Luma
"We first fostered Luma at 8 weeks old from the Cornwall OSPCA. At 9 weeks, she was spayed, and we decided to adopt her. She was a healthy, energetic puppy and was easily trained. Everything seemed normal, she ate when she wanted, and we would simply refill her bowl when it was empty. In December 2023, we transitioned her to an adult chicken-based food. Shortly after, we noticed she would intermittently experience diarrhea for a day or two, then return to normal.
In February 2024, however, the diarrhea returned, and this time, it didn’t go away. We tried transitioning her to different types of food, but nothing changed. She was having bowel movements 6 to 8 times per day, and it was constant diarrhea. Despite this, she continued to act normal and had plenty of energy. We tried white rice and pumpkin purée with no improvement. By this point, she had dropped from 76 lbs to 58 lbs, and her ribs were visibly showing.
We began doing our own research and strongly suspected that Luma might have digestive issues. Once we learned more about this condition, we found helpful resources online, including a website dedicated to dogs with digestion problems and several support groups. Through these communities, we learned that dogs with issues like Luma’s require either fresh beef or pork pancreas with every meal or a reliable enzyme supplement.
Since we couldn’t source raw pancreas locally, we began using Pan-tenex brand enzymes (½ tsp per meal) and switched to a food that meets the recommended fiber level of 4% or less. We also started monthly B12 injections. Within days, we saw a huge improvement. Her bowel movements became less frequent and more solid, and she began to regain weight. By August 2024, she was up to 74 lbs. As of today, she’s a healthy and energetic 86 lbs! We’ve been able to rotate between Petkind’s salmon, venison, bison, and beef formulas without any issues. We just moisten the food with a bit of water, add ½ teaspoon of Pan-tenex per meal, and let it sit for 15–20 minutes before feeding."
Jeff
