Hypoglycemia for small dogs is one of the most dangerous and deadly conditions that a toy breed puppy can encounter. I have seen too many cases where the new owner is not properly educated about hypoglycemia in small dogs, and the puppy dies because the owner did not know what to do. This post does not only apply to puppies, but adult toy breed dogs as well. Hypoglycemia can occur in adult dogs if you are not careful. I feel this is the most important piece of information that any new owner should have when it comes to a puppies health. It should be MANDATORY that anybody thinking of buying a toy breed dog read this article before they bring their puppy home. It could save your dogs life. First off, Hypoglycemia is basically a term that describes a condition in a dog where the concentration of glucose (sugar) suddenly drops. Glucose is used as a primary source of energy in all dogs. Small breed dogs, especially puppies, are extremely prone to this condition. The younger the puppy the more chances they have of becoming hypoglycemic. On the side not, I do not recommend buying a puppy from and breeder that releases their puppies earlier than 8 weeks of age. 10-12 weeks would be preferable. Okay, back to the subject at hand. Small breed puppies obviously have less muscle mass than a breed such as a Labrador. When I mention small breeds, I'm referring to dogs such as Yorkie, Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Pomeranians etc. With the low amount of muscle mass that these breeds have, retaining proper glucose levels is tougher. This is why smaller are more susceptible to hypoglycemia. As long as your puppy or dog eats on a regular basis they should not have any troubles with this deadly condition. However, if your puppy even misses one meal, they could fall victim to hypoglycemia. Furthermore, the following could speed up the onset of hypoglycemia even further 1. Stress 2. Change in diet 3. Infections 4. Poor Nutrition 4. Low body temperature The signs to look out for if your dog to becoming hypoglycemic are laziness, lethargic, shivering, non-responsive, stumbling, and worst of all, comatose. Checking your dogs gums is also an excellent method in detecting hypoglycemia. A healthy dog should have warm and pink gums. If your dogs gums are cold and white, they are most likely in a hypoglycemic state. If you notice your dogs symptoms, IMMEDIATELY feed them a couple finger full doses of glucose. There are some products that you can buy that are made for this purpose, such as Nutri-Stat or Nutri-Cal. We've also used Karo Syrup which you can find in your local grocery store. Simply place a dab on your finger tip, and scrape the syrup on the back of the top row of teeth. I would repeat this a couple times. Some dogs may recover within 10-20 minutes, while others may take hours.If you do not see any improvement in their condition within the first 30 minutes, immediately take your dog to the animal hospital. Raising a smaller dog should be a very fun and rewarding experience. With some proper education beforehand, the process will go a lot smoother and ensure that your puppy grows up healthy. Just remember that hypoglycemia can be prevented by 1. Keeping a close eye on your puppies condition at all times 2. Proper feeding 3. Proper rest With this information, you should be properly guarded against your dog falling victim to hypoglycemia. However, always consult a vet for any advice you need for your dog. You can read more detailed article on hypoglycemia and small breed care.