I have a 12 week old Rot/shepherd mix who has twice within 2 weekswent from being a normal rambunctious puppy to shaking uncontrollably, not being able to move, her eyes cloud over and she looks like she's having siezures. I called our local vet who wants like 200 bux up front to treat her, he said its low blod sugar to give her sugar water or karo syrup. I gave her both and she was ok within 30 mins. My question is is she diabetic or does she have low blood sugar? and is there a medicine she needs to be on or I need to keep on hand or do i need to take her to a vet asap (I'm going to next week but I'm not sure if she'll be ok till then)
Thanks
2007-01-31 18:57:57 · 11 answers · asked by kevs_girl01 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Thanks for all the input. I was just wondering if there were other pet owners who had experienced the same issues and what they did I didnt want a diagnosis. as for taking 30 mins for the karo to work it probably wasn't that long she was back up and around in a few mins it just took a little longer for the shaking to completely stop any suggestions for a food that would be good for her. and she is free fed, food and water is out all day
2007-02-01 08:00:47 · update #1
Part of being a responsible pet owner is taking a sick pet to a vet and shelling out the money to find out what is wrong and have it treated. If you have a dog that is having siezures or is diabetic it needs to be on proper medication. NO BODY on here can tell you what is wrong with your dog. It need to be seen by a vet and yes, it will need tests to determine the problem. Were me, I'd take her in before next week. Good luck and for the dogs sake I hope it is nothing serious.
2007-01-31 23:10:40 · answer #1 · answered by Stick to Pet Rocks 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
seizures and diabetes are very common in shepherds in particular. seizures can range from the dog coming to get you, and lying down and stiffening a bit to a full fledge jerking and twitching that lasts for a few seconds to many minutes. Low blood sugar will make them feel funny, act a little drunk possibly and they will get that far away, glazed over look. Giving the dog a couple of teaspoons of sugar with water won't hurt him. A little honey on the nose would be helpful too. or just feed him. How often are you feeding him during the day. At this stage you should be feeding him at least 3 times a day till he is 6 months old.You can probably hold off for a little while, seeing the vet that is. But I would go as soon as I could just to make sure he is ok.
2007-01-31 20:57:05 · answer #2 · answered by ellymar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hope this helps. Low blood sugar does not mean that your dog is a diabetic. Diabetes (in simple terms) means that they do not have a sufficient amount of insulin in their bodies . That is an issue with the pancreas.
A lot of puppies need a lot of carbohydrates (food) to keep up with their activities since they tend to be very active. They need to be fed at least three times a day because their bellies can only hold a small amount of food at one time and they need the sugars from food to keep active. The number one ingredient for the brain to work is sugar. If they do not get the sugar from their food, the brain can shut down and cause a seizure. In other words - your pup may need more frequent feedings in order for it's brain to get the nutrients it needs to function.
My only wonder is why is would take 30 minutes for the sugar to get your dog functioning normally again. If it was low blood sugar that caused your dog's seizure - it would be an immediate reaction to bring your pup out of the seizure - within seconds to a few minutes. Some dogs/pups may be lethargic after receiving the sugar but definitely would no longer be seizing.
There are dogs that suffer from neurological conditions that can cause seizures. I would see if you could bring your pup to the vet sooner. If it is caused by a neurological disorder, he/she may need to be on a drug called neurontin to stop the seizures from happening again - and it has nothing to do with low blood sugar.
Good Luck and Best Wishes
Yes, my sister in law got a puppy at 8 weeks old and had free water and food out for her pup at all times. One morning she found her puppy laying in it's own feces and in a coma. She gave it sugar and the pup came out of it. Her pup does not have diabetes - the pup was just not eating enough. Everyone was playing with the pup and the pup was too distracted to eat. Try and monitor when your pup eats. Once again - Good Luck!
2007-01-31 19:50:53 · answer #3 · answered by alayna687 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, its highly unlikely your dog has diabetes at this young of an age, and diabetes is usually diagnosed by test showing too much glucose in the blood or urine. Second, if you are feeding correctly, then he should not be having reoccuring episodes of hypoglycemia. I would be concerned that your dog has a liver shunt (a blood vessel that bypasses the liver, therefore not allowing most of the toxins to be removed) Third, if you think 200 is alot of money, than you are in for it, shots alone are gonna cost you that much over the next couple of months, let alone neutering, and god forbid you should have another medical emergency. This is all part of owning a dog, if you didnt want, or couldnt afford, the responsibility you shouldnt have gotten a dog. By the way if it is a live shunt, which typically requires surgery, your looking at at least 1000 dollars.
2007-02-01 02:28:30 · answer #4 · answered by cs 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like she may be hypoglycemic. I bought my little japanese chin some Nutri-Cal you can find at Petsmart or Petco. My pup is 11 weeks old so I bought the Puppy Nutri-Cal. I put a little on my finger every morning and she licks it off. How long have you had the pup? They might just be in transition like mine is. She has been sleeping a lot. Also, my pup has an ulcer in her eye. It has a bluish color to it and a little yellow spot on it as well. You should probably take your pup in for a good puppy exam. Call around and check the prices. I live in a large city and my vet charged 50 bucks. It's worth it to put your mind at ease.
2007-02-01 00:39:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, she is either suffering form diabetes or seizures. She really needs to be on a medication, and she needs appropriate testing, which will not be cheap. Since your vet wants to start off charging you 200, go find a different vet.
Please get her on some meds and find out what is wrong!
Take Care, and best of luck
2007-01-31 20:42:29 · answer #6 · answered by iloveeeyore 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should be able to have your vet do a simple glucose blood test to determine either of your questions. it's just like people with diabetes who test their blood and get a level asap. this shouldn't cost $200. find out what you're dealing with first before you give your vet $200. maybe you should check with another vet or 2 on the cost of a glucose test. yes there are meds to control either. they have insulin for dogs. too bad it's started so young. good luck with her.
2007-01-31 19:46:54 · answer #7 · answered by Kathy H 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
she may have low blood sugar ....but call your vet again and ask him or her if it is imperative to go bring your dog right away, or can it wait till next week as you are a little tight on money at present.
meanwhile, ask your vet what to do till you can bring your dog over....would adding a little sugar to his water help? your vet will advise you what would be best for your dog and if it can wait.
2007-01-31 19:25:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would have to agree with Kathy *if thats the correct nic, sorry bout that*
A simply urine test which isnt that costly can give you an ample conclusions to your dogs current condition.
2007-01-31 21:27:45 · answer #9 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say diabetes, my Collie dog one day did the same we took her in and she was diagnosed with D. She was also blind.
2007-01-31 19:41:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