Filbert Has Low Cobalamin (b-12) Levels!

[Guest greyfiend]

So back on 8-29-07 I posted about having Filbert 7 weeks with soft poops most often. I am transitioning to California Natural Lamb & Rice from Innova, still using probiotic Fortiflora and still using small amts. of pumpkin with his food. However, after his blood count and blood chemistries came back normal (for a Greyhound). Also did a presumptive worming with Drontal Plus just in case. I had a blood test (TLI, Folate & Cobalamin) which showed normal pancreatic function, low normal for the Folate and very low on the Cobalamin (B-12). Digestion of Cobalamin happens in the distal small intestine (Ileum). Vet said he is absorbing it, but not well. Likely cause to be years of chronic poor diet. The usual protocol for treatment are injections, first weekly for 6 weeks, then every other week for 6 weeks, then monthly for ??? not sure, then to retest cobalamin levels one month after the last administration. There can also be accompanying SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) which is sometimes the cause and sometimes the result of small intestine malabsorption. Apparently oral cobalamin is not well digested and does not demonstrate positive results.

 

Although I must say that his poops are looking quite wonderul (about 80% of the time) if I don't say so myself! He still could have a sensitivity to chicken or the Evo & Innova could have just been too "rich" for his system.

 

Has anyone had experience with small intestine disease or with low folate or cobalamin? What was your experience? He does not have EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency).

 

Thanks,

'fiend

[ZoomDoggy]

My Sissy had low cobalamine levels, and chronic soft stools. I had given her the B12 injections for a time (easy subQ shot). I should have had her scoped, but didn't want to put her through it at the time. We assumed it was IBD and treated accordingly. Hindsight, we SHOULD have had her scoped. When she fell ill, we realized that the cancer had most likely started in her GI tract. Had we caught it sooner, she might have been a candidate for chemo.

 

Sorry, I don't mean to scare you. Just my unfortunate experience.

[Guest mandm]

My 4 YO male tested low cobalamin Spring '06 and recent retest shows low cobalamin & low folate. I tried Tylan when he was first diagnosed, but it didn't make much of an improvement. In Fall '06 he was diagnosed and treated for Babesia. We thought we might see an improvement in digestion after the Babesia was treated. But we didn't. The only thing that worked was switching to a raw, low-fat diet. I started oral cobalamin & folate supplements after the last retest in summer. We'll retest him again, and if his levels haven't improved, will do the B12 injections.

 

I also presumptively treated my dog with Pancur recently despite many clear fecals. He's had 2 of 3 rounds so far, and it seems to have made a real improvement.

 

I am also curious to know if people have had good results from B12 injections.

[AngelWhispers]

Last year Fields (6 yr old at time) was diagnosed with bacterial overgrowth and his B-12 was very low and we weren't sure of the cause. He gave me a scare because of blood in his very loose stool. My vet opted to treat him with 3 weeks of Tylan powder and 6 weeks of B12 shots that I gave at home, and I went to a food with a single source of protein for easy digestion. I noticed an improvement in Fields after the 1st injection. He had lots of energy, and his eyes brightened up and he was more alert. By the end of the 6 weeks Fields had gained his weight back plus a little extra, had firm stools after the 2nd injection, and was a new man with a new attitude.

 

A dog that has an absorbtion problem for whatever reason will have soft stools, have a lower energy and alertness level, be hard to keep weight on, or eat lots without gaining or even lose weight even though he/she is eating good. Fields was eating me out of house and home, and losing weight.

 

Fields is healthy, looks good, has firm stools, and loves to run.

 

I say give Filbert a 6 week round of injections. My vet gave Fields the 1st one in the office and then sent me home with syringes all made up and ready to go. They only need to be stored in a dark place. I am wondering why your vet is recommending so many injections. Fields' cobalamin was almost non-existent and we only did 6 weeks and that brought it up within the normal range, actually it was high normal.

 

Good luck

 

 

[ahicks51]

As the amount of cyanocobalamin is so small for sufficiency (and there's so much in a single B12 tablet), is there any reason not to try dietary supplementation before going to injections? Of course, injection will work much faster- but should a long-term solution include supplementation, either as tablets or cobalamin-rich feed?

 

I note from the USDA that beef heart has 8.55 mcg/100 grams- about 20x as much as poultry.

[Guest mandm]

As the amount of cyanocobalamin is so small for sufficiency (and there's so much in a single B12 tablet), is there any reason not to try dietary supplementation before going to injections? Of course, injection will work much faster- but should a long-term solution include supplementation, either as tablets or cobalamin-rich feed?

 

I note from the USDA that beef heart has 8.55 mcg/100 grams- about 20x as much as poultry.

That was what my vet and I thought too. And so I am supplementing with oral cobalamin & folate for a few months to see if it has any effect. But my dog is doing well and able to maintain weight and so I feel that we can afford this trial. If he was doing poorly, I would go immediately for the shots.

 

Seems like dogs with this problem cannot handle a lot of organ meat -- it's too rich for their system. While heart is considered to be like a muscle meat by raw feeders, my dog can't handle enough of it to make a difference in his B vitamin levels. I try to feed a lot of rabbit, which is high in B12, but tolerated much better than organ meats. Problem is that is costs WAY more than beef heart.

[Guest greyfiend]

The vet said she had to do a little research & will call me today or tomorrow with a plan of action. I actually found that cobalamin injection schedule at a university veterinary website. I am waiting for her to call. I will ask about bacterial overgrowth however. He had his stool checked last week for giardia and it showed only small amt. of normal yeast. Not sure if that test would be sensitive enough to show bacterial overgrowth. I will ask them to show me how to give injections and do it myself if she will allow. At this point just waiting. Filbert seems to have energy and bright eyes, although who knows after a little supplementation.

 

Thanks all for the positive info. Greyfien d

[Guest mandm]

Bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is determined by the results of the folate/cobalamin fasting blood test. If the folate is low enough, the dog is assumed to have SIBO. My dog was considered to have SIBO.