Blackwatch Feed Program for EPI - Exocrine Pancreatic Insuffiency

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About EPI - Exocrine Pancreatic Insuffiency

Pancreatic insufficiency occurs when the pancreas does not secrete enough digestive enzymes for normal digestion to occur and this happens when they eat only process foods with no "living" foods or dietary enzymes. When pancreatic insufficiency is severe, malabsorption (impaired absorption of nutrients by the intestines) may result, leading to deficiencies of essential nutrients and the occurrence of loose stools containing unabsorbed fat (steatorrhea). If this is the case it is very important to use a DIGESTIVE ENZYME PRODUCT such as Viokase or ProZyme in order to assist the pancreas in the digestion of proteins, fats, carbs and fiber. With this information in mind, I offer you a feed program for EPI, please discuss this with your veterinarian.

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This program will be divided into 3 parts:

Section A. - supplements, and where to purchase

Section B. - description of supplements - what they do

Section C. - support information - for your puppy

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This program is a comprehensive and consists of 6 major components and this is it in summary form. Detailed info to follow below.

1. Dog Food -Use something from the Precise Dog Food lineup.

2. Core 4 Kit # 38 - which includes probiotics/digestive enzymes to take the load off the pancreas and dietary enzymes to detox the organs. Then an Oxygenator.

Option For Variety - canned meats - raw options - fruits and vegetable

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1. DOG FOOD - Precise Dog Foods has an extensive line of foods including grain free diets www.precisepet.com

The CORE 4 Kit #38- Optimal - purchase here

It includes Filling N The Wholes - a probiotic/digestive enzymes, immune boosting powder, dietary enzymes (Nzymes) and OxE-Drops to help with the pH of the digestive tract.

Read about my CORE 4 Philosophy of Wellness

6. VIOKASE or PROZYME or ENZYME-PRO - your vet may carry these products or you can purchase on line at 1-800-petmeds.com or KVvet.com. Check both for the best prices.

FOR VARIETY ADD - fruits & veggies & Eagle Holistic canned meats

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DO NOT SOAK KIBBLE AND LET SET, OR USE HOT WATER ON YOUR KIBBLE IT WILL DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE NUTRIENTS AND PROBIOTICS - YOGURT LIKE CULTURES ON THE FOOD.

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5. Options for Joint Supplements

I have used Liquid Health Level 5000 joint supplementation with great success on my dogs. It is particularly noticeable when you introduce it to an elderly dog diet - they respond very well to joint nutritional supplementation. The amount of glucosamine in better dog foods is barely a maintenance level dosage, which is why I supplement my dogs. Whereby it is beneficial for all breeds ages and sizes, the large and giant breeds are particularly vulnerable due to their size, rapid development as a puppy and later tendencies toward bone cancer - normally of the long bone or growth plate. I believe most of these cancers can be prevented with a comprehensive diet and joint support during development. If a dog has had HOD, OCD or Pano as a young dog, I feel it is very important to use the Nzymes product and other "functional foods" with anticancer properties as part of the daily diet, in the hopes of preventing bone cancer as they age.

For more complete information and ordering go to this website: Liquid Health Level 5000

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Options For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetables

MEATS: I use Precise or Nutri Source canned dog foods for variety. I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Any holistic canned pet food is ok to use for this.

Do NOT use grocery store brands they are full of preservatives and 4D meats (dead, diseased dying and disabled) and they give the dogs stinky gas and are full of unhealthy fillers. NO homemade concoctions of meat/rice combinations that you make up at home, they are very unbalanced in their calcium and phosphorus levels and can cause growth problems.

FRUITS &VEGETABLES:

I think it is important to incorporate some real foods into you dogs diet on a daily basis. Not only is this done for nutritional purposes, but because the dog gets bored eating the same thing day in, day out!! This is a list of recommended foods to use in moderation:

yogurt, buttermilk berries melons, apples, banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini - minced/diced/raw/cooked - they love frozen berries and melon balls!! Pulverized fresh veggies are best for digestion.

NO raw onions, grapes or raisins, macadamia nuts.

Linda's Very Veggie Soup - 2 large cans of chicken or beef broth - (low sodium for heart or elderly dogs- or homemade). Add LOTS of veggies - carrots, green beans, wax beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and couple cloves of garlic. The idea is to use this as the filler so you want it to be hearty and filling.

OR

6. Variety - A Safe Balanced Raw Meat & Fruit/Veggie - OPTION

NOTE: For a safe, balanced raw option use Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw discuss this with your vet. In the beginning of problems with EPI I probably would not use additional raw foods until you got the dog doing well on his medications, then you could try to incorporate this component..

The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw dog food is available in two formulas:

FORCE (21% protein - 14% fat) - Chicken, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Green Beans, Apples, Honey, Alfalfa, Kelp,Yogurt, Bananas, Papayas, Basil and Rosemary.

