Jessie has pancreatitis; no more tests

  A little update; all of Jessie's feet had yeast infections last month and my vet recommended soaking them in a chlorhexidine gluconate solution twice a day (we didn't want to use any products with steroids). Her feet improved but then got worse; she developed pockets of pus under her skin on her feet. I took her to my vet again and he tested her for pancreatits to see if we could use Animax or Betagen. He used a SNAP test;     (http://www.idexx.com/animalhealth/testkits/snapcpl/ ). It's more accurate than testing for amylase or lipase and she still tested positive. It looks like she has low grade chronic pancreatitis. I began changing her from her regular food ( 13% fat ) to z/d ( 10% ) fat. I didn't go back to the cooked diet because it was while she was on it that her feet got bad. I also booked a consultation with Monica. Her feet began getting better soon after the switch to z/d and are much better now. I learned from Monica that cross reaction between different species of fish is common so it's possible that she was reacting to the mackerel in the cooked diet since she is allergic to salmon. She will be retested in about two weeks and then Monica will formulate her diet based on the test results; if her enzymes are normal, her diet will probably be about 10% fat. If she still has pancreatits, her diet will have less fat. Food allergies contribute to pancreatitis so taking the fish out of her diet will help the inflamation. Two days after starting on the z/d, she began jumping in our SUV again. She had been reluctant to get in it on her own for about the past three weeks and we were lifting her in; I think her stomach may have been hurting her. She acts like she's feeling fine and her appetite is very good; I'll update this again after getting the test results.

Monica will help you get it straight (tell her Hi from me when you email her next -- we still correspond but the lady doesn't *need* more email! LOL). 

With chronic pancreatitis all it takes is one small thing to aggravate it -- Prissy would go to my Mom's and find ONE pecan that dropped to the floor while Mom was baking and get sick all over again.  I got to the point where I just didn't USE nuts in baking because of it.  *sigh*

I'm glad they've developed an actual test because it's sure a whole lot easier than not knowing until the relapse hard. 

Just remember, I managed Prissy's for EIGHTEEN years.  She was not quite 3 when she first was so sick.  So it can be managed -- and I also did it with homecooking. And honestly?  The diet I followed for her was VERY simple and "balance" wasn't even an option (shoot this was 35 years ago) And she lived well and long on it. 

So you'll do FINE.  But you rock getting her diagnosed and tying things together. 

As far as a foot soak -- just a really light solution of tea tree oil and/or lavender (the essential oils) can truly help control yeast.  That might give you an extra option or two at least.

Good luck!!

Oh, poor Jessie having to go thru all that with her paws and everything. . .she's such good girl. 

Willow is on an odd combo of canned z/d and canned SD senior (turkey) with turkey breast, roast beef and salmon with some mashed veggies like yams and broccoli. 

She's been doing really really well on this combo for over a year now.  And, I also give her a Pet Tab and Wellactin too. 

 Poor Jessie! Z/D is miracle food, I swear. Emma's inflammation went WAY down, when she started on it, and it's stayed down. I hope that she continues to do well, on her new diet.

  Thanks to all of you for the good thoughts; it means a lot!!!  Jessie's feet are much better now, but they haven't been that bad since starting immunotherapy. It made sense to suspect a food allergy rather than seasonal allergies, and her response to the z/d seems to confirm that she reacts to other fish besides salmon.

  Jennie; has Emma's coat been dry on the z/d; Jessie has dandruff. She's also lost some muscle; Monica's diet will have more protein.

kpwlee

BTW what is the correlation between allergies and pancreatitis?

  I had found a website with reliable information that explained it well, but I don't have the link. According to Monica, pancreatitis can be secondary to " intestinal immune-mediated reactions" like food allergies or IBD.  If I find the link again I'll post it. Monica wanted to wait until the next test before working on the diet and I agreed that it was a good idea.

 Yes, Emma got dry and lost muscle, too. I've added fat to hers (flax, because she tolerates it well), but I guess Jessie can't have the extra fat? That cleared her issues right up. She'd also been having stool issues, and the oil helped.

Janice, I hope Jessie's tests come back with good results.  I'm sorry to read she is still having issues, but with a great mom like you, I have no doubt she's getting the best care possible.  (((Hugs)))

 Jennie; You're right; she can't have any extra fat in her diet, at least for awhile. Jessie has soft stool on the z/d; pumpkin mixed with a little of the canned z/d has helped.

Tina; thanks for the hugs and good vibes.

Janice - I'm sorry about the latest round of problems for Jessie. I remember when Sassy had the really bad foot infections. She wouldn't even get up to come to us. It was heartbreaking. I'm glad Jessie's over that part. It sounds like you've got a great plan of action and between you, your vet and Monica, Jessie should be doing great no time :)

  Thanks so much Cathy. She had a couple funky stools today; soft with mucus. I gave her Valerian yesterday evening because of the fireworks and think that may be the cause.  I used Soloray again but this time it has the root and root extract; last year the type I used only had the root. Does anyone know if the root extract is harder on the stomach; the directions say to only take one or two capsules a day.

 Emma got constipated on it! She'd never, EVER been constipated, in her whole, entire life. She'd always had mushy poops with intermittant diarrhea. Now? Perfect, as long as I push water. Otherwise, she gets stopped up. It's... very different!

Is it the ground herb or is it tincture?  Solaray is usually ground herb.  Solaray used to be the best you could buy but not any more.  It's been bought up by a big conglomerate and the quality isn't nearly as good as it was a few years ago.

At this point most terminology like that is smoke and mirrors.  They're using the words to justify putting in less effective things because they are cheaper.  It's like the word "standardized" - it's meaningless.  What that really means is it's "average" -- it may have bits of weeds or plant fiber in it that has nothing to DO with the plant in question but it's "average" -- not as good as some but better than others.  (Can you tell the whole concept angers me??)

Valerian can repeat on you a bit (in the process of digestion I think it causes a bit of gas).  But honestly if anything it should firm things up NOT cause diarreha.  it's a relaxant and typically one of the things it can be used for is colitis because it relaxes the peristalsis in the digestive tract as well. 

HOWEVER -- the stress of the fireworks could easily have caused an upset gut.

Janice, just wanted to say it could be the z/d doing that and not the Solaray.  The reason I have to mix the regular canned with the z/d is because she needs the fiber in the regular stuff to firm up. 

   Callie; it's the herb. Thanks for the info about Soloray.

calliecritturs

Valerian can repeat on you a bit (in the process of digestion I think it causes a bit of gas). 

   Jessie let out the biggest burp a few hours after I gave it to her Monday evening.

calliecritturs

HOWEVER -- the stress of the fireworks could easily have caused an upset gut.

   I was thinking about that too. Her stools are much better; she had one yesterday evening and it was normal except for a small amount of mucus; her stool this morning was completely normal. I did not give her Valerian yesterday evening.