Getting Your Teacup Poodle The Right Food

• These little adorable dogs have tiny little tummies. The Toy Poodle diet, will need to include food that has plenty of animal proteins and carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals for digestive and immune health, and omega fatty acids for coat and skin wellness. Premium dry food, wet or canned food, and fresh meats and vegetables are all acceptable Toy Poodle food–but make sure to feed your Teacup often, as these tiny dogs are prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if not fed frequently.

How Much Do I Feed Them???

• It won’t be much! The typical adult Teacup, depending on its age and activity level, will only need ½ cup of dry food (or less) per day, divided into three meals. Toy Poodle puppy food portions are even smaller: a five-month-old Teacup, for example, will only need 5-6 pieces of dry Merrick (We like Merrick Grain Free Puppy Real Chicken+Sweet Potato Recipe We like the Adult version as well) per meal–but these pups will need to be fed four times a day (not three) until they mature. For further details on feeding these little dogs from puppyhood through maturity, refer to this Toy Poodle feeding guide (and for simplicity, dry food portions are listed):

Feeding Schedule Based On Age

• 0-6 Weeks or 0.4 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick, 1-3 pieces a meal, 4 times a day
• 3 Months or 0.75 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick, 4-6 pieces a meal, 4 times a day
• 5 Months or 1.5 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick, 5-7 pieces a meal, 4 times a day
• 7 Months or 2.5 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick (now is a good time to start mixing puppy and adult to transition), 8-11 pieces a meal, 3 times a day
• 9 Months or 4 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick Adult, 10-13 pieces a meal, 3 times a day
• 1 Year or 5-7 lbs, Dry Food We like Merrick Adult, 1/8 13-17 of a cup a meal, 3 times a day

What Brands Are The Best For My Teacup Puppy?

• This is real what you feel is best, however our favorite as stated above is the Merrick Grain Free Puppy Real Chicken+Sweet Potato Recipe We like the Adult version as well. You can get a 25 lbs bag at IFA for 60.00 and its so good for them. While dry, wet/canned, and raw/fresh foods are all okay to feed these dogs, the most logical and nutritious choice is premium dry food, particularly the kind formulated for small breeds. This high-quality food, while more expensive and difficult to obtain, provides the balanced nutrition your Teacup Poodle will need to maintain its health in the long term. Other top healthy brands are Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Nutro are three recommended brands that carry excellent lines of small-breed dry food.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar can be deadly to your puppy! It is a problem that affects many toy breeds of puppies usually between the age of 5-20 weeks of age. All owners of small dogs should be on the lookout for it! 
The best preventative for this, is to have a tube of Nutri-Cal® or Nutri-Stat® on hand. It is an extremely good source of food and vitamins. It is also one of the best preventatives and/or cures for keeping your puppy from going into hypoglycemia. It is important for at least the first week or so, to remember to give your puppy a little bit (1 inch strip) of Nutri-Cal® or Nutri-Stat® in the morning and in the evening. 
Also, if they have been out playing for a while, or have had a lot of people carrying them around or have been away from a food source for a prolonged period of time, give them a tiny bit before retiring them to their playpen.
( We recommend nutri-cal. Nutri-cal has a food source combined with sweeteners which keeps the blood sugar more stable for a longer period of time. Also, too much honey tends to rot the teeth)

Hypoglycemia , or low blood sugar (sometimes called “sugar shock”) 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. (Such as when your puppy plays for an extended period of time without eating.) 

Teacups can be prone to hypoglycemia because they have such tiny digestive systems. They can only store a small amount of food (energy) in their bodies at one time. Their liver and pancreas which are necessary for digestion and sugar balance are also small and usually underdeveloped as well. This is why most puppies tend to grow out of hypoglycemia as they get older. As they grow, so do their major organs. This makes them more able to utilize and process the food that they eat so it can sustain them for longer periods of time. 
Also, other common triggers are stress (such as going to a new home) or bacterial infections or coccidiosis. (Coccidiosis is a protozoan infection that most puppy and adult dogs carry, but can lie dormant and cause no problems until in a stressful situation.) When a puppy is exposed to stress, and/or not getting proper nutrition, Coccidiosis can rapidly multiply in the intestinal track and cause illness, making hypoglycemia worse. This is why many breeders and vets have been stumped as to how an otherwise healthy puppy, with a negative fecal exam, can suddenly develop coccidiosis only a few days after going to a new home.  Because of this, having a stool sample analyzed by your vet can be a good idea if you are having a problem with hypoglycemia in your new puppy.

Most puppies have hypoglycemia just due to their small size, but hypoglycemia can also be a hereditary condition. The hereditary form is due to an inability to process sugar properly. It tends to run in certain bloodlines more than others. While most puppies grow out of the threat of hypoglycemia as they get older, the hereditary type can also effect larger pups or last into adulthood. 

