Hypoglycemia
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Hypoglycemia primarily occurs in teacup breeds between 6 to 16 weeks of age. Hypoglycemia, also occasionally referred to in simple terms as ‘low blood sugar’ in teacup puppies can be a particularly debilitating, and even fatal when it is not immediately treated properly. Hypoglycemia is a very common occurrence within teacup puppies (especially if you don’t know how to properly take care of this size) so it is essential for anyone who is considering purchasing a teacup breed to educate themselves about the early warning signs of hypoglycemia, and what they can do if they notice that their puppy is experiencing an episode.
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What is Hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a serious side effect that can be caused by the production of excess insulin within the body. Low blood sugar is usually caused by an imbalance in the calorie intake of your puppy, and there are three reasons why your puppy could be suffering from low blood sugar.
1. If your puppy is not eating sufficiently, they will not be getting enough of the nutrition that they need to remain healthy. Or if your feeding your teacup puppy a cheap low quality puppy food then your just asking for a hypoglycemia attack and poor health for your puppy. Teacup puppies REQUIRE a high caliber diet.
2. High emotions and stress can cause low blood sugar. (such as excitement or fear of leaving the breeders and moving into a new home with a new family etc..) Stress can be caused by both positive and negative aspects. For example, although your puppy may be delighted to play with you for hours on end, this will not mean that they cannot crash later on.
3. If your puppy does not get enough rest, sleep, and regular naps, then it can begin to suffer from low blood sugar
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Warnings to look out for
The primary signs of hypoglycemia within a puppy include:
When you look at a puppy in hypoglycemia (in the early phases) there is something about them that just doesn’t look or act “right” to you but sometimes you can’t put your finger on it. The puppy might start to act dumpy, sluggish, look sad with their head down, or sometimes their head can start to do a slow bobble. They just aren’t acting “themselves.” Most of the time they don’t want to walk because they are unstable and stagger. They can actually fall over and not be able to get back up due to weakness. Their gums can appear white or pale and they can lock their jaw. Most of the time they have a disoriented look to their face when your talking to them or they can even become completely unresponsive. When they get into the more severe stages, hypoglycemia drops their body temperature so they are cool or cold to touch. They can become completely limp and even look and feel dead when they are not. It’s common for puppies in a hypoglycemia attack to have tremors (where they just shake and tremble) or seizures (where their body stiffens, arches and then spasms and is very difficult for the owners to watch), comas and even death.
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What Brings on Hypoglycemia?
Typically, hypoglycemia can occur as a result of low quality diet, not eating as frequently as they should, sudden change in food schedules, low body temperature, stress, sickness or excessive exercise. However, in adult dogs, low blood sugar can be aside effect of pancreatic tumors, hormone imbalance, sepsis, pregnancy complications, liver disease and Addison’s disease.
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Risks of hypoglycemia
The risks vary based on the extent and severity of the reduction in blood sugar. If it is due to shortage of food or overexertion, it can be quickly fixed. However, if there is a more serious underlying cause, hypoglycemia in teacup puppies may be chronic and life threatening.
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Causes of hypoglycemia
- Stress
. - Overhandling
. - Changes in diet
. - Not enough rest
. - Left alone too long (you leave them and they are fine. You come back home and find them crashing)
. - Not eating enough (teacups can be picky eaters and if they don’t eat enough throughout the day, you can be in and out of the hospital a lot with reoccurring hypoglycemia attacks)
. - Inadequate nutrition (All teacups should be eating a 4-5 star rated food, holistic and grain free.)
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Treating hypoglycemic
If your puppy is exhibiting symptoms of hypoglycemia, you must act quickly to restore the blood sugar level once it drops. Rub corn syrup or honey on the tongue and gums to restore glucose levels, this is a temporary fix to give you enough time to get them to the vets before they go into a serious crash.
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Preventing hypoglycemia
It is simpler to prevent than treat hypoglycemia. Always make sure your teacup puppy eats every four to five hours, even if only a small amount that you have to hand feed. Simply having food accessible is not always reliable. You must monitor new teacup puppies very carefully for the first few days until they adjust to their new surrounding. It is critical that they eat and drink every few hours.
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Disclaimer: We are NOT licensed vets. DO NOT try to diagnose or treat animals based off this or any other information you find on the internet. This page is just basic information to help bring awareness to different health issues that are common in pets. If you pet is having any kind of medical issues, please seek professional treatment from a licensed vet who is trained and set up to handle such matters.
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