Introduction! New to GermanShepherds.com!

stephosaurus · 12-19-2012, 02:51 PM

Hello GermanShepherds.com community. I was just introduced to your forum and thought it looked like a great place to get some info and see some cute puppy pictures! I'm the owner of a 2-year old GSD, Layla, who I adopted when she was just 10 weeks old. She is my first GSD and after getting to know the breed I've fallen in love! She is so high energy, but also well behaved, too intelligent for her own good, and cautious of people outside of my family or other animals that she meets for the first time. She has been really easy to train and so fun to have in my life. We go for runs every day and she loves visiting the dog park! Once I introduce her to someone new she's instantly in love with them, which is probably just a ploy to get them to throw a ball or a stick!

Layla was also born with a disease called EPI, which means that her body does not produce the proper enzymes to digest food. There's a whole process of feeding her with her meds and her gut works best on grain-free food. EPI is most common in GSDs and usually shows up at around a year to two years old. A dog with this disorder will just start losing a dramatic amount of weight in a matter of a few months, but the great news is that once they are diagnosed and treatment is started, EPI dogs go on to gain the weight back and live a normal life span. They will be on medicine for the rest of their lives, which is pricey, but necessary. Only a dog person would understand.

If anyone would like more information on the disease feel free to message me or visit the site that I use for all of my questions and support: epi4dogs.com

**MaggieRoseLee** · 12-19-2012, 03:05 PM

Welcome, love to see pictures and brags on your now healthy pup!

stephosaurus · 12-19-2012, 03:08 PM

Aaaand here's a picture of Layla. Black and silver. 2 years old. (In this photo: Just over a year old.) She was tired from chasing tennis balls all over the court!

stephosaurus · 12-19-2012, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

Welcome, love to see pictures and brags on your now healthy pup!

Thanks! I'm giving her another month of gaining weight and then I think she'll be at a good place to finally take her "after" shots! Then I'll post her before and afters!

Abby142 · 12-19-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephosaurus

Layla was also born with a disease called EPI, which means that her body does not produce the proper enzymes to digest food.

Welcome! There was a time when we thought our puppy might have EPI. She had all the signs; weight loss, diarrhea, ect. We did the test and luckily all of her results were within the normal range. I spend days doing what seemed like endless research and desperately trying to figure out how we were going to be able to pay to keep her. I can't image all the added stress of carrying for Layla! But she is a beautiful looking girl and I can't wait to see more pictures!

Again, Welcome!

msvette2u · 12-19-2012, 03:53 PM

Welcome!
We had a dog with SIBO but no EPI. They can have one without the other.

shawnjanes · 12-20-2012, 11:07 PM

Hey Steph - welcome. I'm glad you posted an intro. This is a pretty cool place. Looking forward to training classes with you in January.

12-19-2012, 02:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
stephosaurus New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 3	Introduction! New to GermanShepherds.com! Hello GermanShepherds.com community. I was just introduced to your forum and thought it looked like a great place to get some info and see some cute puppy pictures! I'm the owner of a 2-year old GSD, Layla, who I adopted when she was just 10 weeks old. She is my first GSD and after getting to know the breed I've fallen in love! She is so high energy, but also well behaved, too intelligent for her own good, and cautious of people outside of my family or other animals that she meets for the first time. She has been really easy to train and so fun to have in my life. We go for runs every day and she loves visiting the dog park! Once I introduce her to someone new she's instantly in love with them, which is probably just a ploy to get them to throw a ball or a stick! Layla was also born with a disease called EPI, which means that her body does not produce the proper enzymes to digest food. There's a whole process of feeding her with her meds and her gut works best on grain-free food. EPI is most common in GSDs and usually shows up at around a year to two years old. A dog with this disorder will just start losing a dramatic amount of weight in a matter of a few months, but the great news is that once they are diagnosed and treatment is started, EPI dogs go on to gain the weight back and live a normal life span. They will be on medicine for the rest of their lives, which is pricey, but necessary. Only a dog person would understand. If anyone would like more information on the disease feel free to message me or visit the site that I use for all of my questions and support: epi4dogs.com

12-19-2012, 03:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 24,256	Welcome, love to see pictures and brags on your now healthy pup! __________________ MACH3 Bretta Lee Wildhaus MXG MJG MXF MFB TQX HIT CGC TC Glory B Wildhaus AX, AXJ, XF "*It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."* - Oscar Wilde

12-20-2012, 11:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
shawnjanes New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 9	Hey Steph - welcome. I'm glad you posted an intro. This is a pretty cool place. Looking forward to training classes with you in January. __________________ Reagan- German Shepherd - DOB: 12/02/2011 - (pic)

12-19-2012, 03:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
stephosaurus New Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 3	Aaaand here's a picture of Layla. Black and silver. 2 years old. (In this photo: Just over a year old.) She was tired from chasing tennis balls all over the court!

12-19-2012, 03:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
msvette2u Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 11,005	Welcome! We had a dog with SIBO but no EPI. They can have one without the other.

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