Hypoglycemia

This is a central nervous system disorder caused by low blood sugar. It occurs mainly in smaller breeds and around the weeks of 6 – 14. Often it is precipitated by stress, excitement or over-exertion.

The first signs are: listlessness, depression, muscular weakness, tremors and eventually convulsions. The entire sequence of symptoms is not always witnessed. The animal may simply appear depressed, weak, wobble, jerky or may be found in a coma, in which case death may be imminent.

Hypoglycemia can occur with out warning when:

·        An animal is placed in a new home

·        After missing a meal

·        If the animal gets chilled

·        Becomes exhausted from too much playing

·        Or has digestive upset, such as after switching foods

These triggers place added stress/strain on the energy reserves of the liver and bring on symptoms.

Treatment: Treatment should be started right away to help restore the glucose (sugar) levels in the puppies system.  If not treated right away the animal has a chance of prolonged and or repeated attacks that can lead to permanent damage to the brain and nervous systems.

1.)              If your puppy is conscious, place a large pea sized dollop of NutriStat (a high sugar/calorie supplement made especially for animals) or Light Karo Syrup directly into the puppy’s mouth.

2.)              Call your veterinarian immediately if the puppy seems unresponsive or is not conscious when found.

Prevention: Fortunately, hypoglycemia is extremely easy to prevent.

·        Make sure your puppy is fully weaned before taking him home. Larger puppies should be at least 6 weeks old and smaller puppies should be at least 8-10 weeks old (sometimes older) before being taken away from their mother.

·        Feed your puppy a high quality dry food such a Precise Puppy Formula or Natural Balance Ultra Premium.

·        Mix a small amount of high quality caned food (like Precise Puppy caned formula) with the dry food for a few weeks. It is not usually necessary to feed exclusively caned food.

·        If you have a puppy that is highly susceptible to hypoglycemia, you may find it helpful to mix a teaspoon of NutriCal or Karo syrup into their food or water to ensure they are getting enough calories. NutriCal should also be given as a treat a few times a day for at risk animals.As always, we are here to help! If you have any concerns about your puppy, please don’t hesitate to call us!