Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar, and is a health problem that affects many toy breeds of puppies between 5 and 16 weeks of age, especially extremely tiny or teacups and all owners must be on the lookout for it. Hypoglycemia is recognized by a healthy puppy suddenly becoming weak, listless, depressed, unaware of its surroundings, and even unable to stand or walk. Advanced stages include seizures before lapsing into a coma, which is sometimes followed by death.
If your puppy becomes hypoglycemic, it is very important that you react IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!
Give the puppy Nutro Cal, honey or Karo syrup. Administer the honey or syrup with an
eyedropper or if the puppy is too weak to take it, put it on your finger and rub it on the roof of its mouth. If necessary, pry its mouth open. Regardless of how you do it, make the puppy take the honey or syrup. ITS LIFE DEPENDS ON IT !!!! Nutro Cal is a fast acting high calorie supplement and may be given off of your finger. Keep the puppy warm at all times and rub the puppy very easy, moving the head from side to side slowly rotating it, also move the arms and legs so the puppy will not get stiff. It may be necessary to give the puppy a couple of doses of honey or Nutro Cal to bring it back. If the puppy does not respond,
CONTACT THE BREEDER OR GET IT TO A VET IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!
Hypoglycemia can occur without warning if a puppy is placed in a new home, misses a meal or is otherwise stressed.
COMPLICATING FACTORS
Sometimes there is more to hypoglycemia than just low blood sugar. While being extra small and extra young is enough to drop one’s blood sugar, sometimes there is more to the story.
Bacterial infection
Bacteria can be tremendous consumers of glucose (blood sugar). For this reason, hypoglycemic puppies frequently are given antibiotics.
Portosystemic (Liver) shunt
This is a problem the Yorkshire terrier in particular. In this congenital malformation of the liver circulation, blood travels from the GI tract to the general circulation by-passing the liver. The liver does not develop properly and has abnormal function. One of the liver’s functions is to maintain the body’s blood sugar level. An abnormal liver leads to low blood sugar. This condition can frequently be cured with surgery. A liver function blood test is an easy way to rule this condition out as a complicating factor.
Parasitism/Diarrhea/Stress
Stress from any cause increases the body’s demand for sugar. This is why it is especially important to insure the general health of the toy breed puppy. When stressors are present, maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is all the more difficult.
When your puppy comes home again after a hypoglycemic episode, it is important to watch food intake and be aware of any changes in energy level. As the puppy gets bigger, risk factors diminish. Teeth get stronger, body fat stores develop, and the immune system matures. Eventually, hypoglycemia risks become minimal and the puppy can continue life as any other puppy, playing, chewing things up, and learning the behavior control necessary to be a good house pet.
