Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. All toy and small breed puppies have a higher metabolic rate and energy requirement than large puppies, as well as less fat stores. Low blood sugar is usually caused by lack of food - but stress, cold, dehydration, and intestinal parasites also may trigger juvenile hypoglycemia. Puppies of this size do not tolerate fleas. They are simply too small to have any blood to give away to blood sucking parasites. They need to be adequately dewormed and checked over for any signs of infectious disease. Diarrhea is common for puppies but a very tiny puppy cannot withstand the dehydration that comes with it. Cases of hypoglycemia can even occur when a dog is overly active with too much time between meals, or skips a meal before exercise.

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Please view this page for help in prevention and what to do if you suspect your puppy has hypoglycemia. ​

 

Umbilical Hernias

Umbilical (belly button) hernias are common and are not considered a health problem as long as the opening is small, with only a fat pad protruding. It will likely close by itself as the puppy matures (usually by 6 months of age.) If at the time of spay/neuter the hernia still exists, then a minor surgical repair to the area will resolve the hernia at the same time as the spay/neuter.

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Innocent Heart Murmurs

An innocent, or physiologic, heart murmur is a heart murmur that has no impact on the dog's health. It is very common for young puppies to develop an innocent heart murmur while they are growing rapidly. The murmur may first appear at 6-8 weeks of age, and a puppy with an innocent heart murmur will usually outgrow it by about 4-6 months of age. This type of murmur is benign. A physiologic or innocent heart murmur will usually have a low intensity (usually Grade I-III out of VI), and does not cause any symptoms or clinical signs.

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Heart Issues

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in aging dogs, after cancer. I recommend using a heart support supplement starting when your dog is young, to help keep the heart strong and reduce the prevalence and severity of late life heart disease. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is also important for this reason. Heart care is especially important for Cavapoo owners. 90% of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the base breed used to create a Cavapoo, have mitral valve disease later in life. Cavapoo have a lower risk of developing this disease since they are crossed with poodle, but it is still a concern. The supplement we recommend can be found on our supplements page.