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Ebonys journey recovery from epi week 2 update

12/26/2019

We are on week 2 since Diagnosis.
By the end of week one she had gained 6 lbs. Tonight was our 2nd weigh in and she has added another 1lb.
She has become very active again and looks like she has grown a bit more.
Poops have been great and we are still feeding 3 meals a day
Hoping all have a Merry and Bright New Year — with Bill Schmelzer.

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Ebonys journey and Recovery from EPI week 2

12/21/2019

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Ebony week 2 12/20/19

Today marks one week since our little girl was diagnosed with EPI
I am very happy to say she has responded well to the enzymes and B12
She is back to her happy and spunky self. Her coat is back to being shiny and soft and she is no longer losing hair.
We have increased her food from the normal 2 cups 2 times a day to 2 cups 3 times a day which she is happy to have.
The best news is that she has gained 6lbs!!!!
As of now she is still able to enjoy her favorite cookies right after she has her meals. I am still looking into ways to incorporate the enzymes into treats so she can have them throughout the day🤗
Thanks to everyone for you prayers and support

Once we know she is stable we will probably switch her to a different enzyme 🤔
She goes back in 3 weeks so I talk to the vet about it
I just don't want any set backs since she's doing so good.
Thank you all,
Lillian and Bill Schmelzer

Photos below show 5 pound gain.

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Ebonys journey recovery from EPI

12/21/2019

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Good morning I wanted to tell you that Ebony from your litter developed EPI

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (also called EPI in the GSD) is a medical condition in which the pancreas stops producing enough digestive enzymes to digest food normally in the small intestine.

this doesn’t effect the litter so please do not panic. Epi is a Pancreatic enzyme decency what happens is they has mud pie like diarrhea which will not go away and sever fast weight loss.
The Pancrea won’t produce b12 and enzymes that absorb nutrients from food it’s litterly food in and directly out.
This isn’t something you can’t test for unless he develops these symptoms.

Lillian Told she had diarrhea and that they had treated it for parasites like hooks wip and round worms and giardia and thought she may have fabric stuffing in her stomach since she ate a hole quilted blanket so she could eat the stuffing inside. They were scare with a 20 pound weight loss organ failure was surely to fallow.Then it was only three weeks till they sent me a pic of th poop and a skinny her and I said ask the vet to test for EPI because I just had a gut feeling that’s what it was,and give her B12 . Lilian and Bill got a brand new vet and asked her anout possibilities of it being EPI and she agreed. she felt I was right and said let’s do a test for epi specific blood test 12 hour fasting and gave her a b12 injection. The vet felt before the test 98 percent sure it was epi the test confirmed it two days later but the vet had already started treatment for epi prescribed Pancrea plus a long with the b12.
Ebonys stool is brown again and back to normal so she is on road to recovery. The other vet threw dewormer and antibiotics at the issue this doctors was knowledgeable there is no genetic link or testing for a genetic link as of this time but we plan to contact Gsdca and UC Davis to try to help they get a government grant to try to find a genetic link to EPI so this like DM won’t happen again for us and other health testing breeders this isn’t a specific to just German Shepherd Dogs but sadly this is most common breed it hits due to their tendency’s for sensitive stomach anyway. Lillian is doing a blog to help others diagnose and treat this faster. This will be posted regularly on our website Facebook and Instagram and Twitter.
knowledge is power. Thank you
From the WDR Grandmas Dayla and Sandra
Here is a link below.

https://www.total-german-shepherd.com/EPIintheGSD.html