Hypoglycemia occurs in young and bitch dogs. Hypoglycemia is a syndrome caused by low blood sugar levels caused by various pathogenic factors. The disease is more common in dogs than cats, and occurs in puppies and perinatal bitches. The cause is due to cold, long-distance transportation, starvation, or vomiting, diarrhea and other digestive disorders or congenital hypoplasia, which can often lead to lower blood sugar in puppies. Factors such as excessive calving, prolonged labor, or a large number of postpartum lactation in pregnant female dogs can also cause the blood sugar concentration of the female dog to be too low. So what are the symptoms of dogs hypoglycemia? How to treat hypoglycemia in dogs?

 

1. Causes of hypoglycemia in dogs:

Puppies and small dogs: Hypoglycemia in puppies is mostly caused by starvation and malnutrition. Some small unweaned dogs with a litter of more than 4 litter become ill in litters. If the rescue is not timely, the whole litter will die. Small dogs have small feed intake, lively nature, and usually consume more energy. If the feeding is not timely, it can easily lead to the occurrence of hypoglycemia.

Lactating bitches: Lactating bitches are often caused by malnutrition or disordered nutrient absorption, increased nutrient requirements due to excessive lactation, and insufficient nutrient supply due to liver glucose storage and conversion dysfunction. The disease is caused by hypoglycemia in female dogs during lactation. Dogs undergoing caesarean section: Dogs undergoing caesarean section are often forced to undergo surgery after prolonged labor with unsuccessful labor. Most of such dogs have undergone a long period of midwifery and uterine contractions, which consumes a lot of physical energy, as well as anorexia (mostly about 2 days) due to entering the due date, which eventually leads to the appearance of hypoglycemia.

2. Clinical symptoms of hypoglycemia in dogs:

From the incidence rate, puppies have the most hypoglycemia, and the symptoms are severe, but usually The fastest recovery after treatment. And the implementation of cesarean section, the incidence of hypoglycemia is the most sudden, and improper treatment can easily lead to death. Hypoglycemia in puppies is more common. Clinical examination found that all affected puppies have a drop in body temperature, weak heart sounds, deep and slow breathing, and some dogs vomit, diarrhea, and even convulsions. In addition to hypoglycemia in puppies, small dogs such as Chihuahua and deer dolls also have the disease from time to time. If the sick dog is an adult, its symptoms will be relatively mild (relative to puppies). At the beginning of the disease, it only shows depression, less movement, and inability to stand. At this time, the sick dog has an appetite. Hypoglycemia in nursing bitches mostly occurs in nursing bitches within 1 week after delivery. At the beginning of the illness, he was inactive, with a cold expression, pale mucous membranes, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. Walking and swaying, and even tonic or intermittent convulsions all over the body, a peculiar smell on the body, and the smell of acetone in the urine. Later, most of them died of hypothermia and coma. Among all dogs with hypoglycemia, the most dangerous one is the one who has undergone cesarean section surgery. Some dogs may suddenly experience convulsions, shock or coma and death before surgery is performed under anesthesia. Improper treatment will end in death.

3. Diagnosis of hypoglycemia in dogs:

The diagnosis of this disease is mainly based on the initial diagnosis of etiology, pathogenesis and clinical symptoms. Hypoglycemia in bitches is easily confused with postpartum hypocalcemia in bitches, and attention should be paid to differential diagnosis. For dogs suspected of hypoglycemia, in addition to timely rescue, it is best to collect 5 ml of venous blood before infusion, and conduct laboratory tests during emergency treatment. Laboratory test results are the main basis for the diagnosis of the disease. Laboratory diagnostic criteria: when the blood sugar level 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, further diagnosis can be made by combining the onset of the lactating bitch within 1 week after delivery. , Do not miss the opportunity for treatment, but also help to 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 those of postpartum hypocalcemia in bitches, which may easily lead to misdiagnosis. Occurs 7 to 30 days after giving birth, and some dogs with a large number of litter also occur before giving birth. At this time, the severity of the calcium deficiency in dogs is far less than that of postpartum symptoms. Generally, the main manifestations are wheezing, strong gait, stiff limbs, and relatively long duration without interruption; while the onset of hypoglycemia is more sudden, with intermittent convulsions, and the course of the disease is relatively short, but it usually returns to normal quickly after supplementing sugar. Dogs suffering from hypocalcemia recover quickly after intravenous calcium supplementation: while hypoglycemia in nursing bitches is misdiagnosed as postpartum convulsions, calcium supplementation is ineffective.

4. Treatment of hypoglycemia in dogs:

The principle of treatment for hypoglycemia is to increase blood glucose concentration in a short time, reduce cerebral edema, At the same time, pay attention to maintaining the normal body temperature of the dog, so that the sick dog can be stimulated as little as possible. However, the causes of the disease are different, and the treatment methods are different. Treatment of puppies and small dogs: The onset of hypoglycemia in puppies is sudden and the symptoms are severe, so the treatment should be timely and not delayed. Intravenous injection should be given as much as possible, and the number of drops should be controlled within 30 drops/min to prevent sudden death during infusion. For puppies who do not suck enough milk, they should be supplemented with glucose in time. They can be fed with 50% glucose orally. For dogs who can lick themselves, take multi-vitamin dextrose powder mixed with boiled water 3 times a day until they can eat normally after weaning. . Treatment of lactating bitches: During pregnancy and lactation, the nutritional needs of bitches increase due to embryonic development and lactation, and must be given digestible, nutrient-rich food. Nutrients should be strengthened for bitches who produce multiple births at one time (referring to more than 4) to ensure adequate supply of puppies through milk, with particular attention to the addition of glucose, calcium and vitamin D. Treatment of canine hypoglycemia during cesarean section: The treatment of this type of case should be based on the principles of improving the ecological status and eliminating the cause, and should not be rushed. Based on this situation, an appropriate amount of glucose, mannitol and other drugs can be intravenously injected according to the size of the dog, and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatments are routinely treated.

Check blood sugar levels in dogs prior to surgery. If it is less than 600 mg/L, it is hypoglycemia. For such cases, high concentrations of glucose should be supplemented before anesthesia, generally not less than 5 g. In case of hypoglycemia during surgery, do not rush to wake up the sick dog. The ambient temperature should be raised, the blood sugar concentration should be raised, the intracranial pressure should be lowered, and the sick dog should wake up naturally, which can provide a longer period of time for the first aid. If the sick dog is awakened first, due to its low blood sugar, the awakened dog urgently needs a lot of energy to maintain its body temperature. This will aggravate the lack of sugar in the brain, aggravate the disease, and make the degree of cerebral edema more serious.