Second Grey Just Diagnosed With Pancreatitis On Totw & Fish Oil

[PrairieProf]

Well, dammit.

 

Cocoa has been having some intermittent loose poop and digestive issues since a night at Christmas where she threw up and clearly felt sick. Actually, she started showing some signs of digestive distress around Thanksgiving, but we assumed it was from the doxycycline she was on as part of her attempted treatment for presumed discoid lupus (and it may have been). The night Cocoa got sick I was very afraid she might have pancreatitis, as I'd been giving her a good dose of fish oil for the discoid lupus, and some coconut oil too, on top of her Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. I took her in as soon as the vet opened the next day and among other things we did a cPL test for pancreatitis which was negative.

 

Cocoa got over the immediate crisis and was on canned prescription I/D for a few days, transitioning back to the TOTW. She was on metronidazole most of this time too. She seemed more or less OK -- she stayed with friends for a week over New Years so I didn't get to check on her -- though her poop was not as good as it had been. It has continued not great (in contrast to having been fine before all these troubles started). I told my vet I wanted a TLI test, which is what had diagnosed my Beth with near-acute-level pancreatitis years ago. Did five more days of metronidazole. In the mean time I put her on I/D kibble as well as canned, as Beth had done wonderfully on that for years (and Cocoa's poop immediately improved).

 

Today I called to get the result of the TLI test. When my vet came on, he said the level indicated acute pancreatitis! He didn't know why the cPL had been negative before. So we are continuing the I/D and another course of metronidazole. Beth never had any further problems once she was switched to a low-fat diet and had amazing coat and great general condition on I/D for the rest of her life, so I'm hoping for the same for Cocoa (I know I don't have to stay with I/D forever, but that's a decision for another day; it worked so well for Beth I never wanted to change). Although it is going to be big problem if she can't have fish oil, since that's one of the mainstays of treatment for autoimmune disease, and it makes me feel a little panicky.

 

Meanwhile -- OMG, TWO unrelated dogs have gotten pancreatitis on TOTW and fish oil, which seems like such a mainstream, healthy combo!! Cocoa had seemed to have much more robust digestion than Beth before all this; she never had a poop problem before Christmas. I'm not especially seeking advice (although I'm sure I'll get some!), but I did want to alert people to what has happened. FWIW my vet said he sees way more cases of pancreatitis among dogs now than ten years ago or so, and he thinks it's the foods people are feeding.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by PrairieProf

[Hubcitypam]

So sorry. Hope Cocoa feels better soon and hugs to you both. . Do have to wonder if what your vet said might have some basis. It really does seem a lot of dogs (especially greys for some reason) do best on mid range foods.

[greysmom]

TOTW has been problematic before this for many dogs. And the double shot (triple with the coconut oil) of salmon/salmon oil may be too much for her system. Will the I/D diet work for her lupus too? I say stick with what works!

[cleptogrey]

i just looked up the taste of the wild's pacific stream kibble and the fat content is 15% which is not that high.i don't know if it's food, but personally i tend to i think it's the lines, the genetics involved.

felix too was diagnosed w/ pancretitis and i posted asking for alternatives kibbles since i can't afford the science diet rx low fat ID. it. he has responded well to blue seal senior lite which is 7% fat content. when i brought him in for his rabies booster my new vet commented how good he looks. no more cramping, weird stinky stools but i do see his underlying skin a tad flakey. it's also winter and even with fish oil he was like that. i now wonder how essential the fish oil really is for coat, can we possibly be over loading their system with suppliments?. i have always supplemented w/ it.

 

as to dealing w/ the lupus, i'm hoping that as an auto immune disease you might be lucky enough that once the other physical stress is gone, the lupus might subside. i know having some friends and relatives w/ lupus that their flareups just subside when the event is over and stress subsides. i wonder if a consult w/ dr. couto could help since you are not able to use the traditional remedy for the SLO. it can't hurt? there has to be another non-steriordal method for SLO, wishing you good luck in finding a low fat answer.

 

i bet you we see findings about high rates of pancretitis in the breed in the near future.

[PrairieProf]

It's discoid lupus or pemphigus, not SLO. But there are serious immunosuppressive medications we can try. She can still be on Vitamin E and niacinamide; Doxycycline messed her up so that's not an option, unless the problem was really pancreatitis and we only thought it was Doxy. She's on topical tacrolimus which is a major treatment. I have read everything that exists on treatment in the literature, because that's how I obsess.

 

I/D isn't good for autoimmune, but maybe not the worst thing. I have read of other dogs besides Beth having amazing coats on it despite it being low fat so it is certainly doesn't hurt their skin. Obviously there are other food options eventually; four years of experience just left me an I/D fan although it is hella expensive.

 

I'm done with TOTW though, despite lots of my friends using it and it working better than anything else....until my dogs get sick.

Edited January 15, 2016 by PrairieProf

[Patsy]

Oh dear. Nothing to contribute but hugs and scritches.

[tbhounds]

Have you considered trying pentoxyifylline?