Question:
I have two 5-year-old Bernese Mountain Dogs, Madison and Morgan. About a year ago, both had diarrhea after eating what I believe was bad dog food. After switching dog foods, Madison got over it, but Morgan continued to have problems.
Our vet performed tests and thought at first that Morgan had an infection in her intestinal tract, but medicine did not help. A blood sample was sent to the university vet school, and the indications were that Morgan's pancreas was not producing enough to digest her food. Her symptoms included yellow diarrhea, passing foul-smelling gas, vomiting a watery substance after a meal, losing weight/muscle and a ravenous appetite.
An enzyme powder to be mixed in her food was prescribed for Morgan, and vitamin B1 shots were administered weekly for several weeks. Morgan refused to eat the prescription dog food the vet provided, but I found one that she seems to like: Wellness dry food, ground rice with salmon. I put a teaspoon of enzyme powder for each cup of dog food and waited 20 minutes for the enzyme to work before feeding her. I began adding a little liver, and today she looks good and acts as if she feels good, but her bowel movements are not yet normal.
As you probably know, Bernese Mountain Dogs have a rich chestnut brown on their legs. Morgan's chestnut brown is turning gray, and she has flaky skin. Vincaps have helped my other dog get over dry skin from a poor diet when I first got her, but these capsules seem to give Morgan diarrhea. I've considered mixing them in her food, but I don't want to do anything different that would cause her system to be upset. Any suggestions?
J.C., Kernersville, NC Nov 01, 2010
Answer:
Your letter is important for many readers whose dogs have symptoms like yours because they have varying degrees of pancreatic insufficiency. A low-fat diet and probiotics are important. Digestive enzymes are essential. I would give your dog small amounts of brewer's yeast and fish oil, working up to a teaspoon of each every day in her food. A multimineral supplement, including magnesium, zinc and selenium, may prove beneficial, along with up to a tablespoon daily of oral, human-grade aloe vera in her food that will help her digestive system. Why this canine malady is so prevalent today is pause for concern, and many dogs suffer from flare-ups when given too many fatty, meaty leftovers, especially at Thanksgiving. The issues are often compounded by protein poisoning (uremia) if they also have poor kidney function as well as pancreatic insufficiency.
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