Hypoglycemia

 

When adding a new addition to your family, there is something every responsible dog or puppy owner should know about…Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is very dangerous life threatening and possibly fatal condition if not caught on time. Taking just a few minutes though, to read this page could help save your puppies life.

 

What is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, is an abnormally low amount of glucose in the blood stream. This occurs in your puppy when the blood glucose level drops too low to provide enough energy for the body’s activities.  In smaller puppies, hypoglycemia is not uncommon because they use tremendous amounts of energy playing, sometimes more than they take in with food. It is very important to make sure that your puppy always has adequate amounts of carbohydrate rich foods available that help energize the body. 

 

Keep in mind that contributing factors are: meals that are too small, meals that are delayed or skipped, growth spurts that stress the body, vaccinations, low room temperatures and drafts, or too long of play periods. Hypoglycemia will occur when too much energy is used and not enough energy is replaced. 

 

Please note the smaller your puppy, the less time you will have to save his or her life!

 

 

 

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?

In the beginning stages of Hypoglycemia the symptoms are:

-         tiredness

-         instability

-         dehydration

-         pale gums

 

As the stages begin to progress the symptoms seen are:

-         trembling

-         inability to stand or sit up at all

-         stiffness in legs

-         extremely pale gums, usually white with  grayish tin

-         slight convulsions

-         difficulty breathing/wheezing

 

At the most extreme stage of hypoglycemia the symptoms are:

-         focused pupils

-         unresponsive to anything

-         difficulty swallowing

-         complete limpness

 

How do I treat hypoglycemia?

 

If your puppy is in the beginning stages of hypoglycemia here is what you do:

-         immediately give puppy about 3cc of Nutrical, (place on your finger and into the puppies mouth preferably the roof of the mouth - don’t worry about giving them too much)

-         if you don’t have Nutrical you can use: Karo syrup, peanut butter, and in desperate times just about anything with sugar

-         Caution:  DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE!!! (or anything containing caffeine)

-         Pedialyte is a good product to have on hand for essential electrolytes that your puppy may need during a hypoglycemic attack.

 

 

 

How can I prevent hypoglycemia?

          Hypoglycemia is an all too common problem in puppies and little dogs.  Fortunately it is easily preventable. Here are some simple steps you can take to prevent hypoglycemia from happening:

-         make sure your puppy always has access to water

-         make sure your puppy is eating the food you put down (if your not sure count the pieces or weigh the food before and after he/she eats)

-         soft food at least twice a day for puppies under six months (consult vet or breeder for exact amounts)

-         always check to see that gums are a rich pink color

-         Nutrical puppy before going to bed and right after waking up

 

Please feel free to contact us for more information on Hypoglycemia – If you are in a medical crisis please contact your local veterinarian or emergency center.