Questions about Saving Jack

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.
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Heather
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Posts: 1
Country: United States
State: Michigan
Pet name: Jack
My name: Heather

Questions about Saving Jack

Post by Heather » 06 Mar 2023, 09:22

Hello. Thank you to whoever reads this, and thank you to all who posted as I have learned a lot. Nov. 2021 I got an email from PETA and was asked to knock on a door re an animal cruelty complaint from a neighbor of the alleged perps. Throughout the case, I ended up w/ physical custody of 2 pit bulls and 1 cat who have lived w/ me and my husband since Feb 10 of 2022. The male dog, Jack, was the main target of the previous 'owners,' bec he urinated in the house daily and pulled hard on the leash. They stopped feeding both dogs, and when I met the dogs, the one dog was too skinny and Jack was emaciated weighing only 40 pounds (he now weighs 55 pounds and is still skinny but the vets all say his weight is fine). It is true that the other owners were trying to kill Jack, and it is also true that Jack is prone to being a skinny dog. For example, I got sick 2 months ago, and my husband provided care to the animals and decided to only feed them 2x per day and skip lunches for the week. Jack lost a few pounds and his hip bones were visible again. But the female dog did not lose any visible weight. Both dogs act like they are starving when I feed them, but a lot of dogs act that way especially if they were abused and intentionally starved, and of the 2 dogs here, especially Jack acts like he is starving. I feed Jack Dr. Marty's and Stella and Chewy's raw coated beef kibble, raw eggs and Honest Kitchen human grade turkey soft topper plus Wild Earth kibble as treats. After I interviewed many vets, I finally found one I am comfortable with, and the vet is scheduled to perform surgery on Jack: removing a 1 cm mast cell tumor on Jack's side and full ablasion castration and neutering.

(1) What if Jack has EPI? If we assume that Jack has some level of EPI, then working under that assumption, is surgery and recovering from surgery safe enough for an EPI dog?
(2) I mean can EPI dogs heal from surgery and do well enough under anesthesia?
(3) And should I have Jack tested for EPI first before surgery, bec the vet said he's fine with adding an EPI blood test to the staging protocol, staging meaning xray, ultrasound, standard bloodwork and urinalysis and stool sample inspection for parasites. The vet said he's fine with adding an EPI blood test which costs a few hundred dollars more, but I can save the money if it's not yet needed.
(4) What other causes are there to a dog being prone to being skinny? I have tried increasing Jack's food amount but then he poops 4 to 6 times per day, and since he has a perineal hernia, I don't want him pooping that much. And even when I fed him more, he still wasn't gaining weight much whereas the other dog was, and I felt like it's ok for him to be lean, better than him being overweight and better than him pooping a lot risking his perineal hernia to get worse. I feed him about 4 cups of food per day.

Jack is a Staffordshire Terrier. He is about 12 years old.
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jilbert57
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Posts: 2088
Country: United States
State: Washington

Re: Questions about Saving Jack

Post by jilbert57 » 06 Mar 2023, 09:33

Hi Heather and thank you for rescuing these fur babies and giving them a stable home.
I would add the Tli, folate and B12 test to the blood work to be done before surgery so you know to treat EPI or rule it out. Jack will need to be food fasted for 8-12 hours before blood draw.

Are you hearing tummy rumblings? Do you see undigested food in Jacks stool? Is he or the other pup trying to eat his own stool? These are a few signs that might lead to EPI testing.

Jill
My name is Jill and we live on the Hood Canal in Washington State. We currently have 2 Jack russells, TJ is 8 and Sadie is 2.

Mickey and his pancreatitis brought me to Epi4dogs.com site in 2012 to help manage it.
He lived from 6/99 - 8/2014

Mickey, Jack Russell. Chronic Pancreatitis. Dianes enzymes, 1/8t 3x/day with meals.

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Montgomery
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Posts: 418
Country: Canada
Pet name: Montgomery (I'm a CAT!)
My name: V

Re: Questions about Saving Jack

Post by Montgomery » 06 Mar 2023, 22:24

Yes, they can undergo surgery and recover just fine. Because of his age, your veterinarian will likely want to take blood, though.
Montgomery was born 20 March 2012. He eats extra lean ground chicken, lean ground pork and lean ground beef completed with Alnutrin and freeze-dried chicken liver, with hard-cooked egg. He gets two size zero capsules of Enzyme Diane's enzymes at each of his six meals, and a size four capsule of Tylan three times a day. He's a fierce little Spitfire with a roaring Merlin engine.

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Olesia711
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Posts: 3857
Location: North Carolina
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Pet name: Izzy
My name: olesia

Re: Questions about Saving Jack

Post by Olesia711 » 07 Mar 2023, 19:20

WOW! Thank YOU for taking in these animals and for giving them love, security and a caring home.

I agree with Jill, yes, do the TLI test for EPI, along with a B12 test. And as Jill also mentioned food fast for 12 hours

Unless Jack is struggling health wise (and it does not sound like he is) then performing surgery now should be fine. Some dogs with untreated EPI, where they lost 1/3 or more of their weight, are struggling with diarrhea, and you can tell they don't feel good because their bodies even look "ravaged"... those are the ones that should wait before having surgery done until they are feeling better... but it sounds like Jack is doing pretty darn good.!

It is perfectly safe to put an EPI dog under for surgery with anesthesia.

And yes, EPI dogs should heal as well as any other dog from a surgery.

Please continue to keep us updated.

Great picture of Jack, he looks like a sweetie... i just don't understand how some people can be so cruel..................................... he certainly is lucky to have you and your husband!
Olesia, was owned by Izzy, a 35lb Spanish Water Dog (SWD), Diagnosed at 1.5 years old - TLI results 1.. Izzy passed away on February 13, 2020 at 15 years old. She lived with EPI for 13+1/2 years. It was because of Izzy that Epi4Dogs was started... she was the inspiration. May her legacy of helping others with EPI continue for as long as needed.........

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