SID/SIBO

[Emma.cyan]

Hi all,

I was hoping for some advice on requesting Tylan from the vet. I’m not sure if my pup needs it or not, but she’s newly diagnosed EPI and has been on the enzymes for about a week now. Her stool has firmed up a lot, but she still has a rumbly/noisy stomach after eating and gas. I can tell she’s still uncomfortable and I’m waiting for my Slippery Elm to come in the mail. I just wondered if Tylan isn’t a good option because she isn’t really dealing with diarrhea anymore or if it could still be useful? Are there risks to giving it?

[Tuckaboo Pam]

Hi Emma, and welcome to you and Cyan. You have come to the right place for help on your EPI journey. So sorry you are having to deal with it, but the condition is manageable, and your pup can lead a long, healthy life.

Tylan only attacks the bad stuff, and leaves the good bacteria alone. Many dogs are on it for life.

ALL dogs with EPI also have SID. It is suggested that you first try slippery elm, before moving on to Tylan. You can buy slippery elm from many different places. Here is the page that addresses that---

https://epi4dogs.com/possible-alternati ... tibiotics/

At the start, remember to use less than is suggested, You want to get by with the least amount possible.

Since you are new, please post the results of the fasting blood test from your vet, so that we can see all the numbers.

Also, it's a good idea to start keeping a journal of what you've done, and what the result was. It's important to make only one change at a time.

So, please post those results, and tell us about Cyan. What are you feeding her, what kind of enzymes, is she underweight? Are you giving her B12? These are the things that will help come up with a plan to start with.

YEA!!! to the diarrhea being over! Good job! Take Care---Pam

[Olesia711]

Hi Emma,

Thanks for writing in and asking about this..... Tylan will not hurt anything, since it is one of the few antibiotics that does not kill everything (bacterium) but rather just inhibits further reproduction.... (unless you keep the dogs on it long-term or forever) . BUT......... if Cyan is not having loose stools..... then i would not implement Tylan just yet., even though what you are describing "rumbly/noisy stomach after eating and gas." is definitely SID/SIBO.

What you are doing (by ordering the SLippery ELm first) is a great first step ...as SLippery Elm has prebiotic properties and this should help the gut, although this being said, most EPI dogs are helped with Slippery ELm.... but not every single one of them.. with some it just doesn't work... SOOOOOOooo if you want to ask the vet for something now..... then ask then for a good pre+probiotic Such as (prescription) Proviable or Visbiome... or you can try (non-prescription)Vetri-Science Mega Probiotics.... which also has worked for many of our dogs.

The problem with any probiotic is that all our dogs have their own very unique gut flora composition.... and all these probiotics that are available on the market are designed as "one size fits all" so some times they do not work.... (sometimes you have to try a few different brands).... if after a couple weeks on a pre/probiotic you see no improvement at all... THEN talk to your vet about doing a course of Tylan for 45 days/twice a day .

I hope this helps answer your question.

[Eddiespaghetti]

Tylan (tylosin) is always a good option. Diarrhea or not, your pup has SIDs. You may not have to reach for the antibiotics if the slippery elm works. Which is why most people here recommend trying slippery elm or a probiotic first. My opinion is different than a lot of people here. I recommend Tylan first. The main reason though is because my dog is on other medications and slippery elm can affect the absorption on it. Of course, there are downsides to Tylan. It really is a personal preference.
I had to go to a different vet in order to get the Tylan prescription since my main vet loved to reach for the metronidazole first.

[Emma.cyan]

Thank you for the replies! I finally got my slippery elm in the mail so I’ll update on how it helps. Cyan is eating 3 meals a day (150% as advised) farmers dog food and on B12 pills as well as a probiotic with her enzymes. Her test results showed 1.5 TLI, 216 for B12 and 13.2 for folate. No weight gain as far as I can tell and bad separation anxiety recently, though I’m not sure if that’s related.

[Olesia711]

Hi Emma,

Weight gain beginning can happen as soon as in 3 weeks or take as long as 2+ years!!!!!!!!!! It all depends on the individual dog. WHen first addressing EPI.... your goal is:
1. First stop the loose stools
2. Then focus on the weight gain

I think one of the hardest things about dealing with EPI is learning to have the patience for things to work. We see these dogs go thru hell and struggle so much, and once we give a confirmation of what is wrong and how to treat it... we think the results should be automatic... but it's not... it all takes time and that can be soooooo frustrating for us.... Sometimes it even seems like 2 steps forward and 1 step backward.... but eventually it will all come together with a lot of patience and a tweak here and there

And it does sound like you are doing a great job... Keep us the good work!

[debbybender]

Glad to hear the enzymes are helping with the stool, but I get that the noisy stomach and gas are still a concern. Tylan could be worth discussing with your vet, even if the diarrhea's not the main issue now. It can help with gut stuff, and Slippery Elm is a good call too.