Getting TLI, Folate and B12 tests run tomorrow

[Cassidy's Mom]

Wow, same thing with Keefer - he had soft stools from the time we got him at 9 weeks old, and after it didn't improve within a few months, I finally had him tested for EPI and SIBO. All his previous fecal tests had come up negative, but I read about the Giardia antigen test here on the board (as well as EPI and SIBO, which I had never heard of before either), and requested all the tests from my vet.

Turns out Keefer DID have Giardia, so we treated that first, with a week or 10 days of flagyl. He didn't have EPI, but he did have SIBO. He was on special food for a while because it was the only thing that gave him normal stools (I did a gradual switch onto it, and by the first full day on the z/d Ultra his stools were perfect for the first time ever!), and he got some B12 shots as well as 4 weeks of tetracycline. I also gave him the B-Naturals Digestive supplement with L-Glutamine, beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, and amino acids. I kept him on the prescription food and supplement for a couple of months after treatment, and then gradually switched him back to his regular food. His stools remained good, but I continued the supplement for a little while longer and then finally stopped that too. I think he was about 5 months old when diagnosed and by 8 months or so he was perfectly fine, and has been ever since. He turned 7 in August. Because he has some itchiness he is on a grain free fish based food, which keeps that under control, but he's never had any digestive issues with anything since he was a puppy.

The forum helped me so much too, there are SO many things that can cause digestive problems that narrowing them down can take time and be very expensive. Having some directions to investigate streamlined that process. My vet is very experienced, he's been practicing for over 35 years, but since these things are more prevalent in GSDs, he really didn't know a lot about them. When I went to the vet to request the tests I printed out some veterinary articles about EPI and SIBO so he could read about them. At the time, he didn't have the tests in his computer database and had to call the lab to find out how much they were so he could figure out how much to charge me!

[msvette2u]

Just a note...I'm sure you read this on Epi/Sibo site, but they may need Tylan for life.

[lzver]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

Just a note...I'm sure you read this on Epi/Sibo site, but they may need Tylan for life.

Yes I'm aware of that. Right now Jake has been off the Tylan for around 4 weeks and there hasn't been a recurrence. But we are watching closely and our vet is close by if we see issues again and need another prescription.

[huntergreen]

all things considered, this sounds like good news!

[Cassidy's Mom]

There seem to be two different types of SIBO - a chronic form and an acute form. A lot of dogs need meds for life, and sometimes special food too, and others, like Keefer, Gayle's Kelly, and Carolyn's Jazz, who are fine following a period of treatment and never have another recurrence. It may be that Jake falls into the second category, but even if not, at least Tylan is fairly inexpensive as well as safe for long term use.