EMBARK 29% protein - 16% fat - Turkey, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Spinach, Carrots, Coconut, Apples, Kelp, Eggs, Sesame Seeds, Bananas, Cranberries, Rosemary.

Note: Since you are using this to top dress your dog's food for variety and not as the whole diet, you can use either one of these formulas even for Great Dane puppies. Just use in reasonable amounts so you are not adding too many calories during growth stages.

Honest Kitchen Amounts for Puppies:

• 8-10 weeks - 1 Tablespoon
• 11-16 weeks 3-4-Tablespoons
• 4 - 6 mo 1/4 cup
• 7 - 8 mo 1/2
• 9 mo - adult 1/2 - 1 cup daily

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WATER ON KIBBLE - Puppies 8-10 weeks use a little filtered water + 1-2 tablespoons canned meat. You want the food moist but not floating and sloppy. For older puppies and adults I will use 1/2 cup of water per meal along with my canned meat or rehydrated Honest Kitchen

OPTIONAL - Top- dress the dog food Honest Kitchen
Honest Kitchen Amounts

• 8-10 weeks 1 Tablespoon
• 11-16 weeks 3-4-Tablespoons
• 4 - 6 mo 1/4 cup
• 7 - 8 mo 1/2
• 9 mo - 18 months 1/2 - 1 cup daily
• Adults - 10% - 15% of daily diet with Eagle Pack

Do not microwave, soak or use hot or very warm water on your kibble. It will destroy the integrity of the friendly yogurt type cultures and the fragile vitamins/minerals and amino acids on the food.

Water On Food:
Commercial foods need to be fed with moisture so dogs don't over consume water after a meal, and so the kibble does not pull moisture from the dogs system in order to break down properly. Use "tepid" temperature water never hot or warm and never soak your food as it breaks down and destroys nutrients. Mix up and feed immediately. I use approximately 1/2 cup of water for adults per each meal. Adjust accordingly for puppies. If they have loose stools, you may be using too much meat or water than necessary. Adjust that before you panic and think they are sick.

Drinking Water:
It is very important to NEVER withhold water from your dog. This can lead to over consumption and bladder infections. Use common sense, do not let them drink excessively after exercise or dinner. Like a horse, let them cool down and then drink. I have found if I have water available in several places, they never overdo it since they know it is available to them when they need it. That way they drink less amounts of water, but more frequently.

Withholding water for fear of bloat is a myth. Stress is the cause and bloat/torsion is the response. It is much more complicated that simply saying water is the cause of bloat.

(See my article on Bloat and Torsion for details) (See On My Soapbox)

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Section C - Support Information - Required Reading

Read this: Does My Vet Understand Nutrition?

Vaccines

There are several articles and photos of vaccine reactions at this website. You need to know how to prevent vaccine reactions, because vaccine reactions in some breeds will kill your dog in a slow agonizing death known as Immune Mediated Response, which is always misdiagnosed as HOD. So, here is info:

Prevention of Vaccine Reactions

The AAHA recommended schedule for vaccination

Dr. Jean Dodd's Vaccine Protocols

Vaccine Reaction Photographs

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Special Alert - Antibiotic Reactions in Great Danes and Other Breeds.

Sulfonamide Antibiotics
Based on information gained from the National Bone Survey, I do not recommend using Sulfonamide* antibiotics to my puppy buyers because these drugs can cause serious side-effects like sloughing of skin and internal bleeding and HOD-like symptoms including;fever, aching joints, swollen joints, lack of mobility, depression and anorexia. The following antibiotics are sulfonamides.

• Ditrim
• Primor
• Tribrissin
• Bactrim
• TMZ
• TMP/SDZ

Another commonly used, potentially troublesome antibiotics is Cephalexin (Keflex, Cefa-Tabs). This can also produces the same symptoms as HOD (fever,swollen/hot joints, immobility, anorexia) even in adult dogs. I will use Chephalexin, but with a watchful eye and if the dog starts acting lethargic and achy, we stop the antibiotic, since they are sensitive to it. Call the vet for an alternative antibiotic and make sure you are using a good Probiotic product to keep the digestive tract functioning properly.

I will not use Sulfonamides drugs on my dogs. A reaction can happen from 24 hours - 2 weeks of being on an antibiotic. If there is a reaction, my vet recommends Dexamethsone/Azium and discontinue use or antibiotic.

* Research references on Sulfonamides

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Fleas - Heartworm

People ask me what I use for these problems. I use Interceptor as a heartworm preventative and for flea and tick problems I use a topical product- either Frontline Plus or Advantage, Advantix or Frontline products. I do rotate a different one each year. Because these are not systemic products, I feel a bit better about using them and because the dogs/cats and my self are also on Nzymes, which detoxifies the body, I am comfortable with using these products.