Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur in young and female dogs. Hypoglycemia refers to a syndrome caused by low blood sugar concentration caused by various pathogenic factors. This disease is more common in dogs than cats, and is more likely to occur in puppies and female dogs in the perinatal period. The causes are cold, long-distance transportation, hunger, digestive disorders such as vomiting and diarrhea, or congenital underdevelopment, which often lead to low blood sugar in puppies. Factors such as too many litters in pregnant bitches, prolonged labor, or heavy breastfeeding after delivery can also cause the bitch's blood sugar concentration to be too low. So what are the symptoms of hypoglycemia in dogs? How to treat hypoglycemia in dogs?

1. Causes of hypoglycemia in dogs:

Puppies and small dogs: Hypoglycemia in puppies is mostly caused by hunger and malnutrition. Some small unweaned dogs with a litter size of more than 4 are affected in whole litters. If the rescue is not timely, the whole litter will die. Small dogs, on the other hand, have a small food intake, are lively by nature, and usually consume a lot of energy. If feeding is not timely, it can easily lead to hypoglycemia.

Lactating bitches: Lactating bitches often suffer from malnutrition or nutrient absorption dysfunction, excessive lactation leading to increased nutritional requirements, liver glucose storage and conversion dysfunction, etc. leading to insufficient nutrient supply, resulting in bitch blood sugar levels during lactation. Low levels cause this disease. Dogs undergoing cesarean section: Dogs undergoing cesarean section are often forced to undergo surgery after long periods of failed labor caused by difficult labor. Most of these dogs have gone through a long period of assisted delivery and uterine contractions, consumed a lot of physical energy, and often suffer from anorexia due to entering the expected period of delivery (mostly about 2 days), which eventually leads to the occurrence of hypoglycemia.

2. Clinical symptoms of hypoglycemia in dogs:

In terms of incidence, puppies have the most cases of hypoglycemia, and the symptoms are severe, but they usually recover the fastest after treatment. The most sudden onset of hypoglycemia occurs during cesarean section, and improper treatment can easily lead to death. Hypoglycemia is more common in puppies. Clinical examination found that the body temperature of the sick puppies dropped, their heart sounds were weak, and their breathing was deep and slow. Some dogs had vomiting, diarrhea, and even convulsions. In severe cases, the sick dogs were comatose, their pupils were dilated, and their reflexes disappeared. In addition to hypoglycemia in puppies, small dogs such as Chihuahuas and deer also suffer from hypoglycemia from time to time. If the sick dog is an adult, its symptoms will be relatively mild (compared to puppies). At the beginning of the disease, it will only show depression, less movement, and inability to stand. At this time, it still has an appetite. When the disease develops seriously, the sick dog will have convulsions, coma, and even death. Hypoglycemia in nursing bitches mostly occurs in nursing bitches within 1 week after delivery. At the beginning of the disease, he was depressed, with a cold expression, pale mucous membranes, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. Wobbly walking, even tonic or intermittent twitching all over the body, body odor, and urine smelling like acetone. In the later stage, death often occurs due to hypothermia and coma. Among all dogs that suffer from hypoglycemia, the most dangerous ones are those undergoing cesarean section. Some dogs suddenly develop symptoms such as convulsions, shock, or coma and death even before anesthesia is performed. Improper treatment will end in death.

3. Diagnosis of hypoglycemia in dogs:

The diagnosis of this disease is mainly based on the cause, onset characteristics and clinical symptoms. However, hypoglycemia in nursing bitches is easily confused with postpartum hypocalcemia in bitches, so differential diagnosis should be paid attention to. For dogs suspected of suffering from hypoglycemia, in addition to timely rescue, it is best to collect 5 ml of intravenous blood before infusion, and conduct laboratory tests at the same time as first aid. Laboratory test results are the most important basis for diagnosis of the disease. Laboratory diagnosis standards: When the blood glucose value of the tested dog is less than 600 mg/L (600~1000 mg/L), and the ketone body in the blood is more than 30 mg/kg, the diagnosis can be further confirmed in nursing bitches combined with the onset of disease within 1 week after delivery. , This will not only prevent the opportunity for treatment from being missed, but also help adjust the treatment plan in a timely manner.

Differential diagnosis of hypoglycemia in nursing bitches: The clinical symptoms of hypoglycemia in nursing bitches are very similar to the symptoms of postpartum hypocalcemia in bitches, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis. The difference between the two is now as follows: Hypocalcemia often occurs 7 to 30 days after delivery , some dogs with larger litters may also develop prenatal symptoms. At this time, the intensity of the symptoms in dogs with calcium deficiency is far less than that of postpartum symptoms. Generally, the main symptoms are wheezing, stiff gait, and stiff limbs, which last for a relatively long time without interruption; while hypoglycemia occurs more suddenly, with intermittent convulsions, and the course is relatively short, but it can usually return to normal quickly after sugar supplementation. Dogs suffering from hypocalcemia recover quickly after intravenous calcium supplementation: However, if hypoglycemia in nursing female dogs is misdiagnosed as postpartum convulsions, calcium supplementation therapy will be ineffective.

4. Treatment of hypoglycemia in dogs:

The principle of treating hypoglycemia is to increase blood sugar concentration in a short period of time and reduce cerebral edema. At the same time, attention should be paid to maintaining the dog's normal body temperature so that the sick dog is as little stimulated as possible. However, the causes of the disease are different and the treatments are different. Treatment of puppies and small dogs: The onset of hypoglycemia in puppies is sudden and the symptoms are severe, so treatment should be timely without delay. Try to inject intravenously as much as possible, and control the number of drops within 30 drops/min to prevent sudden death during the infusion process. Puppies that have insufficient milk intake should be supplemented with glucose in time. 50% glucose can be fed orally. Dogs that can lick their own food should take multidimensional glucose powder mixed with boiled water 3 times a day until they can eat normally after weaning. . Treatment of nursing bitches: During the pregnancy and lactation stages of dogs, due to embryonic development and lactation, the nutritional needs of bitches increase, and they must be given easily digestible and nutritious food. For small female dogs that give birth to multiple babies at one time (referring to more than 4 babies), nutrition should be strengthened to ensure that the puppies are fully supplied with their needs through milk, especially the addition of glucose, calcium and vitamin D. Treatment of canine hypoglycemia during cesarean section: The treatment of this case should be based on the principle of improving the ecological status and eliminating the cause, and do not act too hastily. Based on this situation, appropriate amounts of glucose, mannitol and other drugs can be injected into the dog's large and small veins, and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatments are carried out as usual.

Test the blood sugar level of the dog before undergoing surgery. If it is less than 600 mg/L, it is hypoglycemia. For such cases, high-concentration glucose should be supplemented before anesthesia, generally not less than 5 g. If hypoglycemia occurs during surgery, do not rush to revive the sick dog. The ambient temperature should be increased, the blood sugar concentration should be increased, the intracranial pressure should be reduced, and the sick dog should be allowed to wake up naturally, which can provide a longer time for first aid. If the sick dog is resuscitated first, because its own blood sugar is low, the resuscitated dog will urgently need a lot of energy to maintain its body temperature. This will aggravate the degree of sugar deficiency in the brain, aggravate the condition, and make cerebral edema more serious.