German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

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.
cozminmihai
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Posts: 19
Country: Ireland
Pet name: KAIA
My name: Mihai

German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by cozminmihai » 20 Jun 2022, 20:01

Hello everyone,

I have a huge problem with my German shepherd as she lost weight and had lots of soft poos daily.

She lost a stone since January and blood/faeces test does not show a clear EPI or bacterial overgrowth in her intestinal tract.

She's 18 months and has good energy, but losing weight since January from 34 kg to 27kg.

We tried special diet food given by the vet, for sensitive stomachs, but that didn't work either.

The vet gave us erythromycin for 7 days and other treatments with vitamin B12, but no improvement.

I would love to see the dog well again, please help if you can.

I am attaching lab tests, poos and pictures, hoping someone that had a similar issue is able to help me.

Some people recommended Kochi Free for similar symptoms that apparently worked with their dogs, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all!
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2022-04-05@09_07_51 - Low pancreatic enzyme and a bit high glucose.pdf
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Olesia711
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Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
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Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Olesia711 » 20 Jun 2022, 20:16

I am so sorry you and your dog are going thru this .

I looked at the tests and first of all disregard the low Amylase reading...... this is just a snapshot in time and does not relate in any way as to whether or not your dog has EPI.

EPI does not show up on a regular blood test.... what is showing up here is possible anemia... which could be due to lack of nutrition which could be due to EPI..... BUT... you will need to have the dog fasted for about 12 hours prior to having the blood drawn and have the vet run a cTLI blood test... and if you can, also have them run a cobalamin blood test to test the B12 levels.

What you can do in the meantime.... is give enzymes and see if it make ANY difference.... thankfully you can give the proper porcine enzymes temporarily to a dog and if they do not have EPI, it won't harm ... you jsut cannot keep them on it forever.

What you can do is contact EnzymeDiane for a sample of enzymes or buy the smallest package possible to "try".
https://enzymediane.com/product-category/pancreatin-6x/

if you can afford it, since your sweet girl is a GSD, i'd go with the Pancreatin 6X – 250 Grams for $83.00
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
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Posts: 3857
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Olesia711 » 20 Jun 2022, 20:20

I also meant to say, PLEASE keep us posted and thank you so much for including all those test results.... I hope we can help you.... she does looks like a sweetie, but jsut what you are describing sure does sound like possible EPI or EPI in the making............

And are you in the UK or in Europe??? If so... it is not worth ordering enzymes from Enzyme Diane because the shipping would be too expensive... BUT what you can do is contact Suj or Cameron at CHEMEYES,... they sell the right kind of enzymes for an EPI dog ... their website is:
https://chemeyes.co.uk/

if you can.... get the high strength powdered enzymes.
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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Jean
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Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Jean » 21 Jun 2022, 06:45

Good morning from the UK which part of Ireland are you ?

you say you have had a faeces test this is old school testing the cTLI test which began in 1985 ish overtook it

you will need a 12 hour food fast for this specific test, abd you might as well ask for Cobalamin (b12) at the sme time++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

i may have read this wrongly, are you giving any enzymes , if so which one and how are you giving them

special foods on their own do nothing for EPI

let me know ASAP
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

Tuckaboo Pam
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My name: Pam H.

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Tuckaboo Pam » 21 Jun 2022, 16:00

Please do keep us posted; we get very attached to people & their dogs, and we love to hear how things end up being resolved. Your girl is a real beauty.---Pam & Tucker in Florida
Tucker was a shepherd/lab mix--- TLI 1.3, Folate 9.7, Cobalamin 666, Lipase 38. Took Diane's Enzymes 4 teaspoons/day, Wonderlabs B12 one capsule per day, and Tylan 1/16 teaspoon/ morning (to hold SID at bay). Taste of the Wild High Prairie, 1 1/2 cups/day, with a total of 4 cups of Fresh Pet. Stopped eating everything in sight, and went from 60 to 85 pounds! Tucker was my boyfriend, and my husband was OK with that. Tucker succumbed to hemangiosarcoma, but we cherished every day we had with that wonderful, beautiful boy. I will always, always miss my sweet big boy.

