Do you have a diabetic dog? If so, your pet must take insulin to stay alive and healthy. Your vet has explained to you the importance of balance in your pup's daily routine: she needs the correct amount of insulin, food, and exercise to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Sometimes, however, the balance may be upset by too little food, too much exercise, illness, or even stress. When this happens, your pet's blood sugar may fall.

As a Type-1 (juvenile) diabetic, when my Maltese Ozzie was diagnosed 5 years ago, I knew to watch for changes in behavior which could signal a drop in glucose levels. The information here is based on my experience caring for Ozzie as I've come to know his own hypoglycemic symptoms, and on information culled from other owners of diabetic dogs. For other 'parents' like me, recognizing these behavioral changes is imperative; you want to be able to correctly treat low blood sugar and prevent its dropping even further to protect your diabetic pet.

Some symptoms of low blood sugar in dogs are:

1) Quivering or shaking

2) Loss of balance or apparent dizziness

3) Sudden weakness (For example, he suddenly lies down and seems unable to stay upright.)

4) Sudden unexplained fear or worry (which may be accompanied by pawing at you or by 'clingy' behavior)

5) Sudden hiding (For example, she looks for a corner or another 'safe' place.)

The appearance of the above five behaviors requires quick treatment. Give small treats or pieces of food or treat the condition as instructed by your vet when your pup was diagnosed. If he won't or can't eat, try to get him to take some fruit juice (such as apple juice) from a small saucer. You can dip your finger in the juice and let him lick it to motivate him to lap. You can also use a small spoon to put a bit of Karo syrup into his mouth.

You can find another quick treatment for low blood sugar - tubes of glucose gel - in the diabetes supply section of your local pharmacy. Open the tube, insert the open end into the side of your dog's mouth, and gently squeeze a few drops of gel into her mouth a bit at a time. (Not too much! You don't want her to choke.) After such episodes, you may want to take your pet to your vet's office for a quick glucose check to make sure her blood sugar hasn't gotten too out of balance.

Two other symptoms require immediate action:

6) Tremors or jerking muscles

7) Seizure

These symptoms indicate seriously low blood sugar. Call your vet or emergency clinic immediately for guidance. (If possible, try to administer a bit of glucose gel while someone else calls the vet.)

Dogs can react differently to low blood sugar and don't all exhibit the same symptoms. The same dog can even show different signs on different occasions. Ozzie once pawed and pawed at my leg, odd behavior for a little dog who, though affectionate, is not clingy. When I picked him up, I detected a slight quivering all over his body. After some glucose gel, the quivering stopped and he was able to eat a little food. Months later, I looked up to see that Ozzie had left the room. He had "hidden" on the top step of the stairway and needed a treat. A trip to the vet showed that he had an infection, which was easily treated, returning his blood sugar to normal levels.

Seeing your pet go through a bout of low blood sugar can be scary, for both you and your dog. By learning the signs of hypoglycemia, you can be prepared for a hypoglycemic episode, which can in turn keep your dog healthy and happy.