| IMPORTMANT INFORMATION!!! Please read entire page if you going to become a new parent to a toy breed puppy!!! Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can be fatal to your puppy! It is a problem that affect many toy breed puppies usually between 5-20 weeks of age. All owner of small dogs should be aware of the risks, signs/symptoms, and treatment! What exactly is hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar (sometimes called "sugar shock") is a condition where the blood sugar drops to an extremely low level. Unless prompt intervention is given to bring the blood sugar back up to a normal level, death can occur very rapidly. Small breed puppies have such small digestive systems; they can only eat a small amount at a time and are unable to store as much energy as larger puppies, so they are more prone to hypoglycemia. Vital organs such as the liver and pancreas which are necessary for digestion and sugar balance are also small, and this is why most puppies tend to grow out of hypoglycemia as they mature. As they grow, so do these organs which increases their ability to store energy from the food they eat for longer periods of time. |