 Hypoglycemia is simply defined as abnormally low blood glucose concentration. Glucose is a type of sugar the body derives from food. It is the body's main energy source. Although this condition can affect any animal, those most at risk are: young kittens and puppies (especially toy breeds), working/hunting dogs, pregnant or nursing animals and diabetic animals on insulin. If not treated, hypoglycemia can result in a coma and ultimately death. Causes of Hypoglycemia There are three basic phsiologic reasons for hypoglycemia. -
Not eating enough, as is common with puppies and kittens. -
Overutilization/increased demand as with working, pregnant or nursing animals. -
Hormone imbalance. The primary hormone in charge of keeping glucose at a normal concentration in the blood is insulin. Insulin does this by moving glucose out of the blood and into the body's cells. In a normal animal, insulin production varies throughout the day to maintain a constant glucose level in the blood. For instance, after eating a meal, the body's glucose level in the blood will rise,. The body responds by producing more insulin, which then takes the excess glucose out of the blood and stores it in the body's cells, thereby maintaining a constant blood glucose level. If the body produces (or in the case of a diabetic animal, receives) too much insulin, the blood glucose level can become dangerously low. Over-production of insulin can be caused by an insulin-producing tumor called insulinoma. Signs of Hypoglycemia Seizures, weakness, collapse, muscle twitching, abnormal behavior, lethargy, depression, staggering, increased appetite, exercise intolerance. Diagnosis of Hypoglycemia Your veterinarian can diagnose hypoglycemia with a blood test. Most veterinary clinics will be able to run this test in a matter of minutes. Diagnosis of the more complicated diseases which can cause hypoglycemia, such as insulinoma, are done with a series of blood tests and can take several days to get the results back from an outside lab. Prevention In the case of young, pregnant or working animals, the way to treat or prevent hypoglycemia is to simply feed them a quality diet based on their specific need. Recently weaned puppies and kittens need to be fed puppy or kitten food a minimim of three times daily. Pregnant animals should also be fed kitten or puppy food several times daily. Lactating or nursing animals should have puppy or kitten food available to them twenty-four hours a day. It's almost impossible to overfeed a nursing animal. In the case of diabetic animals, it's important to always give the insulin shot AFTER your pet has eaten something (you don't have to wait until they finish their entire meal, just a few bites is usually enough). It is also important to double-check the insulin dose. An overdose of insulin can cause your pet to go into a coma, even death. Because you pet's insulin dose may change over time it is important to have regular check ups with your veterinarian so that your pet's dose can be adjusted accordingly. What you can do at home in case of an emergency if you should come home to find your pet collapsed and weak, obviously you should get him or her to your veterinarian immediately. However, before leaving, try rubbing some Karo syrup (or some other brand of high sugar syrup) on your pet's gums. This may not solve your pet's problem but it won't hurt to try. Unfortunately the list of things that can cause sudden collapse is a mile long, hypoglycemia is just one example.  Site Index
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