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Old 08-13-2008, 07:19 AM   #1
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Default Hypoglycemic episode just scared me half to death

Oscar and I have been playing on the floor all morning, and all of a sudden he just lay down and closed his eyes. I picked him up and he was as limp as a rag doll and curled up on my lap and closed his eyes again ... his head was kind of doing that "bobble head" thing people have talked about in other threads. I put him on the ground and he couldn't quite keep his balance. He is extremely hyperactive, and this behavior definitely isn't normal for him.

I just syringed a little Karo syrup into his mouth and he seems to be back to normal. Can I safely assume he blood sugar was just a little low? He's a bigger puppy (almost 5 lbs at 4 months) and we haven't had any of these issues yet.

My hands are trembling so hard it's hard to type ... he scared the $%#@! out of me.
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:23 AM   #2
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It depends. How long ago did he eat? With his other recent issues, I'm not sure. Make sure he hydrates asap. Check his gums, make sure they're pink. Get him to eat if he hasn't. Hypoglycemia shouldn't *really* happen if he's eaten recently. If he has eaten recently, then it could be other things...
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:25 AM   #3
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Thats probably exactly what happened. These little guys are so active. Kayla will run and play until she drops. I always keep kayro syrup or entrical nearby. Sometimes for snacks I give them the little teddy bear graham crackers or maybe some apple. Kayla is a year old now and I still watch her close but when she was a baby I was scared too. Like you said it makes you nearly have a heartache when something happens, they are so little. I would just keep an eye on that baby but I bet thats what happened.
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:33 AM   #4
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He ate a couple hours ago and I just fed him again. He is playing again, although not with his usual energy and keeps lying down as if he were just exhausted. These dogs are just so small that the slightest sign of sickness sends me into a panic.

The only other thing that he's had in his mouth today is a piece of starter wood ... it's natural pine and hasn't been treated with any chemicals ... I caught him running around with it about 30 minutes ago and took it away from him.

He did jump when he was pottying about an hour ago, and I think a bug might have nipped him - I don't see any bite marks though.

Will I ever stop worrying so much? I'm going to keep an eye on him and if he doesn't get better soon, it's off to the vet again.

Thank you for your help and reassurance!
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Old 08-13-2008, 07:55 AM   #5
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Alright ... Oscar has resumed launching himself off the couch to dive bomb the poor cat. I think he's officially feeling better.

What a scare though ... what if he were to have a dip in blood sugar and I wasn't there to deal with it immediately?
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:29 AM   #6
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Bernie had a sugar low when he was really small, no where near the weight your baby is. I almost lost him. But fortunately, I knew what to do too. Believe me, I know how scared you must have been. It seems to me that with his weight where it is he should be able to store up enough energy for himself. I'd watch him close. It's possible in his case that it wasn't a low.
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:46 AM   #7
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What kind of blood work was done on this baby after the last scare, again? At 4 mths, he should be kinda growing out of these hypo episodes, even if he was vulnerable to them. I mean, it's not unheard of for them to be vulnerable a bit longer, but they usually stabilize at this age (if they don't, it's more often if they're tinies). Is his digestion really fast? How many times a day does he poo? Did they test his glucose?
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Old 08-13-2008, 09:51 AM   #8
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I'm sorry about poor Bernie! It is heartwrenching and terrifying seeing your dog obviously sick and suffering. I'm glad he made it.

When Oscar had his coccidia/giardia issues the vet didn't pull blood and just did a fecal exam, as he wasn't having any other issues. Would it be a good idea to go ahead and have a full blood panel done on him? If so, so should I do it ASAP? (We leave at the crack of dawn Friday to drive to PA and it takes 24 hours for my vet to get the results back).

He never had any low sugar episodes with the breeder nor has he had them with me ... so I am a bit worried it could be something else. My wishful thinking is that he was just really tired ... normally he takes an hour or two-long nap in the morning. He played really hard today and didn't get his nap. He is eating, drinking, pooping and peeing just fine, and is napping in his crate now.

Any ideas on what it could be if not hypoglycemia?
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Old 08-13-2008, 09:53 AM   #9
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Oope ... I forgot to add - he's pooping 3-4 times a day. His digestion is actually surprisingly slow ... he poops an hour to an hour and a half after he eats.
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:02 AM   #10
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you asked what would happen if you arent there. All I can say is if it is hypo....BE THERE!!!

Diggy had seizures from Hypo. I have lots of experiance with this and if you know for sure thats what it is...start lining up sitters. There are things you can do to help eliminatate hypo from occuring.

REDUCE STRESS
No car rides
do not cage
keep him warm
no sleeping in drafts or where he can get a chill
eat every 2 hours
lots of mini meals not 3 big meals
FREE FEED
Cheerios (complete life saver for me)

these are some of what i learned from multiple vets and rescues on this condition.

I agree with others tho maybe get blood work to find out what your dealing with for sure!

hope that helps!

