The most important rule is to always have food and water available to your puppy at all times AND be sure you actually see them eating OR handfeed them every 3-4 hours during the day....from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed. A high quality food is a MUST (Science Diet, Small Bites, Growth Formula is what we highly recommend), as well as keeping a tube of Nutra-Cal on hand at all times.
Teacups must replenish their energy more frequently than larger puppies.
Hypoglycemia (sometimes called sugar shock, low blood sugar, sugar down) is a condition where the blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level, usually due to lack of food, or by using up all stored energy without it being replenished (playing/running for extended periods of time, shivering out of nervousness or being chilled, stress, etc...) without eating to replenish their energy teacups can end up with hypoglycemia. Teacups are prone to this because they have such tiny digestive systems and can only store a little bit of food (energy) in their bodies at one time.
Hypoglycemia (sometimes called sugar shock, low blood sugar, sugar down) is a condition where the blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level, usually due to lack of food, or by using up all stored energy without it being replenished (playing/running for extended periods of time, shivering out of nervousness or being chilled, stress, etc...) without eating to replenish their energy teacups can end up with hypoglycemia. Teacups are prone to this because they have such tiny digestive systems and can only store a little bit of food (energy) in their bodies at one time.
It is always easier to PREVENT hypoglycemia than treat it....always make sure your teacup is eating every 3-4 hours, even if only a small amount, and even if you have to hand feed him/her. Just having food available is not always good enough. Nutra-cal ( a low volume paste vitamin/mineral supplement for show, working, or dogs under stress) is highly recommended to feed 1-3 pea size globs 3-5 times a day....especially first thing in the morning and last thing before bedtime. If your teacup is handled alot by other people or has a rousing/energetic time of play (which they are very playful) then give some nutra-cal in the middle of play time or at the end of playtime before they lay down to take a nap. When your teacup matures out he/she may not need nutra-cal supplements and should be able to go 3-5 hours without eating if they are not having a super active day. It is a good idea to have nutra-cal with you when you are gone for the day as it's easy to feed and keeps the teacup "on the go" from having low blood sugar.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia:
Your puppy may exhibit one or more of these signs. The gums of a normal puppy will be bright reddish/pink just like human gums....gums that are pale in places or light pink mean the blood sugar levels are dropping. If the gums are white....your pup needs quick attention to avoid a hypoglycemic coma. If they are white I recommend light karo syrup on the tongue (1tsp) every 10 minutes until the gums return to normal and your pup is acting normal. If they are pale pink or pale in spots, Nutra-cal (5-6 pea sized globs) work to restore blood sugar levels quickly....if your puppy will eat dry kibble that is okay too, but you should atleast give a couple pea sized globs of nutra-cal first to restore blood sugar levels quickly.
Another sign that is usually seen is vomiting on an empty stomache (clear liquid or bile) or salivia (foamy at the mouth). If your teacup has not eaten in awhile give them food or nutra-cal immediately.
More signs are: acting listless and tired, sometimes walking with an unsteady walk as if drunk, shakiness, falling over, and in extreme cases even laying on their sides and being totally unresponsive....in this extreme case if the puppy is not given a quick form of nutrition (by prying their mouth open) like light karo syrup, honey, sugar water, nutra-cal to raise the blood sugar quickly, coma and death will result. After giving a form of sugar (for severe cases I recommend light karo syrup, for preventative and mild cases I recommend nutra-cal) you should see improvement and your teacup will be more alert in 10 minutes (if not repeat and give more sugar of some form) If you see no signs of improvement or responsiveness, your teacup appears comatose RUSH to the NEAREST veterinarian office for glucose by injection or I.V. to save it's life. When your pup perks up and feels a little better give him/her a protein based meal (meat canned dog food or meat baby food) so the teacups blood sugar will level out.
PREVENTING LOW BLOOD SUGAR IS THE BEST TREATMENT!
Monitor Gum Color, Monitor Body Temperature (teacups under 2 pounds cannot properly maintain the correct temperature and frequently get chilled, especially if they haven't had enough to eat)...Feel the ears, if the ears are warm you are o.k., but if the ears are cold the puppy is cold. If you are not sure put your finger in the teacup's mouth, it should be very warm, almost hot. If it isn't, rush to the vet for glucose treatment.
Teacups are best suited for someone who is home all day or can keep their dog with them a majority of the time, someone who can and wants to love and nuture the teacup all day long, make sure he/she is eating and kept warm, and can make sure the teacup gets a nice balance of play, sleep, and nutrition with lots of love. Teacups are not recommended for homes with young children, other pets, or busy-active homes.
