low fat absorbtion

[lesley emery]

anyone got any information on this, we've just had test results from the vet,this is why he's been smelly and has lost some weight,poor Ozzie,just wondered if any one has a doodle with this problem.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Lesley, can you give us more information? Is it that Ozzie has difficulty absorbing and/or utilizing enough fat from his diet?
Is he not getting enough essential fatty acids?

[lesley emery]

yes that sounds about right,it's taken ages for me to get to the bottom of this.He will have to go on a low fat diet,as he can't absorb fat,poor baby he hates dry food,so I'm trailing the internet to find wet food.I cook him turkey and rice at the moment,he has to take Lomitol twice a day,seems no end to his problems.Ozzie is really lively and ready to play,but he has lost 1kg and thats not good.I can't sleep with the worry.Just wondered if anyone else has come accross this in their doodles.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Just curious, what food were you feeding before?
I think we will be able to find a good food for you....

[lesley emery]

I feed ozzie on Wainwrights turkey and rice.also I cook extra turkey myself.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Ally, I think Lesley is in the UK. Most of the foods we are familiar with are not available over there. That doesn't mean we can't help analyze the foods that are available, though.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I think the nutrition experts should take over!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Me too.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

That would be YOU, Karen. Our resident nutrition expert!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Not a vet or a diagnostician though. This is way out of my scope. :(

[Natasha]

Just curious - did your vet give you more details? Like pancreatic insufficiency or an issue with lipase or bile salts?

This is so unusual and interesting and I feel for you - how difficult it must be to find a food!

I know people with Crohns disease and Cystic Fibrosis sometimes have a problem with fat absorption. Many with this issue are given Creon, the brand name used for Pancreatin, which is a digestive enzyme. So, I guess the doctors are supplementing missing enzymes (there are others, I think, that they give depending upon the person's specific problem) so that the person can resume processing fats.

On the other side, people with Celiac disease sometimes have this issue because the lining in the intestines that is supposed to process nutrients/minerals/fats gets damaged by the person's reaction to gluten. I don't know what they do for that - maybe it corrects itself after gluten is removed from the diet?

Anyway - I only ask because I'm curious if the root of the problem has any solutions that might lessen or alleviate the issue. For instance, if Ozzie was gluten intolerant (can a dog be this?), would removing gluten from his diet ultimately set his system right so that you could feed a high protein diet and your dog would be able to absorb the fat?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I was thinking along the same lines regarding a high carbohydrate/starch content in the food being partly to blame. There is more work on the part of the pancreas when a dog food contains grains or high starch content.
The enzyme necessary for carbohydrate digestion is not present in a dog's saliva as it is in humans, and must be secreted by the pancreas.
But I don't have any idea if this is related to Ozzie's problem. Lots and lots of dogs are doing just fine on diets that contain healthy grains and starches.

[Adina P]

I'm curious too. I have heard of one other doodle with a fat absorption issue (in the last week or two, actually!) and I believe he was given some enzymes and that seems to be taking care of the issue. We, humans, may start starch digestion in our mouths, but it also continues in the lower intestines with pancreatic enzymes there too.

I keep starting to write more and then realize I'm speculating and it's not even an issue for a nutritionist to solve. I'm curious though.