Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a disorder that occurs mainly in small breed puppies between six and sixteen weeks of age. It often occurs without warning and can appear after the puppy misses a meal, gets cold, becomes exhausted from playing, not enough rest, etc.
It is important to understand that hypoglycemia can be life-threatening if not addressed promptly.
Imagine your puppy’s blood sugar level like a battery.
Your puppy’s battery is charging when the puppy eats, rests, and takes plenty of naps. If your puppy is awake, plays, or if your puppy is cold, the battery gets drained, and the blood sugar will eventually drop if not re-charged.
When the blood sugar level gets too low, your puppy will become sleepy, the gums will get pale, the puppy won’t be interested in food, or toys because it feels weak. If you do not catch that problem in time, it will get worse. The puppy will get very lethargic, it is unable to get up, and can get cramps or seizures. If your puppy goes to bed with low blood sugar, and you don’t do anything about it, it might not be alive the next morning. Here at RMBT, we get up at throughout the night to feed very small 8 weeks old weaning puppies, to prevent hypoglycemia.
Recognizing the signs of hypoglycemia early can make a significant difference in your puppy’s health.
Hypoglycemia is a dangerous threat to young Biewer Terrier puppies!
Many owners are unaware of the symptoms of hypoglycemia and how to respond effectively.
Watch for your puppy to become tired or droopy. The puppy may appear sad, weak, wobbly, or jerky. In an advanced case of low blood sugar, the puppy could be unresponsive, in a coma, cramp, or seizure. If your puppy has any symptoms of hypoglycemia you must act fast! If the puppy is awake, give it 2 cc of Dextrose and 1 cc of Nutri-Cal by mouth.
(2 cc is the same as 2 ml)
If your puppy is too weak to get up, you need to be very careful when administering dextrose to make sure it can still swallow the liquid. The puppy needs to be kept warm and you should see signs of improvement in 10-15 minutes. Once your puppy is up on its feet again you need to hand feed it.
If no improvement, then call your veterinarian. If your puppy is unconscious you need to take it to the ER right away.
Prevent Hypoglycemia from happening!
Help your puppy to get enough rest and allow only 30 minutes of play at a time, followed by rest or sleep. In addition, supervise your puppy closely with children to make sure it is getting enough rest. Make sure your puppy is not cold and if needed adjust the temperature in a certain room of your house for the puppy. Our puppies are used to 72-80 degrees.
Above all, you can prevent low blood sugar by feeding the cooked meals with shredded, unseasoned chicken breast. The puppies also love baked chicken thighs, small amounts of scrambled egg, low-fat cottage cheese, lean ground beef/turkey, or a cooked lean steak, sliced very thin.
Low blood sugar can come with the excitement and stress of going to a new home. Make sure that your puppy eats at least every six hours and more often if it is very small. In addition to the cooked meals, keep dry food and water available at all times.
Low Blood Sugar Emergency Kit
If you reserved a puppy that is unusually small, we recommend having Dextrose, some jars of Gerber Baby Food “Chicken & Gravy” and 1 pack of “Baby Gerber Rice Cereal”, and 1 pack of 6 cc oral syringes available. However, you might never need those items but they can be a lifesaver in the event of Hypoglycemia and therefore we recommend having them on hand. An ER overnight vet bill for a puppy with low blood sugar will cost you at least $2000.
Click on the links below to order the recommended products directly on Amazon.
Being prepared for a hypoglycemia situation is crucial for the well-being of your puppy.
Dextrose 50% Solution
10-pack 6 cc oral syringes
10-pack Gerber Baby Food “Chicken & Gravy”
Baby Gerber Rice Cereal
If you are not sure if your puppy might be hypoglycemic, you can also contact us for detailed instructions on how to help your puppy with low blood sugar. Please text us at (970) 882-3299.
Please read this FAQ about what to do if your puppy doesn’t want to eat.
