Epi4Dogs is a 501c3 Non-Profit Public Charity EPI Research and Awareness organization with zero dollars for administration fees as Epi4Dogs is 100% volunteer-based. Recommendations on this site are supported by EPI veterinarian protocols, veterinarian EPI researchers, veterinarian publications, along with actual EPI pet owner’s day-to-day observations and experience.

Epi4Dogs has and continues to assist and collaborate with various vet schools on EPI genetics, gastrointestinal, and nutritional research to further the understanding of EPI. We have been published multiple times in general media publications and have co-authored veterinarian research publications (please see http://www.epi4dogs.com/awarenesscredits.htm) .

Our goal is to have the most current EPI information all in one place to better assist the veterinarian community, to help the EPI pet owner readily recognize EPI signs, and to encourage all to work together for the best possible outcome for the EPI dog (and cat)!

This site is dedicated to “Izzy” a Spanish Water Dog that gave the start to Epi4Dogs. 

The Disease, The Condition

EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is the inability of the acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas to produce and secrete the necessary enzymes needed to digest food. These main enzymes are:.

• Amylase for digestion of carbohydrates (sugars & starches in grains, fruits & vegetables),      
• Lipases for digestion of fat.                                          
• Trypsin and Proteases for digestion of proteins.

EPI, is sometimes referred to as Pancreatic Hypoplasia or Pancreatic Acinar Atrophy (PAA).  

Or EPI can also be the secondary condition of a chronic illness, such as chronic pancreatitis.

 EPI is when a dog’s exocrine part of the pancreas is atrophied and can no longer produce these  pancreatic digestive enzymes. Some food particles then remain undigested causing SIBO and unabsorbed resulting in a dog, who although is eating copious amounts of food, is constantly undernourished and can literally waste away. Without proper treatment, the EPI dog cansuffer greatly and even die a painful death from malnourishment, starvation or organ failure.

 With EPI, organ, immune, nervous and all other body systems may become compromised to one degree or another.   A lack of nutrients sometimes even results in temperament changes which may express themselves in fear and/or aggression.

 It is a devastating, frustrating disease that is all too often misdiagnosed. Symptoms usually do not appear until anywhere between 80% and 95% of the exocrine pancreas acinar cells are destroyed. What makes this disease even harder to diagnose is that not all dogs display any or all of the symptoms all of the time. Any breed can have EPI, not just GSDs… see http://www.epi4dogs.com/notjustgsds.htm.

Effectively treating an EPI dog/cat is all about finding the right balance of the recommended EPI protocol for each individual EPI dog/cat. 

Treat the WHOLE dog

• Enzymes
•  Diet
•  B12 if needed
•  Treatment for SID if needed

Make adjustments if needed

Keep an EPI Log/Observe trends

Share EVERYTHING recommended with your vet