Puppy Hypoglycemia
It is very important that you are aware of the signs of Hypoglycemia and how to prevent it.
Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is a condition where the blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level. It usually occurs in puppies 8 to 16 weeks of age. Due to their tiny size, Teacup puppies are predisposed to hypoglycemia because of insufficient muscle mass. This makes it difficult for their tiny bodies to store glucose and regulate blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia in tiny puppies is usually due to a lack of food and using up all stored energy. Missing a meal, getting chilled, stress, too much activity, change of routine or food, can all trigger hypoglycemia. Most Yorkies will have out grown this by 5 to 6 months of age. Hypoglycemia is very serious and can be fatal. The good news is it is totally preventable.
I strongly suggest feeding and keeping on hand Forti-Cal, Nutri-Cal, Nutri-Stat, or a similar dietary supplement for the first 6 months of age. It is available from Chewy.com and most pet stores. I recommend using this a few times a day for at least the first 4 months. Just squeeze a pea size ball on your finger and let your puppy lick it up or place it directly in her mouth. Do this especially after exercise, during high stress times, right before bed, and first thing in the morning. ALWAYS take a tube with you when you are away visiting friends or traveling with your puppy. Even if you are only away a few hours, this can be stressful, causing them to not eat well and to burn more calories than they typically would and trigger hypoglycemia.
Make sure your baby is eating at least 3 or 4 times a day. Just because your tiny baby has a bowl of food does not mean she is eating. It is not uncommon for your new baby to forget where her food is or become too busy and forget to eat. For this reason only put a small amount of food out at a time, so you can tell if she is eating. If you have other pets such as dogs or cats (cats can be sneaky about this), PLEASE be sure they are not eating the puppy’s food. Always be sure food is fresh and clean. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Make sure your baby stays warm and dry. Getting chilled and shivering will burn huge amounts of calories. Tiny babies should be kept in at least 72 to 75 degrees environment or provided a heating pad or heated disc for added warmth. Make sure your baby gets plenty of rest. We know you are excited to have a new furry friend but please remember she is still a baby and needs a lot of rest in a quiet, WARM bed. If your house is cool you might want to get a microwavable puppy warmer disc or heating pad.
Signs of hypoglycemia are acting lethargic, staring into space, listlessness, acting as if they are drunk, pale/white/gray gums, staggering, or having trouble getting up. If your dog is laying on their side and being unresponsive, this is an EMERGENCY and your puppy MUST be given some type of sugar immediately. Forti-Cal or similar supplements are perfect for this type of emergency, if you don’t have any available you can use honey, pancake syrup, or even jelly to get her blood sugar back up. If your puppy is not responding or eating on their own, rub it on their gums and tongue. If they do not respond in 5 or 10 minutes, repeat and CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN.
Changing your puppy’s food can cause diarrhea, resulting in hypoglycemia. Keep your puppy on the food you were given, Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul and Nu-Vet vitamins. If you feel you need to change their food, do it gradually and ONLY feed a high quality puppy food. Cheap corn based food or canned food are not good for your puppy and will upset her system. Be careful with treats and snacks, only feed your baby high quality American made treats, and never more than 10% of their food. Remember your Yorkie is very tiny and their treats should be tiny too. If your puppy is not eating well or having problems with hypoglycemia you can soak their food in a little warm water and/or add a small amount of powdered puppy formula. This is available at Walmart in the pet food isle and most pet stores. Do NOT ever give your puppy cow’s milk, fresh, powdered or canned.
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