What to do if EPI dog refuses to eat?

[LisaDorn2024]

Put the dose in an empty gel cap and pop it on the way back of his tongue. Then gently hold the muzzle closed until he swallows or follow it with a syringe of food or Entyce.
You can order empty capsules on Amazon or swing by a pharmacy and ask for some.

Jill

Thank you for this idea!

[Eddiespaghetti]

Melatonin is based off the puppo.
https://www.chewy.com/k9-select-melaton ... f4QAvD_BwE
Something like that should be a good amount. Only given once a day. Melatonin is pretty safe for most dogs, the side effect you will need to watch for is decreased appetite. I always give melatonin when it is time to start weening Eddie off prednisone. He goes on it every 3-4 months for a week before the weening process takes place.
Missing a dose is different than stopping abruptly. You don't want to miss doses, but you also don't want to cause stomach ulcers. It's a delicate process. If need be one option I have done is put Prednisone in some whipped cream or cream cheese, with a dash of enzymes, or no enzymes. As you said EPI is the least of your problems.
Of course, talk to your vet about the prednisone first. They know more about the history than we do.

[LisaDorn2024]

Melatonin is based off the puppo.
https://www.chewy.com/k9-select-melaton ... f4QAvD_BwE
Something like that should be a good amount. Only given once a day. Melatonin is pretty safe for most dogs, the side effect you will need to watch for is decreased appetite. I always give melatonin when it is time to start weening Eddie off prednisone. He goes on it every 3-4 months for a week before the weening process takes place.
Missing a dose is different than stopping abruptly. You don't want to miss doses, but you also don't want to cause stomach ulcers. It's a delicate process. If need be one option I have done is put Prednisone in some whipped cream or cream cheese, with a dash of enzymes, or no enzymes. As you said EPI is the least of your problems.
Of course, talk to your vet about the prednisone first. They know more about the history than we do.

Thank you for the information about the melatonin. Right now I need to increase Levi's appetite and get some food into him. Wish he could have whipped cream or cream cheese but he is allergic to dairy and protein sources. I cannot imagine living the life Levi is destined to have. My past dogs have all lived "Ritz Carlton" lives and had the best of everything. Poor Levi cannot even enjoy the tiny pleasures of life. I feel live an evil dog mom depriving him of so many things he loves. He does not understand why things have changed. I am definitely going to discuss changing the prednisone to something else. Why does Eddie have to take it every 3-4 months? Is that something that is part of the EPI treatment protocol?

[Dan_L]

I’m not sure if a medication called Entyce would help, or if your vet thinks it might aggravate the issues you and Levi are dealing with, but it certainly can’t hurt to ask.

[LisaDorn2024]

I’m not sure if a medication called Entyce would help, or if your vet thinks it might aggravate the issues you and Levi are dealing with, but it certainly can’t hurt to ask.

Hi Dan,
Levi was given Entyce when he was inpatient at the ICU. I did talk to his regular vet about it this morning and she thought it was a great idea. She prescribed it and I picked it up. Levi hated the taste, but has eaten 2 small meals since the Entyce. Hoping to get another one or two small meal in him before bedtime.
Thank you so much!

[Eddiespaghetti]

Eddie had meningitis 4.5 years ago. It caused his entire right side to lock up. He couldn't move or walk, we rushed him to the doggy hospy as well call it. He is 90 percent better, if we had to explain it like that. Every few months we start to see the symptoms of it and have to use Prednisone to lower his immune system to help fight it off. He is on it for a week at a very high dose. 20mg for a 16 pound dog, we then taper it off, by reducing half the dose for a week until he is off of it. Once we start to see his puppy get firm and his back sag we put him on melatonin to help with this.
Nobody and I truly mean nobody, expected him to live this long, so we are in uncharted waters with treatment. Also, he is 13 or so now, surgery isn't an option.
You can try non-dairy whipped cream, or even lunch meats. It's mainly just to get his medications in them. What I have done is take a pinch of enzymes and rub it on the lunch meat, wrapped it up a little and put medicine in it and feed it to them.

