3yr Old Yorkie wont eat

Question
Hi Patti,
I have a little yorkie 2lbs 9 1/2 oz, she is 3 years old and has been sick all her life, I have taken her to the vet a number of times. He just don't know what to do. Has no idea what is wrong.

She will be fine and eat everything in site, but the next day she won't eat anything, and if I let her go too long without food she starts to jerk and get stiff. I give her honey and feed her baby food with a plunger, as long as she has nutrition she is ok, I sleep with her because she will get sick during the night and since she sleeps next to me I can feel when she starts to trimmer and get her honey right away.  Question:  Is there something I can give her to make her want to eat?
I need real sleep
Thanks in advance
Coy

Answer
Hi Coy,

The "jerking, and getting stiff" you've described sounds like your dog is having seizures. Stiffness, sudden shaking (that can be violent, but doesn't have to be) and muscle twitching or slight shaking of a limb are all symptoms of a seizure.

Having your dog respond to honey sounds like a low blood sugar situation. Hypoglycemia, a medical term meaning low blood sugar can be a factor in triggering seizures. Scientists have estimated that between 50 to 90 percent of all epileptics suffer from low blood sugar, and 70 percent have abnormal glucose tolerance levels.

Honey, can work in helping with some forms of seizure because it is made up of 35% protein & contains half of all the necessary amino acids. It is a highly concentrated source of many essential nutrients, including large quantities of carbohydrates (sugars), some minerals, B complex, and C, D, and E. Therefore, honey will immediately raise the blood sugar putting the body in balance and stabilizing the blood sugar level. If honey is not available use jelly, karo syrup or maple syrup.

It is recommended that pets suffering from seizures follow the suggestions given below to rule out hypoglycemia:

* Feed a high quality diet to maintain proper blood sugar levels
* Keep stress to a minimum
* Feed small frequent meals

Recommendations to prevent hypoglycemia attacks mean keeping a feeding schedule such as this one:

7:00 AM Breakfast -high quality dry food or home cooked meal
11:00 AM Snack - see suggestions below
3:00 PM Snack
7:00 PM Dinner - high quality dry food or home cooked meal
11:00 PM Snack --this should be a high protein, high carbohydrate snack. For example, two plain rice cakes with peanut butter in the middle, egg and toast, chicken and brown rice, etc.

Snack Suggestions:

Celery
Carrots
Apple wedges (no seeds, they're toxic to dogs!)
Pears
Bran crackers
Rice cakes
Peaches
Hard Boiled eggs
Scrambled eggs
Oatmeal
Low sodium saltine crackers with peanut butter
Cottage cheese
Plain yogurt
Homemade meatballs
Chicken

The goal is not to put weight on your dog, but to balance out the body, stabilize the blood sugar level and ultimately control the seizures.

You can read more about hypoglycemia in pets here:

http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/hypoglycemia.aspx
http://geocities.com/Petsburgh/Zoo/1224/hypoglycemia.html

Hypoglycemia can be a life-threatening, even fatal condition. Following a feeding schedule and using a high quality food alone will not solve your dog's problem. The underlying cause of the Hypoglycemia must be determined. If your current veterinarian is having trouble diagnosing your dog, please consider seeing another vet.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti