Anyone have experience with a dog having hypoglycemia? My male has had a couple of "episodes" now where he gets wobbly and disoriented while hunting. The first time it happened I thought he was over heated. Happened again Friday morning, after doing some internet research, I think it may be hypoglycemia. He runs hard, and will basically run himself into the ground. I've pretty much decided I need to change his feeding schedule. Just curious if anyone else has had any experience with this?
Hypoglycemia
- Thread starter Tallgrass
- Start date
SetterNut
New member
Last day of the season last year, Indy had a pretty bad experience with it.
He was not his normal self during the day. His tail was low on points and his range was shorter than normal. I ended up with him falling over and I carried him back to the truck. Took him straight to the vet, they did some blood work to confirm it was Hypoglycemia, which it was.
We have gone to feeding only once a day, and I carry a little food for snacks while we are hunting. So far this season he has been good, but I will be keeping a close eye on him in the field.
Its not something to fool around with. But I think if you can read your dog it is pretty avoidable.
He was not his normal self during the day. His tail was low on points and his range was shorter than normal. I ended up with him falling over and I carried him back to the truck. Took him straight to the vet, they did some blood work to confirm it was Hypoglycemia, which it was.
We have gone to feeding only once a day, and I carry a little food for snacks while we are hunting. So far this season he has been good, but I will be keeping a close eye on him in the field.
Its not something to fool around with. But I think if you can read your dog it is pretty avoidable.
KansasCowboy
Member
SetterNut, just curious but why does switching to feeding once a day help with that? I feed twice a day but have heard both positives and negatives from both sides.
KATroutman13
Member
I have a dog that suffers from this, it is really scary. My dog has had two seizures. The first was scary as hell. The second was not as scary because I knew it was coming but we were too far away to get to the truck in time. I got a hold of the dog stripped his collars and held him as the seizure occurred.
Both times he was shaken but fine within 10 minutes (felt like hours). I carry nutrical with me now and watch him closely, you will see it in their eyes and behavior.
This is easily manageable, however I would do two things: 1) get a blood panel done to rule out other things and 2) notify the breeder so that they know of the situation and will hopefully monitor it in their program as well.
Both times he was shaken but fine within 10 minutes (felt like hours). I carry nutrical with me now and watch him closely, you will see it in their eyes and behavior.
This is easily manageable, however I would do two things: 1) get a blood panel done to rule out other things and 2) notify the breeder so that they know of the situation and will hopefully monitor it in their program as well.
I to have one that has suffered with this since a pup ,mine an English pointer , I have tried everything from sugar water ,power aid mixed with water afield ,to snacks he wont eat anything while or during a hunt,seemed if he is on the ground for three hours it might happen at any time I also carry nutrical afield ,he is fed only once per day at night a high quality feed ,lots of protein and good fat content he is a lean fit English ,now I have had just about every test ran know and the vet tells me its simply a sugar drop ,seems to happen when its warmer out ,or if he is stressed while on the road , not eating as much ect. this year I'm trying something different , I have been giving him the squeezable baby food pouches as he comes in for a drink its the first thing he will take while out hunting time will tell but i'm hopeful he really likes the banana and yogurt , the little pack has 17 grams of carbs ,ect . I have his litter mate a sister and not one time ever has she show this trate, she runs just as hard in a day although she usually a couple miles short on what he has done in a few hours. its Scary as hell when it happens ,I can usually tell but its to late when I see it ,it comes on that fast . thus far usually in 10-15 min he is ready to go again like nothing happened but he is leashed and we are done no bird is worth loosing a dog over. what breeds are you experiencing this with just wondering??
PheasantWhisperer
Member
I carry a 20 oz. squirt bottle of water with 2 table spoons of light corn syrup mixed in it. Give them a little shot about once an hour while hunting. Helps quite a bit. But it doesnt do much on day 3 of straight hunting. When they are wore out you have to rest em. I use it to regulate body temps. So i give it to all my dogs not just the hypoglycemic one.
Mine is a 6 yr Old GSP never had trouble until last season. I think after having it happen now a couple of times I have pretty good idea of the signs to look for to prevent it from happening again. I feed once a day but normally that is in the morning. I am switching up and feeding in the evening now, as well as taking along some treats or corn syrup when we are out hunting.
KATroutman13
Member
Mine is an english setter.
I've had one experience with it. Riley my oldest vizsla collapsed in the field too. I carried him about a mile and a half back to the truck. By the time I got him to the vet he was better and after some food and such he was fine.
I carry now, some Karo syrup with me. Put it on his gums so the sugar absorbs into his blood stream the quickest. (those of us that chew tobacco know all about that.
