Fatigue Weakness Wobbly walking Shivering Head tilt
If your young puppy is still nursing, you may need to bottle feed it.
Nutri-Cal® (available at your local pet store) Maple syrup Karo syrup Molasses
One to two tablespoons of a sugar source is usually enough to revive a small dog with hypoglycemia. [9] X Research source If your young puppy is really tiny, ask your vet about how much you should give. You can also place a few drops of the sugar source on your puppy’s tongue. [10] X Research source If you’re going to give drops of the sugar source, use a medicine dropper. To prevent your puppy from choking, do not put the sugar source directly down its throat. [11] X Research source Small Animal Internal Medicine. Third Edition. Nelson WR and Couto CG. Page 731.
Be aware that the sugar source is just a quick fix. Your puppy’s blood glucose levels may drop again, causing another episode of hypoglycemia. [14] X Research source If your puppy becomes hypoglycemic again, give it more of the sugar source and contact your vet.
If your puppy refuses the canned food, try feeding it some tasty treats. [16] X Research source
Your puppy will also need to see your vet if it responded to the sugar, but became hypoglycemic again. [17] X Research source
Intestinal parasites can rob your young puppy’s body of important nutrients like glucose. Your vet may also perform a fecal exam to look for intestinal parasites. [19] X Research source
Intravenous dextrose (a type of sugar) Deworming (kills intestinal parasites) Heat therapy Fluids
Leave the food out for 10 to 20 minutes. This will help prevent your puppy from becoming a picky eater—it will learn that it should eat right away, rather than pick at the food for a long time. [23] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
Many types of puppy diets are available. If you are unsure which one is right for your puppy, talk with your vet for guidance. Puppies have specific nutritional needs. Do not feed your puppy an adult dog diet. Canned foods tend to be tastier than dry foods. [25] X Research source Your puppy may prefer canned food. Realize that the feeding guidelines on the food label may not work for your young puppy. Talk with your vet to determine how much you should feed your puppy at each meal.
If your young puppy is too big or wiggly for a gram scale, try this: Weigh yourself on a regular scale, then hold your puppy in your arms. To get your puppy’s weight, subtract your weight from the weight of you and your puppy. If your puppy is not gaining weight, or is losing weight, it could be sick. Take your puppy to your vet.
Give your puppy treats when it behaves well at the vet’s office. That way, it may not get so stressed when it’s there. Do not try to handle your puppy all the time. Give it some alone time so it can rest. Keep your puppy’s routine the same from day to day.
