Concerned and discouraged

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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Montgomery
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Posts: 418
Country: Canada
Pet name: Montgomery (I'm a CAT!)
My name: V

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Montgomery » 17 Apr 2022, 22:38

I don't know if they're still up, but there used to be some pretty dramatic before treatment and after treatment pictures on this website. They're great inspiration.
Montgomery was born 20 March 2012. He eats extra lean ground chicken, lean ground pork and lean ground beef completed with Alnutrin and freeze-dried chicken liver, with hard-cooked egg. He gets two size zero capsules of Enzyme Diane's enzymes at each of his six meals, and a size four capsule of Tylan three times a day. He's a fierce little Spitfire with a roaring Merlin engine.

maya193
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Posts: 77
Country: United States
State: Rhode Island
Pet name: Maya
My name: Debbie

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by maya193 » 18 Apr 2022, 11:08

Chris wrote: 17 Apr 2022, 21:45 Thank you again for all the support I am getting.
We are finishing a generic Vit B 12. I just ordered the ones by Wonderlabs with Folic Acid.
I am sad to say that Mochi was prescribed Metronidazole twice before he was diagnosed with EPI. I am assuming that this did not help at all.
I also ordered the Porcine Enzymes as well as the Slippery elm. In the meantime I am increasing the Bovine enzyme +++ while waiting for my order to arrive. Also switching slowly his dog food to grain free low fiber as suggested. Hoping that things will place itself sooner than later. It concerns me how much weight he has lost. I feel his bones.
Hi Chris....as a new EPI mom myself I can tell you that seeing your companion get so skinny is so heartbreaking.....when Maya was at her lowest weight I could see and feel the ribs and it broke me. BUT months and months later she's now what I would call "chunky".....Mochi will gain weight it just takes a little time. Be patient. I personally noticed a difference when I started feeding smaller meals 4x/day....we're down to 3x/day now. Hang in there!
Maya is a belgian mal/german shep diagnosed with EPI on 10/12/21. TLI 1.2, B-12 196, Folate 4.8. Currently on Maximum K-9 raw diet, beef and vegetable, Enzyme Diane, Wonderlabs B-12 with IF, Proviable and Slippery Elm.

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

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Olesia711 » 18 Apr 2022, 12:03

It is very scary when they lose so much weight.... but if you have time.... please go on our home page
https://epi4dogs.com/ Image... and towards the bottom of the home page..... look at the "BEFORE AND AFTER segment... click on the arrow to start the video.......

and you will see pictures of dogs, so many that look like they had lost so much weight they were at death's door.... and then you see how wonderful and healthy they look after EPI treatment.....

Sometimes it takes only 3 to 4 months for an EPI dog to recover... while with other EPI dogs it can take up to two years or more! But it will happen with the right treatment!

It all depends on the individual dog and we often have to "tweak" the protocol a little here and a little there to best suit each individual dog (We at Epi4Dogs pride ourselves in being able to say that we do a very good job helping pet owners with "tweaking" things until they find just the right balance of the EPI protocol )
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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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Olesia711
Founder & Research Director
Posts: 3857
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Olesia711 » 18 Apr 2022, 12:07

Hi V,

Too Funny... i just posted about the "Before and After" video on the homepage.... and THEN i read you post... we were both thinking of the same tghing!!!
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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Montgomery
Member
Posts: 418
Country: Canada
Pet name: Montgomery (I'm a CAT!)
My name: V

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Montgomery » 18 Apr 2022, 20:01

Seems that way!
It's amazing to look back at pictures and see how far your little furball has come, too. You go through your camera one day and it just blows you away, doesn't it?
Montgomery was born 20 March 2012. He eats extra lean ground chicken, lean ground pork and lean ground beef completed with Alnutrin and freeze-dried chicken liver, with hard-cooked egg. He gets two size zero capsules of Enzyme Diane's enzymes at each of his six meals, and a size four capsule of Tylan three times a day. He's a fierce little Spitfire with a roaring Merlin engine.

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

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Olesia711 » 18 Apr 2022, 20:25

it sure does... i can't believe i have been doing this (EPI) for over 14 years now! So many changes that happened along the way....
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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Chris
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Posts: 7
Country: Canada
Pet name: Mochi

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Chris » 19 Apr 2022, 17:08

I just finished watching the before and after videos and cried through out the whole thing. I am so grateful Olesia and company for this amazing thing you have done. The hope, encouragement and tools are truly amazing. I just spoke with our vet and he is open to the information I have discovered.

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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: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Olesia711 » 19 Apr 2022, 17:23

i am so glad you had a chance to watch the video.... even i still get choked up when i watch it... SO many of these dogs were or looked like they were at deaths door... and amazingly once they were started on the EPI protocol ... and sometimes if needed was adjusted / tweaked along the way .. it IS amazing how well they bounce back.

I remember when my Izzy was diagnosed. My vet told me that Izzy would not have lasted another month if we (actually he!) did not think outside the box and test her for EPI. And then she got the EPI treatment she needed... with a few tweaks!
Well....over the course of the years, i cannot begin to tell you how many times i had to put her on a diet because she became a wee bit "too healthy" which was a wonderful thing to see after you experience watching your dog starve and you and idea what is wrong or how to fix it..........

Things will get better in time :)

So glad your vet is open to what we are suggesting... Please do continue to share everything we suggest to you with your vet :)
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.........

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

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Olesia711 » 19 Apr 2022, 17:30

oh.... and we moved the video up toward the top of the home page :)
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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Montgomery
Member
Posts: 418
Country: Canada
Pet name: Montgomery (I'm a CAT!)
My name: V

Re: Concerned and discouraged

Post by Montgomery » 19 Apr 2022, 19:38

Thought I'd add a couple more. Montgomery at his worst with his paws and tail bandage to protect them from uncontrollable diarrhea, arm shaved from yet more bloodwork. That was about six or seven years ago. The second is of Montgomery (bottom perch) with his half-brother-cousin-uncle Thobias, a few days ago. Four and a bit pounds in the first one, pushing eight in the second.
I hope your pup does well, too!
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Montgomery was born 20 March 2012. He eats extra lean ground chicken, lean ground pork and lean ground beef completed with Alnutrin and freeze-dried chicken liver, with hard-cooked egg. He gets two size zero capsules of Enzyme Diane's enzymes at each of his six meals, and a size four capsule of Tylan three times a day. He's a fierce little Spitfire with a roaring Merlin engine.

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