Post
by Olesia711 » 30 Jan 2024, 12:57
ahhh.... Lilo is a fluffy cutie.... very cute... but then again, i am partial to the curly/shaggy dogs nowadays after having Spanish Water dogs.
I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability....
How long did it took Izzy to develop diabetes and IMHA after the onset of EPI?
7 years after the EPI diagnosis. She was diagnosed with Diabetes, IMHA and Hypothyroidism all at the same time.
They finally decided that her IMHA was "idiopathic" However..... at the time, we lived in a log home, and i had the pest control people come in and spray the logs. they assured me the chemical was non-toxic as soon as it dried (which was fairly quickly)... but the next morning, i found 1 dead chicken leaning up again the house and 1 week later, Izzy developed IMHA. To this day, i think it was triggered by chemical toxicity, but have no way to prove it.
In running EPi4Dogs for 15+ years, we have seen thousands of EPI dogs come thru here and although a study was done years ago (unfortunately i can't remember or now find the study .... which i read about 10 years ago) to see if there was any connection between EPI + Diabetes + IMHA..... since there were a good handful of dogs with all 3..... no connection was ever established.
And the same goes for EPI + Diabetes. According to veterinarian research, amazingly these two conditions supposedly do not happen often together, however, again, since running the Epi4Dogs for over 15 years, we have seen so many EPI dogs that we have indeed seen a good handful of dogs with both EPI + Diabetes.... but not enough to say it is common for both.
When shall I start checking?
Only if you notice something is "off". unexplained weigh loss or weight gain, excessive drinking or peeing.
Do you have any experience with giving Natron (sodium bicarbonate, baking soda) to neutralize the stomach acids?
No experience. ALthough i understand it does work,,,,, but there are pros and cons. The biggest issue i have is that you have to be careful (toxicity and/or body over compensating for the salt imbalance and that in turn can trigger diarrhea) , and it should only be given short term. so my question is what do you do the rest of the time after the short term application is over......... as these dogs have on-going reflux issues..............
Lilo gets it 1 hour after every meal, I believe it works, but here as well, no idea of long-term side effects.
Is it just a coincidence that Izzy and Lilo started EPI after their heating cycle, or can hormonal fluctuation encourage the outbreak?
Over the years my private thoughts have flip-flopped as to what triggers EPI. Sometimes i think it is the food overall (over-processed, too many additives, not enough protein, poor soil with no longer enough needed nutrients to grow and/or sustain food) at other times, i think that maybe we are looking at things wrong and maybe SID/SIBO/Dysbiosis came first, possible virus connection kind of like ulcers in people that in turn triggers EPI. For example, THey have actually discovered that 30% of dogs that catch Parvo will go on to develop EPI.... and we have had multiple cases of different breed dogs./ no genetic connection but all developed EPI in the same home. BUt then again.... we have also seen multiple liter mates or pups from the same lineage where some get EPI and others do not. We have also had multiple dogs develop EPI after vaccines, a traumatic experience, heat cycles, or others, just because.
SOOOOOOOooo.... at this point the ONLY thing i a firm on is that "stress" can exacerbate the onset of EPI.... but why, i still have no idea.
We have collaborated with multiple vet universities and researchers, looked at gastrointestinal connections, genetic connections, and so far it has been like peeling an onion , we are learning more each time as more advanced technology comes along... but no definitive answer yet.
Currently Epi4Dogs is embarking on yet another genetic study, as there is some excitement about a new possibility..... and we actually found something that we need to pursue via the gastro research.....so we are trying very hard to find answers....we just have not gotten there yet.............. but we will keep trying!
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.........
I’ve also tried flea seed and apple pectins, and caricol gastro, some kind of papaya mousse.