Signs Of Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level, causing a "sugar attack." When levels of glucose in the blood drop rapidly, the dog's body and brain are deprived of essential nutrients. The results of hypoglycemia can be weakness, seizures, coma, and in severe cases, death.
Because Chihuahuas are so small, they can be prone to hypoglycemia, especially when they are very young. Hypoglycemia is usually caused by stress, change of environment, illness, lack of food, or by using up stored energy without it being replenished.
It is important to make sure that young puppies and very tiny Chihuahua eat regularly throughout the day. Another preventative for hypoglycemia is regular feeling of a high calorie supplement called Nutri-Cal, available at local pet stores or through your vet.
Symptoms to look for include vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness, pale to white gums, staggering gait, and refusal to eat. If the dog does not receive treatment for this, the "sugar attack" can progress into the more serious stages of this condition. Behavior such as inability to hold down food and diarrhea can become progressively worse to the point of seizures, complete unresponsiveness, and even death.
Prevention Hypoglycemia can be done by giving your puppy Nutri-Cal three to four times daily. I find that giving the Nutr-Cal 10 minutes before offering a meal entices the puppies to eat. You may also add a small amount of Karo Syrup to his/her drinking water on a daily basis. Treating Hypoglycemia can be a little more difficult. The first thing I would recommend is rubbing some Karo Syrup (NOT DIET SYRUP) on the gums and tongue of your puppy. Once your puppy begins to show interest in his/her food again, I would increase his/her meals to six small meals throughout the day. Hypoglycemia tends to fade off by the time your puppy reaches six months of age.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of your Veterinarian. If you suspect your puppy has become Hypoglycemia, I always recommend seeking medical attention immediately. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me anytime at (616) 754-4020.
I have read and understand what to do in the case that my puppy develops Hypoglycemia. I agree to provide Veterinary care for my puppy if he/she shows any of the symptoms above. I will NOT hold Gt Chihuahuas responsible in the case that my puppy develops Hypoglycemia.
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ATTENTION: Some important information about chihuahuas & some common questions you may have: "Hypoglycemia"
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can be life threatening to a chihuahua, and many other tiny breeds. A chihuahua has a
tiny liver, so they can not store very much sugar, the tinier the chihuahua, the smaller the liver, so normally the extra tiny
babies will take extra care & attention. If the blood sugar starts getting low, you may notice your dog/puppy not showing
interest in food, being less active, stumbling around, and in later stages may go into seizures and/or coma, and die. It is
important that you know what to do if your chihuahua goes into sugar shock. First of all, don't panic, and rush your dog
to the vet, unless you feel absolutely necessary. The best way to treat sugar shock is to get some corn syrup, or nutri-cal
and feed a small amount to the puppy/dog. In the later stages of sugar shock, I highly recommend corn syrup, as it's more
likely to run down their throat & act quicker to get their blood sugars back up. It is also important to get them on a heating
pad, because they can lose a lot of heat and this can make things worse.
To help prevent this from ever happening, you can give your chihuahua nutri-cal every day, maybe a teaspoon a day,
several times a day. It is also important to minimumize the amount of stress you put on your new baby. This can be done
by not taking them to pet stores, friends, and getting them in loud, scarey situations. Chihuahuas need a lot of rest as
babies, and shouldn't be made to play if they are tired. It is also important to make sure they are getting plenty of food
and water. Chihuahuas can be notorious for being picky, so if they don't seem to be eating well, please try mixing their
food with canned food, or boiled chicken breast. If your puppy gets a loose stool for more then 24 hours, it should be
taken to the vet to be sure everything is well. Thank you for reading!