[LisaDorn2024]

Eddie had meningitis 4.5 years ago. It caused his entire right side to lock up. He couldn't move or walk, we rushed him to the doggy hospy as well call it. He is 90 percent better, if we had to explain it like that. Every few months we start to see the symptoms of it and have to use Prednisone to lower his immune system to help fight it off. He is on it for a week at a very high dose. 20mg for a 16 pound dog, we then taper it off, by reducing half the dose for a week until he is off of it. Once we start to see his puppy get firm and his back sag we put him on melatonin to help with this.
Nobody and I truly mean nobody, expected him to live this long, so we are in uncharted waters with treatment. Also, he is 13 or so now, surgery isn't an option.
You can try non-dairy whipped cream, or even lunch meats. It's mainly just to get his medications in them. What I have done is take a pinch of enzymes and rub it on the lunch meat, wrapped it up a little and put medicine in it and feed it to them.

I am so sorry Eddie experienced meningitis. How awful. Do you know how he contracted it? So glad you found a treatment that works for him. He sounds like quite the survivor.
What breed of dog is he? Every day is truly a gift, isn't it?
Thank you for the ideas about the dairy free whipped cream and how to use lunch meats. Someone told me there was non-dairy mozzarella cheese sticks, but I have not found them in any of the grocery stores where I live. But I live in a town with minimal healthy choices when it comes to food, I have Celiac and trying to find decent gluten free options is a challenge. A few stores have started carrying more organic produce which I appreciate so much. But as soon as Levi is stabilized, I am moving. I only came here for my own medical treatment. Never planned on staying more than a year. I need to find a city that has better veterinary options especially when it comes to ER Hospitals and Specialists.
Thank you for being so kind to share all of these helpful tips!

[Eddiespaghetti]

Eddie technically has immune-mediated encephomeningitis. The difference between meningitis and encephalitis is location of the growth. Meningitis is at the edges of the brain and encephalitis is in the brain itself. The immune -mediated part means it his own immune system caused it.
We never figured out why or how because, at the time, he wasn't strong enough for some of the tests and now that he is doing better, we don't want to put him through a spinal tap. Plus, I never cared why or how something happened just how to fix it.
You could try something like this if it gets to the point where they aren't eating.
https://a.co/d/5nBHqpf
Other options for hopefully getting something in them, baby food and pancake mix. These are temporary options and shouldn't replace meals but sometimes you need to just get their medication in them.

[LisaDorn2024]

Eddie technically has immune-mediated encephomeningitis. The difference between meningitis and encephalitis is location of the growth. Meningitis is at the edges of the brain and encephalitis is in the brain itself. The immune -mediated part means it his own immune system caused it.
We never figured out why or how because, at the time, he wasn't strong enough for some of the tests and now that he is doing better, we don't want to put him through a spinal tap. Plus, I never cared why or how something happened just how to fix it.
You could try something like this if it gets to the point where they aren't eating.
https://a.co/d/5nBHqpf
Other options for hopefully getting something in them, baby food and pancake mix. These are temporary options and shouldn't replace meals but sometimes you need to just get their medication in them.

A spinal tap would have been just awful. I agree with you...just focus on getting the treatment right and no need to put these precious dogs through painful tests.
Levi's vet prescribed an appetite stimulant today and he has eaten 4 times since I administered it. It is given once every 24 hours. I decided to feed him 4 smaller meals of the Ultamino dry kibble (and forego the canned Purina HA hydrolyzed protein that has pea starch in it and I have suspected that might be an issue) and interestingly he had great stools for the first time in months and months. I think the canned food was not working for Levi. However, with his other more serious gastrointestinal issues he has been miserable tonight. HIs belly has been rock hard bloated and he has been passing very foul smelling gas. I know some can be attributed to the SIBO/SID, but he has lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates and eosinophils enteritis that cause extreme pain. These are lifelong conditions just like the EPI, but come with a very poor prognosis. I am praying for miracle this weekend. He is just a puppy and has been suffering for so very long. The 15 days in the ICU traumatized him and I will not make him go back.
Thank you for sharing Eddie's story. He is a very lucky dog to be so loved and well cared for!!!!

[Patsy]

Doesn’t he show interest in drops of your food on the floor? My old epi dog at first would not anything with enzymes. I put tiny morsels of fishy smelling food in her mouth,, smuggling hidden enzymes in it. Hours of tears. She drank heavily, wet herself but gradually accepted a Uk brand of coated tasteless capsules. Toppings of tuna or cat food.
They can get sore throats and mouths from the enzymes, maybe have a peep. Maybe colitis
At the beginning, My vet concentrated on the most life threatening aspect, which was the potential organ failure from PLE. This had stopped her otherwise voracious appetite. Too many drugs can cause complications. Then blood tests become skewed by them.
Incidentally, when I was at dog rescue in Greece, they said that they fed the skinny dogs pasta, obviously none for you!
I hope you have a better day.