Quote:
Originally Posted by Woogie Man  While a hypoglycemic episode can be a sign of a health issue, most are the result of a pup not eating well enough, playing too hard or a combination of the two. It can happen to any pup, whether they are the smallest or largest.
At this stage (7 weeks), the pups are just about weaned and are eating on their own. Sometimes, in a litter environment, one pup may gobble the food and another slower eater may not get enough. Or it can be that one is a picky eater and just doesn't eat well even though the food is available.
The breeder needs to make sure all pups are eating and not just putting the food down for them. Also, they need their rest. I strictly limit playtime out with young pups and stretch out the time as they get older.
At least the breeder was honest with you about the episode. So many just wouldn't mention it. She does need to keep an eagle eye on them as the weaning stage is a vulnerable time for pups. Also, a pup doesn't fully recover from an episode for a few days so should be closely monitored.
If this is a pup you're interested in, just keep the lines of communication open. I would think twice about the pup if there's another episode. If there's no further episodes and she's able to tolerate a fairly high protein food with no ill effects and has no reactions to vaccinations, chances are the pup will be fine.
One of the big things to worry about is liver function and failure to thrive and repeated hypoglycemic episodes are indicative of liver problems. There's no way to tell for sure until the pup is about 5 months old as the tests are not reliable until the pup's organs have fully developed.
Bottom line, a hypo episode can be just that... an isolated episode and nothing more. Just make sure you're dealing with someone that will stand behind the health of the pups and that you clearly understand the health guarantee before purchasing. |
Thank you. This was very helpful. This particular pup is the largest of the litter. The breeder was very honest with me about everything & has been emailing me back and forth the entire time even though I haven't even chosen a puppy to purchase yet. This is the pup that I am most interested in, though, b/c she is the largest one of the litter. The other two are quite small and could possibly not make it to 3-3.5 lbs...much too small for me. I still plan to visit even if the pup is still being monitored by the vet and not available for me to see. I think it will be beneficial for me to meet the breeder and the other pups even if I decide not to take any of her current pups. It's very hard to be patient, but I want to be sure to get the right puppy for our family.
Thank you to all who took the time to respond. It's been very helpful. The last update was that the puppy was doing better at the vets, but still would not eat so she is still weak & still has low blood sugar. Is this typical of a hypoglycemic attack at this age? BTW, the pup is staying the night with the vet for monitoring.