)
I carry now, some Karo syrup with me. Put it on his gums so the sugar absorbs into his blood stream the quickest. (those of us that chew tobacco know all about that.
)Although I've never had one of my dogs go down with hypoglycemia, I've been around a several dogs that have gone down in the field with it. It is serious enough that I've sought a solution and carry it with me in my vest. According to my vet, it can happen to just about any hard working breed. Diet, body chemistry, and work load are all factors.
Because of my concern and how far down a hypoglycemic dog can get, I looked for a simple solution. My solution is cheap, easy, and doesn't make a mess. For years I've carried a few pieces of candy corn in my vest. Not sticky, cheap, easy to feed, takes up almost no room.
Had a buddies dog start to go down a couple of years ago, fed him 1 piece of the candy corn and got him going again as if nothing had happened. Took him back to the truck for rest. Began feeding him a piece of the candy corn about every hour a half when he's hunted as a precaution. No problems since.
Point
Because of my concern and how far down a hypoglycemic dog can get, I looked for a simple solution. My solution is cheap, easy, and doesn't make a mess. For years I've carried a few pieces of candy corn in my vest. Not sticky, cheap, easy to feed, takes up almost no room.
Had a buddies dog start to go down a couple of years ago, fed him 1 piece of the candy corn and got him going again as if nothing had happened. Took him back to the truck for rest. Began feeding him a piece of the candy corn about every hour a half when he's hunted as a precaution. No problems since.
Point
BritChaser
Well-known member
I don't know if this will ward off hypoglycemia, but I let my dog eat all it wants the evening before a day of hunting (and nothing the morning of the hunt). He tires like any hard and long hunting dog, but no collapses.
RuttCrazed
New member
I have also used Karo syrup rubbed on the gums in the past.
I would be very cautious about feeding a dog a large meal in the morning before hunting as it can cause bloat or gastric torsion.
Rut
I would be very cautious about feeding a dog a large meal in the morning before hunting as it can cause bloat or gastric torsion.
Rut
Had a pointer when I was a kid with it. Dr Lornie Evans was the head duck at OSU vet school at the time. I have always been hypoglycemic so he said it's simple kid you eat a Hershey bar before each field give her one. She lived through 14 died in her sleep and never had a problem with her after we started our candy bar craze. Lornies brother Ervin gave me the dog. I have always been told chocolate is bad for dogs but she proved them wrong.
SetterNut
New member
What we were told was that if they only eat once a day their body does a better job storing up energy to last the whole day. From what I have seen so far this season is it may help.
But I am trying to make him stop and eat a little something during the day of hunting.
KansasCowboy
Member
Ok just curious thanks for the input. I have been told by 5 vets to feed twice a day to help with the digestion of the high protein foods we give them, then I have been told by another 5 vets to only feed once a day. Not sure who to believe or what is best.
SetterNut
New member
I can't tell you for sure what is better. But Indy is kind of a picky eater, and he seems to eat better just once a day at night. He is really hard to keep weight on during the season.
Hypoglycemic
Had a pointer once that would hunt hard and then start slowing down, come over to me, start shaking and maybe fall down. Pretty scarey first time out. I started carrying some glazed doughnuts. When the symptoms first started I would give him a piece or two and make him stop for a few minutes. You will pick up the routine quickly and make it work. A little chocolate won't hurt. Just figure out a routine and stick to it.
Had a pointer once that would hunt hard and then start slowing down, come over to me, start shaking and maybe fall down. Pretty scarey first time out. I started carrying some glazed doughnuts. When the symptoms first started I would give him a piece or two and make him stop for a few minutes. You will pick up the routine quickly and make it work. A little chocolate won't hurt. Just figure out a routine and stick to it.
I would say I see some similar things with mine. I've read the stuff about feeding one time a day, etc. and how the liver works to provide glycogen which should be the best system to keep them going. My male is hard to keep weight on and although I wouldn't say any of my dogs are picky eaters they will usually only eat once a day even if I feed them twice. I have pretty much always fed them once in the mornings because that worked better with my schedule - I never get home at the same time each day - and some nights it might be really late, so It just made sense to feed each morning before I leave. On days we hunt in the morning then I would just feed them after we got back home.
However I can see that I absolutely need to make sure he eats the night before hunting, and I'm trying to just switch them over to a once a day feeding at night - at least for the duration of the hunting season. Also, I used to mix in a can of wet food quite often after a long day of hunting especially if we were headed back out the next day - just to get them to eat a little more. Probably need to think about going back to that strategy as well.