REMEMBER: to prevent hypoglycemia, puppies need to eat several small meals a day. It is much easier to prevent Hypoglycemia, by always providing a readily available food supply, than to have to treat it once it happens. It is very scary to see a puppy that you love so dearly in “sugar shock.”Below Read in detail even more you should know about what to do for hypoglycemia.

Looking For A New Puppy See What Teacup Poodles We Have Available and Check Out Our Other Great Articles On Teacup Poodles Below.

• Available Puppies For Sale COMING SOON
  • Who wouldn’t want one of these little sweet hearts text or call 801-554-3201 if your interest in our puppies
• Available Holland Lop Bunny Babies For Sale COMING SOON
  • These are the sweetest, softest, best family bunnies ever. They love to snuggle and have such sweet personalities. Text or call 801-554-3201 if your interested in one of our cutie little baby bunnies.

The Last Thing You Need to Know about Is How To Care For Your Teacup After a Hypoglycemic Episode

• Every puppy responds differently after a sugar low. The sooner they are treated at the onset of symptoms, the faster they will bounce back. Many pups are back to their own selves running around playing in a few minutes or a few hours after an attack. But if your puppy has had a very severe case or was almost comatose before treatment, it could take several hours and even as much as several days for your puppy to be back to normal. Remember low blood sugar causes their tiny bodies to totally shut down, so many pups act very weak or depressed or groggy and some will not eat on their own after a severe attack. To help your puppy recuperate:

• 1. It is very important to make sure that they get food in their stomach to prevent them from going into hypoglycemia again. If they are not eating on their own, you must hand feed them. Use a few teaspoons of Gerber strained beef, chicken or turkey all meat baby food, a few drops of water and about a two inch strip of nutri-cal in a small cup; microwave for 10-20 seconds or so until the Nutri-Cal® melts, stir and give 3-6 cc’s by mouth with a syringe or eye dropper. If your puppy is not eating on his own, repeat every 2 to 4 hours until he will take food himself. There is also a terrific new product out called Rebound® Liquid Diet it is a liquid diet that is totally nutritionally complete and is great as an added supplement for hypoglycemic pups that are not eating well!

• 2. Keep your puppy warm. When a puppy has low blood sugar, their temperature drops very low. It is important to gradually warm your pet and wrap them in a towel or put them on a low temperature heating pad until they are well enough to keep their own temperature up.

• 3. You might want to visit your veterinarian and have a stool sample done on your puppy to rule out worms, coccidiosis and /or Giardia.  These things can run a puppies system down and cause an otherwise healthy pup to not eat well or go into hypoglycemia. Sometimes, puppies that are prone to attacks of hypoglycemia can also have an undiagnosed  bacterial or parasitic infection. If this is the case, then usually once they are put on antibiotics such as Albon, Amoxicillan, or Flagyl either alone or in combination and the infection is cleared up, they may never have another hypoglycemic attack.

IMPORTANT: Never worm a sick or hypoglycemic puppy as it can be fatal!! 

Also Fenbendazole wormer (Panacur, safeguard) is never a good alternative to flagyl in treating giarrdia in a teacup or hypoglycemic puppy. While Fenbendazole is a great product and is usually a very safe and effective wormer and an easy giardia treatment for most puppies, it has caused several deaths in teacup and hypoglycemic puppies when used as a giardia treatment!!! 

We recommend giving your new puppy a 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon of vanilla flavored yogurt (must contain live culture) once or twice a day for the first week or two. Not only does the yogurt taste good and give them extra nutrition, the good bacteria it contains can help prevent problems and sometimes even cure or prevent bacterial infections that can arise from the stress of going to a new home.

Severe Case Of Hypoglycemia

Most puppies respond well to frequent meals and Nutri-Cal® several times a day, but occasionally a puppy will come along that is a real challenge. They just repeatedly keep going into hypoglycemia no matter how well they are cared for. (These are for extreme cases only, as repeated use of sugary substances can lead to tooth rot and bad breathe.) Here are some tips to try that might or might not work for you depending on your individual situation. Some of these we have tried, and some we haven’t tried personally, but were recommeded to us by other breeders, veterinarians or owners. If you have any suggestions or tips that have worked for you, please e-mail us so that we may add them to our list.

1. Add a small amount of clear Karo syrup to their drinking water and keep this water in front of them at all times. Puppies usually drink frequently and every time they take a drink of water they will be getting a small amount of sugar to keep their blood sugar up. Clear Karo syrup is our choice, as it seems to keep fresh in the water the longest. 2. Other alternatives to Karo syrup that are also used in the drinking water are, honey or gatorade. Some breeders use Children’s Pedialite mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with regular tap water. We have also heard of using Knox gelatin capsules in the water to add a bit of protein along with the Karo syrup or honey. Protein is good for keeping the blood sugar at a more stable level (but use caution and do not use too much, because too much protein can be hard on the kidneys.)  Remember, when adding anything to the drinking water, don’t overdo it! The point is to get the puppy to drink it. If the drinking water becomes cloudy or tastes terrible, your puppy won’t drink it which can lead to dehydration and even bigger problems.

Sharing is caring!