German Shepherds Forum banner

Epi Shepherd losing weight and muscle

3K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  carmspack 
#1 ·
Hello all , my 18 month male german shepherd has recently been diagnosed with epi :( he went from been a healthy 30kg/66lbs but after been diagnosed with epi he is now 22kg/48lbs :( hes been using lypex capsules for 5 weeks now and been fed on a grain and cereal free food but hasn't gained much weight if any. his stools has been firm with no diarrhea so I decided to take him to the vet to find his weight is still the same and she tested his b12 level which to my surprise his b12 levels were great, does anyone have any suggestions on what to do to get the weight back on him?
 
#3 ·
Not an expert by any stretch but did a good bit of research when I thought my dog may have epi. Check out the website Overview - EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency There's a wealth of info there and their extremely helpful and welcoming. Also, were his folate levels tested? I've heard that a powder form of the enzymes is generally more effective than capsules. May want to check that out as he may not be getting all the enzymes necessary for proper digestion from the capsules.

I second the heidigsd suggestion. She helped me out so much!
 
#4 ·
My foster initially did not gain weight, took him finally to a different vet. The vet told me to try doubling the enzymes and that worked. He quickly started gaining weight. The dosage of the enzymes seems to be a trial-and-error thing. The first vet said my foster was not responding to treatment and suggested euthanasia. Very few vets have experience with EPI.
 
#5 ·
I am sorry to hear your boy has EPI :(

Are you in the UK by any chance? I would join "epi4dogs" like Contego already suggested it's a wonderful group with a ton of info. Once you join please post as much info as possible:

What are you feeding, how many times a day, how are you preparing his food, etc. I would also post any test results if you have them.

In the beginning it can take some time to figure out the right amount of enzymes and food. Sometimes they are dealing with SIBO and low B12, I know you said his B12 levels are great but it can drop very quickly. Also, EPI dogs need to be in the upper normal-mid range, being in the normal range is not enough.

In the beginning it's recommended to feed 150% of it's normal food intake, spread out in 3-4 feedings per day.

Here are some links to get you started:

EPI in Snapshots - EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
DIET - EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Hang in there and with some adjustments to his routine if necessary I am sure he will start to gain weight :)
 
#6 ·
digestive enzymes plus proteolytic enzymes

good clean protein , full amino acid profile , including taurine (which Orijen does add to their kibble) (bile salts)
.
Low fiber , no "trash" to make the digestive system working hard and contributing enzymes which are already deficient.

processing meat until it is finely ground --- there is a local meat processor which will grind raw chicken with bones to a fine pudding consistency -- ask if your butcher can do this or invest in a really good vitamix -- using already ground chicken and bones and bone broth as the liquid to help process .

coconut oil is good for glandular health .

when warming food do know that enzymes are destroyed , and lysine , an amino acid , has its availability reduced .

Provide MSM , organic sulfur , to the diet . This will reduce the inflammation and aide enzyme activity.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top