Good news is Hypo is usually gone by 6 months old sooner in most cases.
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:06 AM   #11
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Thank you again for all the advice! I'm going to call the vet to see if I can get him in today for bloodwork. The uncertainty is driving me crazy.
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:11 AM   #12
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Default info i found

Yorkie Hypoglycemia - Yorkshire Terrier Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a common problem with all toy breed puppies including the yorkshire terrier. Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar, which is a condition in which there is a drastic, sudden drop in the level of blood sugar in the puppy. In small breed puppies from post-weaning to 4 month of age, the most common form of hypoglycemia is called Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia: “Transient” because the symptoms can be reversed by eating; "Juvenile" because it is seen in young puppies. Veterinarians unfamiliar with toys often mis-diagnose the condition as viral hepatitis or encephalitis. As a toy yorkie breeder or pet owner, it is important to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia and know how to treat it. Hypoglycemia is easily treatable in the early stages, but fatal if allowed to progress. Many puppies are lost needlessly to hypoglycemia because of ignorance on the part of their owner or veterinarian.


It is important to understand that just because a puppy has an episode of hypoglycemia, it does not mean that the puppy is truly "hypoglycemic." True hypoglycemia is a chronic condition caused by overproduction of insulin by the pancreas. Even though the pancreas may normally function properly, toy puppies can still have an isolated hypoglycemic incident in reaction to stress or fasting. Pups of any breed are more likely to develop hypoglycemia than adults, because their skeletal muscle mass and liver size are smaller and brain size, larger, in proportion to the rest of their body. Therefore, there is less glucose being put out into the blood and more being used by the brain, which is dependent upon adequate glucose in order to function. In small and toy breeds, this discrepancy is more pronounced. Even a brief period of fasting or stress in a toy breed puppy can trigger a hypoglycemic "attack. Yorkie puppies with Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia have normal liver size and function, but inadequate glucose precursors or glucose in its stored form (body fat). Hypoglycemic incidents are almost always preceded by a stress of some kind. Some examples of common stresses include: weaning, teething, vaccinations, a change in environment, shipping, over-handling, cold temperatures, intestinal parasites, infections, anorexia, etc. Many yorkie puppies simply play too hard and stress their system or forget to eat. I have heard of young males experiencing hypoglycemia when a female in heat is around. They become so worked up over the female that they do not eat and their blood sugar drops.



The first sign of hypoglycemia is the yorkshire terrier puppy slowing down and then acting listless. The puppy will then begin to tremble or shiver. This is a reaction caused as the brain is starved for glucose. More signs of an attack are a weakness, confusion, wobbly gait, frothing or drooling from the mouth - sometimes even a seizure and drain of blood from the head. His body will be limp, lifeless, and a check of the gums will show them to be pale, almost a grayish white in color rather than a healthy bright pink.. The body temperature will be subnormal. After a time, the puppy will become comatose and may even appear to be dead. The puppy can go into shock and, if not cared for properly and promptly, may even die.



If Yorkie hypoglycemia is caught in the early stages, rub Nutri-Cal (Caro syrup will do if you have no Nutri-Cal) on the puppy's gums, under the tongue, and on the roof of the mouth. Get a heating pad or heating blanket and slowly warm the puppy to proper body temperature. If the puppy responds, all is well. Feed a quality, canned food containing, high-carbohydrates and protein right away (you may want to mix it with egg yolk) and then monitor the puppy to be sure that the condition does not recur. Be sure to eliminate the stress that caused the episode if at all possible.



If Yorkie hypoglycemia is caught in the more advanced stages, rub Nutri-Cal or Caro in the mouth, and carefully insert a small amount in the rectum. Slowly warm the puppy to normal body temperature (101-102 degrees F) and keep him warm continuously with light heat. If the yorkie puppy still does not respond, carefully eye dropper dextrose solution or Caro water into the mouth, a little at a time only if the dog can swallow. Call your veterinarian immediately and inform him that you have a hypoglycemic yorkie puppy.
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:13 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LaPeque View Post
Thank you again for all the advice! I'm going to call the vet to see if I can get him in today for bloodwork. The uncertainty is driving me crazy.
I think your making a wise choice. With Diggy having had seizures from it and at the time i didnt know why I ran all the tests I could!

I also recommend a Bile Acid Test. I am a firm beliver in them and if anything they are a peace of mind tool. Not overly expensive but can rule out so much of the worry on your mind!
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:50 AM   #14
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What kind of food are you feeding and how often? What is the texture of his poo, if you don't mind me asking? I'm asking all of this bc, I'm thinking it may really be beneficial to add some fiber into his diet to slow his digestion a bit and stabilize his "sugars" - so he doesn't spike as much, for lack of better description. Adding a pinch of Benefiber to his meals may help with this. I'm just a bit concerned that you're suddenly seeing hypo events at this later age - so I think it's good that you're talking to your vet.
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Old 08-13-2008, 11:40 AM   #15
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We treated Murphy for Hypoglycemia with Karo until one time it didn't work and the vet did a bunch of tests. Come to find out he was having epileptic seizures. The vet put him on phenobarbital twice a day and only once in a while would one come on. Usually when he would get to excited or play too hard. He was on this for the last 5 years of his life.
It always scared me when he would have a seizure.
Good luck I know this is frightening...
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