Hi Sian, and welcome to you and one very cute little Lucy to our EPI family !!
And especially thanks for your last post.... about the stinky gas
.... you'd be amazed at some of the odd comments that gives us the most insight to something.
when a dog stinks.. the first thing to look at is oral issues.... but when an EPI dog stinks.... that's when we first look at the gut.. and especially since you mentioned lucy's "flatulance" , that flatulance is SID/SIBO (dysbiosis) and although we cannot get rid of it, we can try to control it. The fact that Lucy was doing a lot of stinky tooting means her SID was not in good control . Unfortunately, ALL dogs with EPI have SID.
SO..... that stench you smell is putrefaction. How to better manage it? there is a list of things to try, but in the end, you are trying to improve the gut flora and quite honestly, i have found that sometimes the final piece to the puzzle is finding the right food. Unfortunately, that is not as easy as it sounds... so here is the list, that you can try, without worrying about too many meds for little Lucy.
1. staying on the enzymes lucy is on is fine... just add more enzymes (1:1 ratio).... this could very well help.
2. what was her B12 level? and since you are changing to Cobalaquin... be sure to check in 3 months or more to make sure the Cobalaquin is sustaining her B12 levels to upper B12. Insufficient B12 can also contribute to the smell.
3. Most often a food change is what helps the most. BUT.... i "mostly" have to agree with your vet... our motto is if the food you have is working, no need to change. WIth EPi dogs, grain in their food can often interfere with the efficacy of the enzymes from anywhere between 0% to 50% and we have no idea which dog will be affected by how much.... this is why we initially suggest starting with a low fiber food- -and then try a food with grain. (however...because of the food you are using has grain in it...this is where increasing the enzymes might help to compensate for any food disparity) ....And... since the insides of the poo isn't really that great after all... this food may not be exactly the best choice for Lucy. SO....you might want to try (if all above fails) changing the food... but after trying the increase in enzymes first ... see if that helps before making any big food changes. We will help you with different food choices.
4. SOmetimes giving a prebiotic with a probiotic helps (as prebiotics do work... and sometimes / but not always probiotics work)
5. Ahh SLippery Elm.. this has prebiotic properties and yes if giving it, try giving with every meal. here is the dosing recommendations:
https://epi4dogs.com/slippery-elm/.
Some peopel give SLippery Elm forever, but most just give it when there is an issue and only give until the issue is under good control.
i hope something in this list helps and PLEASE feel free to ask any further questions you may have and we will do the best we can to help you.
ALSO.... please be sure to share with your vet everything we recommend/suggest. As the best treatment for Lucy is when everyone workd together to help her !
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.........
