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I have a question about…exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).
Our now 10 year old female German Shepherd has exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Our dog had very loose stools and started losing weight. Since that time we put her on Pancrezyme and she has seemed to maintain her weight over the next 2 years. Recently though, she is losing some weight, stools are soft, and she has been very itchy. We have increased the amount of her pancrezyme to help her digest her food. How much powder should one give their pet? Is there a possibility of too much and what would the signs be if the dog takes in too much of the powder. In addition, the costs of this product are pretty high and we were wondering if there any major differences in the brands? I found a lady online who spends her life on this topic and packages the Pancreatin powder from the American Laboratories in Nebraska. Can you tell me if obtaining this pancreatin powder is really any different that the name brands. The USP Units for the Lipase, Protease, and Amylase from the lab in Nebraska are very similar to the name brands. Can you give me any advice on whether there are major differences in the products, how much power to give, and whether there are any special foods that will digest easier for our shepherd? I assume diet is more important now than ever… Any information would be extremely helpful…
Sincerely
Bruce & Kay Bostjanick
703-330-7682 Home
703-808-1956 work
steelerfan44@verizon.net
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The typical powder contains in each teaspoonful:
Lipase
71,400 U.S.P. units
Protease
388,000 U.S.P. units
Amylase
460,000 U.S.P. units
Adult dogs should have 3/4-1 teaspoonful with each meal. The powder should be mixed with the food and allowed to sit for a few minutes prior to feeding. Overdose will not heart the dog but will make the food mush! The brand is typically not important. Make sure you try to have the same amount of active ingredient. Older dogs often need special diets. Purina prescription food E/N may be helpful.
Thanks for the reply. You stated that dogs would get about 3/4 – 1 teaspoon of powder with each meal to help the EPI. Is that amount based on each cup of food the dog would normally eat or for the entire meal? Other folks have stated to take a look at the Cobalamin and Folate counts to make sure that the pet does not need any b-12 shots or possibly Tylan. I am guessing that b-12 helps a dog’s digesting process and Folate would be for any infection that came about due to the poor stools associated with EPI? Is it true that pets may get low counts in these areas when dealing with EPI issues? Do vets normally check these numbers when treating dogs with EPI?