Hypoglycemia
If you are going to become a toy dog owner you will want to familiarize yourself to the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is often seen in young toy puppies, and most of the time the symptoms can be controlled by eating, or by giving some glucose such as honey water to the puppy. Glucose is what the body uses as fuel and is necessary for the brain tissue and muscles to function. Hypoglycemia is when the blood sugar levels (glucose) fall well below normal. It can cause your puppy to become confused, disoriented, drowsy, have the shivers, stagger about, collapse, fall into a coma, or have seizures. Episodes of hypoglycemia often occur without warning. A puppy may be stressed by shipping, or a missed meal, being chilled, or even exhaustion from too much play. Because of their tiny size, toy puppies cannot eat a lot at one time, and literally run out of fuel quickly. Puppies should be fed several times a day a high quality diet. Most puppies will outgrow the problem. Some very tiny dogs will continue to have bouts of hypoglycemia throughout their life. If your puppy experiences episodes of hypoglycemia it is important to restore the blood levels of glucose as quickly as possible. Call me if your puppy is exhibiting any of these symptoms, 308-991-3134.
Typical symptoms:
Weakness
Listlessness
Depression
Staggering Gait
Tremors
If your puppy is conscious, give him/her a little White Karo Syrup, or Honey under its tongue, or rubbed on its gums. Do NOT pour into the mouth as the puppy could easily choke. You can also mix honey, or corn syrup with pedialite, stir to dissolve, and dribble it into the puppy's mouth. Nutri-Cal also works extremely well in an emergency. The puppy should begin to improve within about ten minutes, if not contact your vet as quickly as you can.