy the best life possible!. The trick to effectively managing EPI is juggling the right combination of the 4 cornerstones of dealing with EPI:
1. Enzymes (giving the right kind, and the right amount prepared properly for your dog)
2. Diet (feeding a diet that best agrees with YOUR dog's digestive system)
3. B12 (giving the right kind & amount of B12 and maintaining an on-going good B12 level with your dog)
4. SID (keeping SID"small intestinal dysbiosis under good control)

Of course the above sounds easy and it is.... once you find the right balance of the recommended protocol for your dog. And that is what we are here for ...to help you and your dog on your EPI journey.

PAm gave you a GREAT suggestion. after you are done with your current enzymes do check out EnzymeDiane. https://enzymediane.com/... Quality enzymes, Excellent customer service and her enzymes are approx 1/3 the cost of brand name enzymes. You get about 3 times as much for the same price as a prescription brand name enzyme. I used her 6x for 13+ years for my dog.... after i just about passed out from the initial one and only purchase of brand name enzymes from my vet...

In any case, welcome and please feel free to ask any questions that you may have!

[Barb]

Hi, Matt,

A very warm welcome to you and Fozzy and your whole family. What an uplifting story. Fozzy is so fortunate to have landed in your shelter and now in your home.

I also agree that Diane's enzymes are excellent and will save you lots of dollars. We used them for almost 11 years. It sounds like you are managing EPI very well. The only thing I would add is to keep a log/journal of everything you give Fozzy and the amount (food, enzymes, meds etc. )and the resulting poos. This helps you to know what is working and what might need to be adjusted.

Let us know how Fozzy does. She is one lucky pup. Congratulations on the adoption!

Barb

[shtern]

Hi there! Nice to meet you!

[Madelon]

Hi Matt - welcome to you and Fozzy (adorable name). Thank you for rescuing this sweet pup but especially knowing that he has EPI and that it's a lifelong condition. I will tell you that these EPI dogs are very special and it seems their bond with their humans is stronger than most.

You've been given great advice and I too highly recommend using EnzymeDiane enzymes - I wouldn't have been able to afford to keep my German Shepherd if it wasn't for her affordable enzymes.

Keep a detailed log of everything you give and the resulting poop so you know what works and what doesn't. I also use it to keep notes of anything else going on with my dog - such as itching, behavior changes - it will help you figure things out both EPI and non-EPI as you go.

Please let us know how things are going and ask any questions you have along the way - it takes a village to raise these dogs