What Is Hypoglycemia?

Your Chihuahua’s brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function properly. Hypoglycemia is a medical term for critically low levels of sugar in the blood. Did you know that Chihuahuas are especially prone to hypoglycemia?

What Causes Low Blood Sugar?

Hypoglycemia may be caused by blood loss or other medical conditions. The most common cause is the side effects of drugs that are being used to treat diabetes. However, it can be a genetic condition in some small breed dogs and Chihuahuas are at the top of the list.

Other Causes:

• Liver Shunt
• Stress
• Chronic diarrhea
• Bacterial infections
• Parasitic infections

How Do You Know If Your Chihuahua Has Low Blood Sugar?

I can tell you from experience that the symptoms can be very scary.  When I got my very first Chihuahua he was just 9 weeks old and very tiny. One day I noticed that he just didn’t look right. He looked glassy-eyed and seemed to be staring without seeing anything. I picked him up and he was very wobbly. When I put him on the floor he couldn’t walk. He would stagger, then fall over and he couldn’t stand back up.

Believe me, this was one of the most frightening experiences I had ever had as a dog owner. I knew that whatever it was, it was serious! I rushed him to our local animal hospital. They immediately took him in the back and when they brought him back out again he was perfectly fine and it was as if nothing had ever been wrong. They never told me exactly why this happened, only to feed him small amounts often to make sure his blood sugar level remained steady. Since this is a twenty-four-hour veterinary hospital, needless to say, it cost me a pretty penny.

Then when I got my second Chihuahua it happened two more times with two more trips to the local 24-hour animal hospital (why did this always happen when my vet’s office was closed?) and a huge bill. The next time it happened our regular vet’s office was open and we went there. My veterinarian, Dr. Gary Oehmke then told me what to do at home when it happened (keep reading). And what he told me could have saved me hundreds of dollars in vet bills the last three times it had happened.

Low Blood SugarSymptoms To Look For:

• Loss of appetite
• Increased hunger
• Blurred vision
• Disorientation and confusion
• Weakness, low energy, loss of consciousness
• Seizures (if left untreated)
• Anxiety
• Tremor or shivering
• Sudden collapse
• Extreme lethargy (not wanting to wake up from a nap)
• Excessive drooling or a “foaming at the mouth” appearance

In the small breed dogs, it happens more often when they are puppies. Puppy’s bodies are less able to control the blood sugar levels but usually outgrow it. It can, however, occur in adult dogs as well.

You Can Treat It At Home

If you notice any of the above symptoms you should IMMEDIATELY administer some sugar water or honey to your dog. It is a good idea to keep a syringe where you can get to it quickly. Fill the syringe with sugar water or honey and administer it orally.

I always keep Karo Syrup around and it works great. You should also make sure you take these things with you if you travel with your dog(s). It is a good idea to rub sugar on the gums because it is absorbed into the bloodstream faster.

Recovery often happens immediately, however, it can also take a little time for them to recover. If this happens, administer the honey/sugar water/Karo syrup at 15 to 30-minute intervals. Food should be offered at similar intervals until the dog begins to eat and is acting normally.

Prevention Is The Best Policy

Make sure your dog is warm at all times. If your Chihuahua is a puppy feed him his usual meals once or twice a day but also give small amounts of food (as a snack or treat) often throughout the day to help keep blood sugar levels steady. Nutri-Cal-4-25-oz-paste is a good thing to keep around for puppies. Nutri-Cal is, however, high in calories so be sure to watch your puppy’s weight.

As already mentioned, as your Chihuahua gets older his body will be better able to regulate and control their blood sugar levels.

If this happens often, you should have your Chihuahua evaluated by a veterinarian to make sure there are no underlying causes.

Have you ever experienced this with your Chihuahua? Tell us about your experience in our comments below.