Chronic Pancreatic Insufficiency in Dogs

I've not had to deal with chronic pancreatic insufficiency specifically -- but I've had two dogs with widely varied cases of pancreatitis.  (One had to be managed for her entire life -- with was 18 years and she lived to be nearly 21.)

Is the powder a pre-digestive enzyme?  Can you tell me what it is specifically?  Is it an over-the counter thing?  (i.e., tell me what it is and I've got someone who *might* be able to get it in the US if I could ship it to you I would.)

Typically there is a lot of diet management -- and in fact, that's where I began cooking for my dogs - back when Prissy first got out of the dog hospital (this was ... er ... literally 34 years ago *sigh*) the vet handed me a piece of paper with a "recipe" on it and told me if I wanted to keep her healthy and alive I'd fix that for her -- FOREVER.  It was essentially a low protein diet of hamburger, rice, a tiny bit of garlic powder and an egg.  Not what you'd all superior nutrition but she did thrive on it.  As long as she didn't get hold of a pecan or walnut or something else that would drive the pancreas wacko.

I'm giggling -- cos now I'm still cooking, but  no grain ... and     about 50% meat and 50% veggies (Pris would have turned her little pom/peke nose up at THAT I assure you!!  LOL altho I've learned a thing or thirty about fixing them since that time LOL) 

No personal experience, but I got to see quite a few dogs with EPI when I was working at a vet hospital.

Is your boy on Viokase-V?  We treated EPI with Viokase, Vitamin B12 & Vitamin E supplementation, as well as a grain free diet. 

If you are getting close to running out of your supplement, & it is still backordered, you might want to have your vet look into using a compounding pharmacy to make it for you.

 Hi, callie-critters...It is by prescription only....and yes, it is a pre-digestive enzyme.  I have also tried to buy pig pancreas from butchers, but they don't want to spend the time cutting around the stomach to get to the pancreas for something that they can't get much money for.  I even put out it out there, through various large grocery stores and small butcher shops, that I would be happy to pay extra dollars, but no luck. The other problem is that some folks have purchased what they thought was pig pancreas, but it wasn't.  I guess it is pretty hard to get to. 

It sounds like you have had lots of dogs.  

Hi, BEVOLASVEGAS, he is on Pancrease-V Powder.  It is made in Toronto.  Sounds like Viokase-V is the American version of the same thing.  Thanks, great to know.  I am not familiar with the term "compounding pharmacy."  Does that mean that a local pharmacy could replicate the ingredients?

There are some tablets available but he would need to take 8 to 10 tablets per meal and he has to be fed three times per day; plus they can't guarantee the strength of the medication.  Not a good situation and a bottle would only last us about three days.  I guess for some dogs it is temporary and it is something that can be remedied in a few days or a few weeks, but in the case of a Chronic problem, it is for life.  This is the second time this has happened.  The first time the clinic didn't tell me it was back ordered so I kept waiting to hear from them that my order was in.  You can imagine when I checked again and found that it was back ordered; I was freaked.  Similar to this time, I managed to find a vet in an area nearby that deals a lot with rescues who had one jar. It is really something to have this young dog lying at your side trusting you wholeheartedly while you are trying to find something to keep it alive.  Glad I don'thave kids.

I am going to look into Viokase-V and see what the scoop is.  Thanks again.

We went through exactly the same thing. Our cocker spaniel was also on Pancrease-V Powder when it became unavailable for about a month. This was several years ago. If I remember correctly I think it was because there was a quality control problem. I was pleased that the company did not release a product that wasn't up to a high standard but it is a very difficult situation. We ended up using the pills which do not work nearly as well but held us over until we could get the powder again.After that I always made sure that I had at least 2 extra containers of the powder.

Our dog was also a rescue we got her when she was 14 and she lived to be almost 17. She was very prone to bacteria over growths because of the CPI and also had Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Despite this she was a happy girl.

 Good luck with your boy!

Bruister

and yes, it is a pre-digestive enzyme.

Prissy was on it her whole life (a pre-digestive enzyme). 

Yeah, I've had a lot of dogs -- but typically my husband and I sort of do "sick dog rescue" -- we tend to take on dogs wit problems just to see what good solutions we CAN find.

I would seriously tell you again to consider finding a TCVM vet.  I would not be at all surprised to find a Chiinese herb that might truly be able to help -- not to metnion lending support to Bob's own pancreas.  I left the link in your other thread:  http://www.tcvm.com -- on the left is a locator BUT, for Canada you want to click that sentence link below it.

It wouldn't even need to be a vet you go to all the time -- if you can get connected with one who can get the proper herbs for you.  A phone call might point you in the right direction.

thanks so much....i feel like I am about to venture into a new area for Bob's health.  I have made jokes about the face he pulled when he tried the pureed  green beans that I gave him.   On the other hand, he comes and tells me daily when he wants his pureed carrot juice.  He has a look and he touches my leg in a certain way that says, "carrot juice please." He loves his carrot juice and it is suggested by research that pureed carrot juice is a really good thing for dogs like mine.  

 Thanks for your thoughts...this is already proving to be a really great website.  I hope i have enough knowlege to contribute in some way.  

I'll be honest -- it really isn't knowledge as much as support and just taking part.  And then your knowledge will just roll in -- but there are some really nice folks here.  There's an ebb and flow as to how busy it is but there's a good bunch of caring that goes on.