seeing improvements

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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carrie_m
Member
Posts: 10
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Pet name: Josephine (aka Josie)
My name: Carrie

seeing improvements

Post by carrie_m » 18 Feb 2020, 13:06

Josie gained 2lbs at her last appointment yay. Her next appointment is March 12th we can no longer count her ribs from 5 feet away ;) She is pooping 5 or 6 times a day the size is smaller but they are 2's and 3's. She eats 1 cup of sport dog elite with 2 pancreplus tablets in it 4xs a day, she is also still on the b12 shots once a week after her next appointment we will be looking into a pill form of the b12 she is getting probiotics 1x, and tylan 2x a day.
we had an issue of her throwing up the other night not sure if it was and enzyme issue or if it was the stick she found and was chewing on, she ate her next feeding with no problems so we are hopeful it was just the stick :|
we did give her a pepcid after she threw up husband wasnt sure if this was ok with all the other meds she is taking but he did it anyway.

Thank you for all the wonderful advice you guys have given us we were getting no where before we found this site.

I do have a question about Tylan, after her 45days do we wait and see if the diarrhea comes back and then start again is there a number of days we should wait to restart

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Olesia711
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Posts: 3933
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: seeing improvements

Post by Olesia711 » 18 Feb 2020, 16:12

Hi Carrie,
Josie (in the profile pic) looks like such a sweetie !!! Glad to hear that things are starting coming together.... HOWEVER.... one itty bitty correction might help.

i am assuming from your post that you are tossing the Pancreaplus pills "whole" into her food.... please crush the pills, and add 1 more pill to the mix.. and then add something "wet" to the Sport Elite kibble (that's what i used) so that she is not licking up dry powder from the crushed pills. You can add a tablespoon of cottage cheese, or a little broth mixed in the food or a tablespoon of canned food, whatever agrees with her.... you can even just bake a sweet potato, skin and mash it and use a table spoon or two of the mashed sweet potato mixed in the food with the crushed enzymes pills. And although vets will tell you you don't have too, if you can let the food with the enzymes incubate for 20 minutes that usually helps most of these dogs too.
This should further improve things.

Regarding the Tylan after 45 days..... what we have observed is at the end of the 45 days... many of these dog do much better and the SID doesn't so readily return IF... you slowly withdraw the Tylan after the 45th day. In other words 1 week after 45 days.... do something like give 1/2 the Tylan dose morning and night for a week, then the next week, give 1/2 dose only once a day, then the next week give that 1/2 dose of Tylan once every other day and then stop completely.

Sometimes this crazy slow withdraw from Tylan helps the SID stay in control rather then returning shortly there after and then you have to do the 45 day regimen all over again. Of course, this is no guarantee that the SID won't return in short order... but it is worth trying.

And just so you know, usually with these dogs, (and sometimes it is years later) they sometimes have a relapse with SID getting uncontrolled again in which case when at the later date what you can try first is a prebiotic, SLippery Elm powder before reaching for the Tylan and sometimes that is just enough to where you don't ahve to use Tylan again.

And then there are some dogs that are on a very small dose of Tylan for life.... but we try everything in our book of trick first before we succumb to this ........... :)

Hope this helps.!
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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carrie_m
Member
Posts: 10
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Pet name: Josephine (aka Josie)
My name: Carrie

Re: seeing improvements

Post by carrie_m » 18 Feb 2020, 16:43

Thank you for your reply
We do crush the pills we haven’t mixed anything wet I will let hubby know to start doing this maybe it will help acid reflux if that is what caused her vomit episode thank you again for advice

Tuckaboo Pam
Member
Posts: 1385
Country: United States
State: Florida
Pet name: Tucker
My name: Pam H.

Re: seeing improvements

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 18 Feb 2020, 17:20

Yea, Carrie & Josie!!! My Tucker is one of the dogs who may be on Tylan for life. We have gotten it down to a pretty small amount, and we have found a cheap source for it, so I think we'll manage ok. After awhile, we may try slippery elm again, but he didn't do well last time.
2 & 3 poops are great! We've got those, too, since switching to Sport Dog. WooHoo! I am so happy for you!---Pam
Tucker was a shepherd mix--- TLI 1.3, Folate 9.7, Cobalamin 666, Lipase 38. Diane's Enzymes 4 t/day, B12 1 capsule/day, and Tylan 1/16 teaspoon/day. Taste of the Wild High Prairie, 4 c/day. 60 to 85 pounds! Tucker succumbed to hemangiosarcoma Nov. 2023. I will always, always miss my sweet big boy.

Now there's Nina. 5 year old GSD. TLI 1.0 B12 323. We are still tweaking her routine, and getting lots of help from the forum. She is klutzy and goofy, and we love her dearly, too.

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Kohlesmomma
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Posts: 60
Location: charleston sc
Country: United States
State: South Carolina
Pet name: Kohle
My name: Kellie

Re: seeing improvements

Post by Kohlesmomma » 18 Feb 2020, 19:09

:D Glad for you Carrie and Josie ..your Josie has the sweetest face. Hoping she stays well.
Here's to hoping the Happy poop dances last !!
Kellie and Kohle

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

Re: seeing improvements

Post by Madelon » 18 Feb 2020, 20:05

Glad to hear things are going well overall! Remember with the enzyme tablets it's 1 tablet per cup of kibble PLUS one for the bowl - so if you are feeding two cups of food you would use 3 crushed tablets.

If she's pooping 5-6 times a day I would say there is still something that needs to be tweaking - glad you'll be getting the Tylan. As for B12, most of us use WonderLabs Pet Factor B12 (use code epi4dogs15 at checkout for a 15% discount) - they are easy to administer, inexpensive and have intrinsic factor which helps with B12 absorption.

Keep us posted!
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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carrie_m
Member
Posts: 10
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Pet name: Josephine (aka Josie)
My name: Carrie

Re: seeing improvements

Post by carrie_m » 18 Feb 2020, 20:46

Thank you Pam we are very excited that we can’t count her ribs from across the room and we don’t need a cup for a stool sample 😂

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carrie_m
Member
Posts: 10
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Pet name: Josephine (aka Josie)
My name: Carrie

Re: seeing improvements

Post by carrie_m » 13 Mar 2020, 13:38

We are happy to announce that what we are doing seems to be helping Princess Josephine she had her check up yesterday and she has gained 12lbs.. She is now up to 56lbs only 4-8lbs more to go to get to her healthy weight.. we will start cutting her back on feedings maybe every 5 hours instead of 4 for a little bit.
Just want to thank all of you for your advice and help we would of been lost without you..

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Olesia711
Founder & Research Director
Posts: 3933
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: seeing improvements

Post by Olesia711 » 13 Mar 2020, 14:57

You are very welcome and keep the good Princess Josephine reports coming !!!!!!
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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