FAQ's
***Hypoglycemia awareness & acknowledgment***
The buyer is responsiable on educating them selves on hypoglycemia.
Buyer needs to be fully aware of signs and symptoms of Hypoglycemia.
Attached is an Information to help the buyer fully understand Hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia...Can be..But Need Not Be..A life threatening, even fatal condition & often
happens in the smaller toy breeds.† Kimberli
One of the most serious side effects of too much insulin is hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose [low blood
sugar]. Hypoglycemia can be - but need not be - a life-threatening, even fatal condition and often happens in the smaller toy breeds.
How does Hypoglycemia happen? Hypoglycemia is usually stress
related.
Puppy Stress: Moving to a new home, being alone for long periods of time [vs. with litter mates], rough play
with children and older pets; excessive exercise; food changes or not enough food to eat; etc. Hypoglycemia need not be life threatening, however when your pup does not receive enough TLC and monitoring from you, it well can!
Signs of Hypoglycemia: The occurrence of signs depends on how far the blood sugar level drops and
how far into the episode the puppy has progressed.
lethargy (lack of energy) ~~~~~~ weakness ~~~~~ head tilting ~~~~~ unbalanced wobbling
when walking ~~~~~ excessive hunger or refusal to eat ~~~~~ restlessness, whimpering and high pitched whining or moaning ~~~~~ shivering and uncontrollable trembling ~~~~~ disorientation ~~~~~ stupor ~~~~~ convulsions or seizures ~~~~~ coma ~~~~~ death
What can I do during an episode? During a hypoglycemic attack, your goal is to stay calm, bring
the blood glucose back to a safe level, continue to observe your pet, and contact the vet.
If your pet is acting strangely, displaying one or several of the above symptoms, you should assume it is due to
hypoglycemia and treat it accordingly. This is a situation where it is better to be safe than sorry. If your
pet is not hypoglycemic, your treatment may have raised the blood glucose for a few hours. If your pet was
hypoglycemic, you may have just saved its life.
If you own a Toy pup, always have corn syrup or honey available.
Corn syrup works well because it is a very pure sugar, and it is liquid. In the U.S. "Karo" is a brand name of
corn syrup and you'll often see this word used. If Karo is not available, pancake syrup, honey, or table sugar
dissolved in some water will also work. Wherever your pet is, there should be an emergency supply of sugar.
GreeneGardens recommends honey or nutri-cal, a nutritional supplement as a daily treat until the pup is
app. 10-12 weeks old, and then as needed during major changes or stressful situations [moving, vet visits,
grooming, playing with the grand children...]. Half a teaspoon of honey, once or twice a day, will go a long
way in prevention!
Mild hypoglycemia: If your pet's bg is only slightly low or if it is showing only mild signs of hypoglycemia,
you can often treat it by immediately feeding the pet some of its regular food. The blood glucose raising effects
of the food may be enough to counteract the hypoglycemia. If your pet refuses its regular food, try offering a
food it really enjoys or some treats. Any food is probably ok in this situation. Your main concern is to get the
blood glucose up and to eliminate the signs of hypoglycemia. You need to observe your pet for several hours to
make sure the hypoglycemia does not happen again. Also give plenty of fluids to drink, hypoglycemic dogs are usually dehydrated. Let the pup rest. Most likely it will want to snuggle close to you!
Moderate hypoglycemia:Nutri-Cal, Nutri-Stat Corn syrup or honey should be given, either alone, or combined with food. Syrup can be mixed in with wet food or drizzled over dry food. The syrup will help bring the bg up quickly, and the food will help keep the bg elevated for a longer period of time. Small dogs should be given about 1-2 tablespoons, or larger dogs should get 0.25-0.5 ml per pound of body weight. Give plenty of fluids to drink, hypoglycemic dogs are usually dehydrated. Again - the pup will require undisturbed rest!
You need to observe your pet for several hours to make sure the hypoglycemia does not happen again. The
blood glucose raising effects of the syrup will last only for a short time. If the insulin is long lasting or if the hypoglycemia is severe, the effects of the syrup will wear off and your pup may become hypoglycemic again. Continue observing your pet, and give syrup or syrup and food as needed.
Severe hypoglycemia: If your pet is severely hypoglycemic, especially if it is having seizures or unconscious,
you must give corn syrup immediately. Carefully rub small amounts of syrup on the cheeks and gums. Do not
put a lot of liquid in the pet's mouth, and be sure the pet does not choke. Do not stick your fingers inside the
teeth of a seizuring pet - you may get bitten. Then, call the vet. If you can not contact your vet, call any vet
- and get additional instructions. Your pet will probably have to go to the vet immediately.
Follow up: Whenever a pet has a moderate to severe hypoglycemic attack, you should contact your
veterinarian. Especially after a severe attack the possibility of a repeat episode is strong!
Repeated episodes can cause brain damage.
How do I prevent Hypoglycemia?You must monitor the food intake of your baby. Toy Breeds have high metabolisms & small stomaches they need to have food + water available "Free Choice" which means all the time!!! You can start feeding individual meals once your pup is past the 3lb or the 3 month level, whichever comes last. Reduce and monitor rowdy playtime with children and other pets. This includes excessive exercise that overtaxes your baby. Don't expect too much from your puppy - it is still a baby! Undisturbed sleeping time and sufficient rest, with short interactions of tlc from you are a must. Within a few short weeks the attention span and waking periods of your little one are getting longer.
If in doubt about your pup having a hypoclycemic episode - call me or call your vet!
Get some sugar going and keep a close eye on the little one. Hypoclycemia does not have to be lethal - if you are careful.