Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with severe zinc poisoning and low blood sugar not responding
By Vietti, John et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2025·Department of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Refractory Hypoglycemia in a Dog With Severe Zinc Intoxication.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old spayed female Pug was brought to the vet because she was lethargic and having trouble breathing. Tests showed she had low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), anemia, and high liver values, along with metallic objects in her stomach, likely causing zinc poisoning. The vet initially treated her with IV dextrose, but her blood sugar didn't improve for several hours. After removing the metallic objects with an endoscope, her blood sugar levels started to rise, and she began to recover.
People also search for: dog lethargy and breathing problems · Pug low blood sugar treatment · zinc poisoning in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe hypoglycemia secondary to zinc toxicosis in a dog. CASE SUMMARY: A 3-year-old spayed female Pug weighing 9.0 kg presented with lethargy and labored breathing. Diagnostic tests revealed hypoglycemia, regenerative anemia, azotemia, increased liver values, and metallic objects in the stomach. The dog was treated with IV dextrose but remained refractory to therapy for the first 5 h. A serum zinc concentration was 32.28 µg/mL (reference interval, 0.8-1.8 µg/mL). The dog was treated supportively, and the blood glucose concentration responded within hours of endoscopic removal of the metallic foreign bodies. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: This case demonstrates refractory hypoglycemia associated with zinc toxicosis, which has not been previously reported in the literature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40884764/