by Nellie Curtiss …
It’s hard to say goodbye. Today, Lulu said goodbye to her human mom and canine big sister. Lulu developed a sudden onset of a pancreatic enzyme deficiency that was robbing her canine life of sustaining nutrients. The vet assigned a couple months ago to the case when her mom brought her in for her incessant itching didn’t seem alarmed. At first glance, it seemed to be an allergy. So, the vet affirmed her Apoquel prescription.
Her mom had noticed that every year during growing seasons, Lulu would scratch and rub after their scenic byway walks. But this summer, the last two months for sure, the four-year-old Goldendoodle had been itching into the night and all the way to dawn. The last few weeks, there was no time when she didn’t scratch and cause a bleed on her skin from the constant action.
About the same time her skin allergy exploded, Lulu also developed unmanageable diarrhea. A visit to the vet ruled out giardia or other pest infestations. The veterinarian clinic didn’t offer much help, except a prescription that didn’t work either. At home, Lulu’s mom tried Pepto-Bismol, canned pumpkin, pro-biotic, and all the other known remedies for diarrhea including grain free kibble. Still nothing squashed the runs.
Then after two months of non-sleep for human and canine, another vet from the same clinic found that Lulu’s pancreas was not working. An $800 blood test showed Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). A powdered enzyme was prescribed with only scant directions how to treat Lulu. The slim directions were misinterpreted. Two teaspoonfuls should have corrected the cowpie puddles that Lulu left. But even six at each meal didn’t shore-up the puddles.
“EPI is when a dog’s exocrine part of the pancreas is atrophied and can no longer produce these pancreatic digestive enzymes,” according to epi4dogs.com, a non-profit 501c3. The site lists the enzymes as: “Amylase for digestion of carbohydrates (sugars & starches in grains, fruits & vegetables); Lipases for digestion of fat; and Trypsin and Proteases for digestion of proteins.”
Despite these unruly symptoms, Lulu’s personality was unstoppable, and she remained the loving and quirky best friend to her mom that she ever was. In the past, she liked to hide from her mom and seemed to laugh at her mom when playing hide and seek. On the deck, a game of catch with her ball would often turn over to “oops-the-ball-fell-off-the-deck-mom.” Luckily, her mom could fetch too. At the dog park, Lulu was the extravert and introduced herself to sundry breeds and humans. She could sense when someone wasn’t open to her effervescence and never caused a fight. Then at bedtime, she climbed into the sprawling bed with her canine sister and mom. Life was so remarkable and happy with Lulu.
The most common symptoms of EPI are thinning despite a ravenous appetite; frequent elimination; greasy yellowish cow-plop stools that sometimes are grayish; eating own stools, or other inappropriate substances; increased abdominal sounds; increased gassiness; sometimes intermittent watery diarrhea or vomiting; possible personality changes. The site also notes that some dogs show no symptoms at all. The heavy cowpies were evidence in themselves that food ran through without any nutrients left behind. She was beginning to starve. Research materials bore out that the disease was genetic and as many as 58 percent of dogs diagnosed died in the first year.
The sadness of a disease without a cure was the villain and Lulu’s body had already begun to shut down when her mom noticed her not getting into bed anymore or pooping-out well before the 2nd mile of their morning walks. EPI made the goodbye so unfair. Lulu made her memory a sweet one.
Nelda Curtiss is a retired college educator and long-time local columnist. Reach her at http://www.columnsbynellie.com or email her at columnsbynellie@gmail.com
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