Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Epi4Dogs Foundation Inc.’s mission is the advancement of science and education relating to EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), yielding useful insights and positive outcomes in better managing EPI in dogs and cats. Our goals are to support and/or collaborate with veterinary EPI research and researchers, and to promote EPI awareness by educating the general public, pet owners, pet organizations, rescue and shelter organizations, veterinary schools and veterinarians.
Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 14:06

It’s still 11am in the morning here... so we have a whole day until he starts fasting for tli.

Continue on Hill’s I/D with probiotics and enzymes until tonight. Correct?

Another vet suggested Z/D kibbles instead of I/D. Any ideas on that.. I’m afraid of making more changes

Chance
Member
Posts: 196
Country: Canada
Pet name: Chance
My name: Andrea

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Chance » 17 Nov 2022, 15:48

I'd say do one change at a time. So stay on the kibble you are on for now. With a lower enzyme dose than you were on.

See how things are tomorrow. If the poop is more solid, then enzymes are helping. Over the coming days, you'll find out if this food is better than the homemade turkey etc food you had. Then choose which you find better. (My guess is you'll find the homemade better; but every dog is different, so I might be wrong).

I don't know anything at all about the Z/D diet, so I can't advise there. But on the whole, I am against prescription diets. Very poor quality nutrition, carcinogenic preservatives, and way too expensive for garbage. BUT having said that, in rare cases, they have their place.

If EPI test is positive, then food becomes less of a big concern....except of course he also has IBD. Then it would be a bigger challenge finding the right food ingredients, balancing EPI; etc.

And even if EPI is clearly negative, enzymes are still very useful. They could be very helpful in improving digestion while you do find the best foods for Bali.

You'll be on Pins and needles for several days until the tests come back! What other blood tests were being done now?

Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 15:58

Yesterday’s blood results- fecal test also came back negative for parasites and giardia
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Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 16:03

I’ve talked to 2 different vets on the phone - from my hometown. Showed them the blood test results and gave them Bali’s diarrhea history. One of the vets is experienced in EPI, so even before I mentioned it, he told me all symptoms directing us towards epi and he is frustrated that they haven’t asked for tli test a couple of months ago when Bali started rapidly loosing weight.

He thinks I/D is the wrong kibbles. He told me to go back to turkey breast and pumpkin with enzymes and probiotics until Bali gets the tli test tomorrow. Then start the b12 protocol.

Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 16:06

Based on my experience turkey and pumpkin plus enzymes and probiotics will help us to resolve the diarrhea this time.

But the goal is to make him gain as well. Would turkey and pumpkin will be enough to help him put some weight on?

He suggested as soon as diarrhea is gone if I want kibbles then it should be w/d, because enzymes will hide in the fiber until they go to intestines to be absorbed.

Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 16:08

Btw- he is extremely thirsty since he started these i/d kibbles yesterday.

Chance
Member
Posts: 196
Country: Canada
Pet name: Chance
My name: Andrea

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Chance » 17 Nov 2022, 17:26

Those blood results look pretty darn good! So that's great. No signs of bad infection. Not even seeing signs that would possibly point to severe IBD. That increases the EPI theory. (Does not rule out IBD, obviously).

Personally, I don't think any prescription diet is right. :D But I won't open that can of worms lol.

But I would stay on it for today.. since you have just started enzymes again today. See how things are tomorrow, output wise. Might not be perfect yet, but should be better.

Then go back to the turkey you feel is best.

Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 17:52

Yes that’s a good news- other than tiny slightly high kidney ‘BUN’ thingy- the vet (experienced one) thought that itself should raise an immediate question about EPI..

So anyways- we’ll know better by Monday when we get the results back from Texas A&M lab for TLI.

I know well that he is responding to enzymes, probiotics and Slippery elm. I cannot wait to get him on B12 tomorrow- as I know it’s going to make a huge difference.

Btw- 64.6 lbs was a wrong reading yesterday- He weighed 68.8 today 2 different times.
So that itself shows that he began gaining weight. ☀️

Pialovesyoga
Member
Posts: 50
Country: United States
State: California
Pet name: Bali
My name: Pia

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Pialovesyoga » 17 Nov 2022, 17:53

I cannot thank you enough, Chance! You are a big support for us! Thank you 🙏🏼

Chance
Member
Posts: 196
Country: Canada
Pet name: Chance
My name: Andrea

Re: Bali’s story: We need healing vibes and support

Post by Chance » 17 Nov 2022, 18:15

I noticed the BUN, but there's hundreds of things that will affect that! Quite often it's nothing serious. Occasionally it's a warning sign that something is changing. Sometimes it's minor dehydration, which causes the kidney values to appear slightly higher. Since the creatinine is high range normal, I figured it was related to mild dehydration. So letting him drink is good. It's not specifically an EPI warning sign by any means.

Chance's last blood work showed the same. Vet said he's just a little dehydrated. He's been here for an hour, panting a lot and hasn't had a drink. 2 weeks later it was all good again. (We were watching the white blood cell count. That was very low, which we assumed was a raging SIBO infection but had to recheck to ensure it wasn't a bone marrow issue. Antibiotics did fix it, so it was just SIBO).

Oh nice that TLI will be back by Monday! That's fast.

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