I've been working with Chihuahua puppies for over 2 decades, and during my work, I've accumulated a vast amount of experience with different dog related problems, so I feel qualified to give my advice in the area of low blood sugar. It's not a common problem I deal with as healthy dogs eat.
What Causes Hypoglycemia in Puppies and Dogs?
There are a few factors that can cause hypoglycemia, and I'll go over each of them. Most of them contribute to hindering a puppy's appetite, which is the main cause.
Stress - Stress is a major problem because a stressful puppy may choose not to eat. This is usually brought on when a puppy enters a new home or new environment of some kind for the first time. The unfamiliarity can make them anxious, or nervous, and so they get the urge not to eat, leading to low blood sugar.
Illness - My Chihuahua puppies for sale are healthy and strong. While that's mostly due to the high standards I have for the care of my dogs.
Please do not buy puppies from Petshops or online Brokers as pups come from Puppymills. As a result poor living conditions such irresponsible breeders often produce sickly puppies that are more prone to receiving hypoglycemia.
Hypothermia - A puppy can become hypothermic if their body temperature is lowered from not eating , illness or chilling. This has potential to happen during winter time, where the temperature inside your home can become dangerously low for a puppy without a heating pad. A cold puppy will start to shiver in an attempt to get warm, rapidly burning through calories. In time, the body temperature will lower, sugar levels drop, and hypoglycemia sets in. So keep your puppy warm!
Hypoglycemia - Does the Size of a Dog Matter?
The size of a dog DOES play a role on the risk of getting low blood sugar more often. Let's look at a few reasons to better understand why that is. Big or small, all puppies need to eat to stay healthy. Eating actually prevents hypoglycemia, so if a puppy stops eating, they run the risk of having low blood sugar. The only difference between a bigger dog and a smaller dog is that the bigger dog has more stores of fat which means larger puppies are able to endure longer being off food than a smaller pup.
How Do I Treat Hypoglycemia in Dogs and Puppies?.
Typically, if a puppy is not eating, immediate steps must be taken to try and alleviate the problem as quickly as possible . If the puppy is shaking, semi conscious, unable to walk then get to vet right away as emergency,
Here's what you can do during the early signs of a puppy not eating:
1. Tempt the puppy with Gerber Baby Meatsticks or similar foods and get to get them to eat one. Try this multiple times throughout the day.
2. Force Nutrical into them 3 times a day; morning, midday, and night.
3. Using a dropper, squeeze Esbilac Puppy Milk or Goat's Milk into their mouths slowly a few times a day.
4. If the above steps don't work and the puppy doesn’t eat, then they need to be taken to a veterinarian.
During an Emergency Hypoglycemia Situation:1. Give a few drops Karo Syrup (clear color), honey, maple syrup or cane sugar melted with a few drops of water, for small breeds, while you race off to the Veterinarian, asap.
