Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

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.
Jillian
Member
Posts: 5
Country: Canada

Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Jillian » 05 Oct 2018, 16:53

I was wondering if any other Canadian EPI dog owners had experienced problems with their Enzyme Diane orders being shipped to Canada? I have ordered from Diane for several years now and have never had a problem having the enzymes shipped to Canada. I ordered enzymes at the beginning of September expecting them to arrive about two weeks later. The package never arrived. I checked the tracking # and it showed that the package had passed through Canada Customs on September 10. Canada Customs told us that they have no problem with the enzymes coming across the Can/US border and that our enzymes had passed through customs without problem. We then found out that the package of enzymes was in the hands of Health Canada and that it had been taken to their warehouse in the Toronto area for "testing." Phone calls to Health Canada revealed that our package was sitting in a warehouse the size of a football field and that they didn't know when it would be checked, when it would be released or why it was being tested and "Why didn't we just buy the enzymes in Canada?" Well... do the math Health Canada! At this point we had only a few teaspoons of enzymes left for Miah. Our vet was able to put in a rush order and got us a 125g jar of enzymes for $112 + tax by the next day. Meaning that 1kg of enzymes would cost over $1000 Canadian! From Enzyme Diane the cost with tax and shipping comes to $230 Canadian. We also found out that our package was one of many packages of enzymes taken by Health Canada since the beginning of June. As far as we know, none of them have been released, all are sitting in a Health Canada warehouse awaiting "testing." We contacted Enzyme Diane and she has rushed us another package of enzymes. Thank you Diane! It is being sent to the UPS store closest to us in New York State. It will be arriving tomorrow and we will pick it up from there. Hopefully we will be able to bring it back across the border into Canada. Has this happened to anyone else? Did you ever get your enzymes returned to you? The worst part of this experience is that no one seemed to know about EPI or to understand the importance of these enzymes.
Jillian

Judith
Member
Posts: 24
Country: United States
State: Delaware

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Judith » 05 Oct 2018, 19:54

Hi Jillian,

While I have no experience shipping enzymes to Canada, I have had multiple things (dog food, evening gown, jeans) seized by customs in Colombia.

Any animal based product, medicine, supplement is subject to seizure by customs and the agricultural police/ health authorities in the destination country. The items are never returned and are always destroyed. Enzymes are a porcine animal based product that could spread diseases etc as far as the authorities are concerned.

When I lived in Bogotá, Colombia I spoke with Diane about shipping her enzymes there but we made the joint decision that sending a powder in a gold foil package was a bad idea and that it would get seized. kilos of powder = narcotics.

Unfortunately it is highly unlikely you will ever get the ones Health Canada has. Shipping anything internationally is a risk. You take your chances if it is something you really need and hope they will clear customs.
Nate and Raymi's mom
Nate 4 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
EPI, typical Addison's disease and epilepsy
TLI 2.0 June 2016
Chemeyes enzyme capsules
Hydroxocobalamin injections weekly
0.5mg prednisolone daily for Addison's
Percorten-V/Zycortal injection every 28 days for Addison's
Zonisamide 2x for epilepsy

Raymi 6 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Allergic to chicken and turkey

Eats Canine Caviar Venison kibble 3x

Nate and Raymi happily live in Bogotá, Colombia and Dover, Delaware.

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Olesia711
Founder & Research Director
Posts: 3857
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Olesia711 » 05 Oct 2018, 19:56

Hi Jillian,

To answer your question, yes, i think it has happened to some other unfortunate Canadians.... but, like with you, Diane takes care of it as soon as she learns that there is a problem..... i feel bad that this does happen on occasion :(
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
Staff
Posts: 1317
Location: Nashville, TN
Country: United States
State: Tennessee
Pet name: Doc

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Madelon » 05 Oct 2018, 21:39

Judith - I had a chuckle at your post because I work for the DEA and boy do we wish they would simply package the narcotics in gold foil - LOL - that NEVER happens so the fact that customs takes packages like that amuses me and infuriates me.

Jillian - I hope you can get things sorted out so this doesn't keep happening. $1000 is definitely not affordable. :shock: Glad Diane was able to get more sent out.
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.

Jillian
Member
Posts: 5
Country: Canada

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Jillian » 05 Oct 2018, 23:06

As always, thank you for the support! The whole situation has been infuriating, especially since the enzymes from the vet are not working as well as the ones from Enzyme Diane. Sadly, the only one who suffers in all this, is my little dog Miah. I only hope that we can find a way to continue getting her enzymes from Enzyme Diane.
Jillian

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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: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Jean » 06 Oct 2018, 04:48

that is making life difficult for you

But Diane will always look for a way round it, legally

we have the same issues her in UK, even with a calendar !

jx
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

Judith
Member
Posts: 24
Country: United States
State: Delaware

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Judith » 06 Oct 2018, 10:17

Madelon,

Only in Colombia would they seize a gold foil package and think narcotics. They can no longer hide it in shipments of roses, the rose farms have an incredible amount of security, dogs, cameras and armed guards. I'm sure they come up with some pretty clever ways to hide the shipments.

The anti-narcotics police at the airport have to inspect all animals being exported as a few people have hidden narcotics in their stomachs. Honestly I have an easier time importing and exporting human bones and teeth than my dogs, enzymes, dog food and clothes.
Nate and Raymi's mom
Nate 4 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
EPI, typical Addison's disease and epilepsy
TLI 2.0 June 2016
Chemeyes enzyme capsules
Hydroxocobalamin injections weekly
0.5mg prednisolone daily for Addison's
Percorten-V/Zycortal injection every 28 days for Addison's
Zonisamide 2x for epilepsy

Raymi 6 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Allergic to chicken and turkey

Eats Canine Caviar Venison kibble 3x

Nate and Raymi happily live in Bogotá, Colombia and Dover, Delaware.

User avatar
Jean
Forum Director
Posts: 1707
Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Jean » 06 Oct 2018, 11:21

Judith that says it all
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

User avatar
Olesia711
Founder & Research Director
Posts: 3857
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Olesia711 » 07 Oct 2018, 18:50

OMG... that is HORRIBLE... they use animals for drug smuggling??? That is so awful!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.........

Judith
Member
Posts: 24
Country: United States
State: Delaware

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Post by Judith » 10 Oct 2018, 19:08

Olesia, sadly they do.

I was just informed by a person who lives in Canada that 1-800-Pet-Meds can no longer ship rx items there. The regulations on importing and exporting pharmaceuticals must have changed recently. This may explain why enzymes are being held by Health Canada
Nate and Raymi's mom
Nate 4 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
EPI, typical Addison's disease and epilepsy
TLI 2.0 June 2016
Chemeyes enzyme capsules
Hydroxocobalamin injections weekly
0.5mg prednisolone daily for Addison's
Percorten-V/Zycortal injection every 28 days for Addison's
Zonisamide 2x for epilepsy

Raymi 6 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Allergic to chicken and turkey

Eats Canine Caviar Venison kibble 3x

Nate and Raymi happily live in Bogotá, Colombia and Dover, Delaware.

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