I have a 3 year old GSD bitch who has been suffering with very lose stools and despite a fierce appetite, has lost around 8kg in weight over the last couple of months. and so a trip to the vets. My vet took a blood sample and got the results back in couple of days, bad news, Reba was diagnosed with EPI. May vet has recommened using Panzym powder added to Reba's food to supplement the deficient enzymes but it is very expensive £50 for 170g!! At the moment I am feeding twice a day on Bakers Complete sensitive with a teaspoon of the powder in each feed and we are seeing some improvement in Reba's condition. Could anybody recommend firstly a supplier for the powder, to hopefully reduce the cost and secondly a better diet to help weight gain without loosening her stools.

TIA

Mark Big Ted' Head

Welcome to the forum Mark.

I am sure Lara or someone else will be along shortly to offer you some advice, but in the mean time you may find this old post of some interest.Good luck with your dog :-)

Canine Chemist

PANZYM 170G = Price: £41.07

I'm not sure what this condition is. Could you advise? I had a 2 week old pup start to vomit. Then she got a couple of sores on her. She stopped nursing and was dehydrated. She has lipemia we know this,but also some pancreas malfunction. I pts last night at 4 1/2 weeks old because of her suffering. The most heartbreaking thing i've ever done.Vets have no clue. Thought it was brown recluse bite.

Exocrine- is a term used to describe secretions from a cell that are meant travel via a duct system to their place of use such as mammary gland cells that secrete milk, pancreas cells that secrete digestive enzymes or liver cells that secrete gall. Endocrine refers to chemicals produced by cells that travel via the blood to other cells where they enter these new cells and effect some cellular change(s). Hormonal refers to any signaling between cells of which endocrine is one type; another type, for example, is paracrine is which one cell secretes a substance that will go affect the adjacent cell.

Exocrine- problems tend to affect one system of the body such as exocrine pancreatic insufficient affecting digestion. Endocrine problems tend to affect many systems and have many different possible presentations. The two most common endocrine problems in the dog are hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) and Cushings Disease (elevated glucocorticoid levels). Others include Diabetes mellitus (low insulin or dysfunctional insulin receptors), Diabetes insipidus (aldosterone insufficiency), and Addison's disease (glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficiency). Treatment varies with the deficiency or excess and with clinical signs. The genetic component of many of these is unclear nevertheless breeding an animal so affected should be done reservedly and only after much research and deliberation to rule-out any genetic component

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