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Pancreatic Insufficiency

3K views 23 replies 9 participants last post by  Darth_Ariel 
#1 ·
My vet is concerned about Vader having Pancreatic Insufficiency, however the test is almost $200 and I'm here to get some of the board's experience and opinions with this.

Vader is 1 year old next week, he's eating 4 and a half cups of food a day and is 53lbs. Before 6 months old he had 2 surgeries for foreign body in his intestines and Intussusception. He's always been thin, but they don't like that he hasn't started filling out yet. We recently switched him to his adult blend of food and he's gained 5lbs since doing so. He's always hungry, and going more than 12 hours without food especially when super active results in yellow bile vomiting.

I'm not neglecting to get the test because I don't care, I just simply cannot afford a $200 blood test right now. I'm beyond tapped out and just saved every dollar from Christmas money to get him fixed and would appreciate some other perspectives on this.
 
#2 ·
The two most common symptoms of EPI is always hungry and diarrhea. The stool is loose and has a greasy appearance to it. I have had two dogs with this condition and it is manageable.
I would go for the test to get that final diagnosis so you can move forward with a treatment plan should EPI be confirmed.
 
#3 ·
Can you post a picture...he's very light for his age, but he could just be small and be fine. The 12 hour bile thing isn't surprising, my dog does this as well. My dog isn't always hungry though and doesn't have EPI.

The dogs I know with EPI (when it hit) lost weight drastically, like 10 lbs in one month. Were always eating something (especially outside) and did have digestive issues. Another big sign is if the dog is highly irritable and reactive. This signals that something is wrong with the dog because it doesn't feel healthy and is worried the other dogs/people are going to "take care of it."
 
#5 ·
Been there.....I feel your pain!:cry:

I would definitely not get him neutered until he is completely stabilized. Surgery will pull down his immune system and could possibly make things worse.

Keep high fats away from your baby. Check all packages or go to the sites and look for specifics. Have you tried a good quality digestive enzyme/probiotic yet? That and homeopathic remedies literally saved my dogs life!

Here is a good DE/PB: Sunday Sundae by Carrmspac here on the blog: Sunday Sundae Nutritional Supplement

Moms:)
 
#6 ·
Saphire - I would get the test if I could afford it right now. I still owe the vet $2,500 and can't just drop the money without a LOT of consideration.



The picture isn't the best (hoping I did it right) trying to get a picture of him standing is like trying to nail jello to a tree. He's only lost weight after he had to be on the special diet after surgery, other than that he's looked thinner from growing but gained weight. He's lanky, very thin at the back end but his ribs aren't showing unless he turns. You can feel them but he doesn't look emaciated.

He's been eating everything in sight since we brought him home at 9 weeks old, he's actually getting better with leaving some things alone with age. But he's never irritable, never reactive and always a happy pup. No loose stool, on occasion he'll get an upset tummy from getting into something but he is almost always back to normal within a day or two.

He got neutered 2 days ago, he's been training to do SAR (lots of pretty female GSDs that I'm forever having to keep him away from) and I needed to do it when I had some time off to recoup him. I didn't know it could make things worse, our vet said it was about time and he's been through 2 surgeries before so I figured he'd do fine just like with them.

His dog food isn't high fat to my knowledge, I'll look into it and the probiotic/digestive enzymes.
 
#7 · (Edited)
To be honest I have not heard of an EPI dog (without enzyme support) having normal stools as EPI dogs struggle with digesting any fat.
His picture is difficult for me to see his overall condition but I do notice what appears to be a shiny coat which is also not a characteristic of EPI.
I would do as moms above suggested, add some healthy enzymes to boost absorption. See how he does and monitor his overall health like you are now. I also use Sundae Sunday with my dog. (not an epi dog).
 
#8 ·
I would cut back the kibble and supplement with something to help him gain weight or change foods so it is higher calorie per cup....if his stool is normal, it is not highly likely that he has EPI....feed smaller meals, more frequently...

Lee
 
#11 ·
Any suggestions on what to supplement with? I don't want to do a raw diet even though I know all the benefits. His food is 368 kcal/cup, I don't know if that's a good calorie rate. He was going to go on athlete formula but with having a couch potato dog and Diamond Naturals adult in my area only being sold in 40lb bags we went with a normal adult formula. We were feeding 3 meals a day and went down to 2 times a day but I can go back up to 3 no problem, any more than that will be problematic as I'm not home or we'd be waking up to eat.