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Patsy
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Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Patsy » 21 Jun 2022, 16:22

Hello, I couldn’t see a poo picture, so what colour is it ? Epi can be quite obvious, but the specific blood test is definitive. It’s yes or no. Also test the B12 level.
Please suggest it to your vet. Many of them never see epi, and as it is rare, they don’t remember it. Politely suggesting it may be a great help to to everyone. The porcine enzymes that the vet can sell, cost more than getting them online, no prescription required. It is impossible to get a small quantity, but Chemeyes, who know epi GSDs, may be able to assist.
Do let us know, because then we can clarify what else needs to be started. It’s a night,are at first with sick dogs, we’ve all been there. But usually it gets better!
Springer spaniel Marti had Epi, PLE , MMM just to confuse me. She lived till 12yrs, chubby and happy despite eight years of epi.
Capsule enzymes suited her best. B12 supplements made her into a new dog!
After a cocker with PLN kidney disease, I now have two healthy rescues, a lively, suicidal , small ginger terrier, adopted with pneumonia, and gum disease needing nearly all his teeth out, and a fluffy grey toy poodle/terrier from Greece.

cozminmihai
Member
Posts: 19
Country: Ireland
Pet name: KAIA
My name: Mihai

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by cozminmihai » 21 Jun 2022, 17:07

Olesia711 wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 20:20 I also meant to say, PLEASE keep us posted and thank you so much for including all those test results.... I hope we can help you.... she does looks like a sweetie, but jsut what you are describing sure does sound like possible EPI or EPI in the making............

And are you in the UK or in Europe??? If so... it is not worth ordering enzymes from Enzyme Diane because the shipping would be too expensive... BUT what you can do is contact Suj or Cameron at CHEMEYES,... they sell the right kind of enzymes for an EPI dog ... their website is:
https://chemeyes.co.uk/

if you can.... get the high strength powdered enzymes.
Thank you so much, Olesia. I live in the Republic of Ireland.
What is the best place you recommend for buying enzymes here

cozminmihai
Member
Posts: 19
Country: Ireland
Pet name: KAIA
My name: Mihai

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by cozminmihai » 21 Jun 2022, 17:11

Jean wrote: 21 Jun 2022, 06:45 Good morning from the UK which part of Ireland are you ?

you say you have had a faeces test this is old school testing the cTLI test which began in 1985 ish overtook it

you will need a 12 hour food fast for this specific test, abd you might as well ask for Cobalamin (b12) at the sme time++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

i may have read this wrongly, are you giving any enzymes , if so which one and how are you giving them

special foods on their own do nothing for EPI

let me know ASAP
Hi Jean,

Thank you so much for your advice, please God we can find the solution for Kaia.

We live in Dublin, Ireland.

Currently she is taking the attached enzymes, given by the Vet.

Should we also do an internal scan, the VET mentioned this as a next step, however, cTLI test would be probably more appropriate now.
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cozminmihai
Member
Posts: 19
Country: Ireland
Pet name: KAIA
My name: Mihai

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by cozminmihai » 21 Jun 2022, 17:14

Tuckaboo Pam wrote: 21 Jun 2022, 16:00 Please do keep us posted; we get very attached to people & their dogs, and we love to hear how things end up being resolved. Your girl is a real beauty.---Pam & Tucker in Florida
Thank you, Pam and Tucker, will keep you all posted.

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Jean
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Location: South Liverpool
Country: United Kingdom - England
Pet name: Kara, lost 10th May 2019
My name: Jean

Re: German Shepherd - Soft poos, more than 6 per day and losing weight

Post by Jean » 21 Jun 2022, 17:19

ok

how many are you giving per meal. are you opening the capsule and sprinkling on the food if you are feeding kibble you will need a small amount of wet food to make the enzymes stick you mix and serve Immediately we used a tablespoon of cat food when we used Lypex qre you giving any food of any sort without enzymes .and how many meals per day. when I say food I mean anything that goes in the mouthful
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

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