Oh thank you Heidi that's helpful!
 
#9 ·
His stools are pretty consistent with being normal, on occasion he'll have the upset tummy/runs on occasion but that tends to happen when he tries to eat all the leaves in the back yard and metronidazole clears that right up.

I'm sorry the picture isn't great! I tried getting a picture of him standing and he keeps trying to spin/hop to see what I'm doing. But he does have a soft, fairly shiny coat. It's more shiny than the lab's and he does get a lot of comments on it looking shiny/healthy.

I'm going to keep hover furparenting. I wasn't worried before they said something could be wrong, I was actually really happy he looked like he was putting a little bit of weight on! I'm going to look into the enzyme, I didn't see it say. About how long does one of those containers last?
 
#12 ·
Oh thank you Heidi that's helpful!
You're welcome! I hope he doesn't have EPI but if he does this group is a lifesaver.

Many members purchase their enzymes from Diane, it's much cheaper then buying them from the vet. http://www.enzymediane.com/

I pay $270 for a 12oz bottle of Viokase and it lasts us about 5 weeks or so (I buy them from our vet), getting them from Diane is much cheaper.
 
#13 ·
You're welcome! I hope he doesn't have EPI but if he does this group is a lifesaver.

Many members purchase their enzymes from Diane, it's much cheaper then buying them from the vet. Enzyme Diane -

I pay $270 for a 12oz bottle of Viokase and it lasts us about 5 weeks or so (I buy them from our vet), getting them from Diane is much cheaper.
My heart just sank at that number. I can't afford that, this is so very very frustrating.
 
#15 ·
cottage cheese is what I was thinking of.....if you can get regular not low fat it will be better....

it really does not sound like EPI.....anything's possible, but he is just growing and thin...my 26 month old is thin too....he got soft stools from holding it now and then, but I have no worries that he has EPI...I am starting to supplement him with some cottage cheese to up his calories

Lee
 
#16 ·
Heidi-I probably totally did it wrong, hopefully they won't get annoyed at my lack of intro and straight into the heart of the problem. I normally follow the rules! Diane's looked semi-pricy as well. I'm beyond broke with the one problem after another so I'm really hoping they don't think so either.

Wolfstraum-I think he'll love that alternative since I had been giving him some to up his calcium when I was helping him with his ears. That makes me feel better a bit. Thank you.
 
#17 ·
its better to do the blood work, that guess and feed enzymes, normal stool`s is not a symptom of EPI, but then again no 2 dogs are the same, your pup may be in the very early stages of EPI
 
#18 ·
As much as I'd like to, I cannot afford to just go get the test. If it was $60 no problem, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But $200 on top of a $60 visit, I cannot do right now. I just saved every single dollar from Christmas just for him to get neutered 2 days ago and when he was finished they suggested they were concerned he might have EPI.
 
#22 ·
#19 ·
I second what Lee has said. Your dog isn't fitting with EPI at the moment, is not sickly or struggling. Has had multiple surgeries and is still in recovery mode. I would monitor and supplement. If money is tight, order some Sundae Sunday, feed good food and monitor.
 
#21 ·
Thank you for all of your help. I've been reading other sites besides the paper she gave me for more complete symptoms and he is gassy, but so is my lab after they switched food 3 weeks ago. He's a semi-loud digester but only for 30 minutes or so during morning meal and it's only so much that I can hear him lying in bed right next to me in a silent room.
The eating non food items has been since he was 9 weeks old, but stools are just like my other dog and those before him and he has gained in the 3 weeks of more/adult food. 5lbs isn't much but from the sound of it he wouldn't be gaining at all.

I'm going to try the cottage cheese in the immediate and go from there, since that's what everyone's advice here has pointed me to. Thank you for all of the opinions and experience. I really appreciate all of it.
 
#23 ·
I haven't got any real experience with EPI, however, masi had a gut gurgling issue for quite sometime , would eat dirt/leaves etc..I started giving her this as someone recommended it
In Clover Fresh Digest Daily Digestive Enzymes & PreBiotics for Dogs at PETCO

gurgling is gone, stools are great, I think it does help with her digestion. As a side, if you do get it, this is the cheapest I've found it, I take a copy of the online petco ad, and they'll give you that price on the store merchandise (in store it was 4 bucks more expensive)..

Not sure it will help any, but thought I'd throw that out there
 
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