Milk Fever in Dogs
It is officially called canine eclampsia or puerperal tetany, and is caused by low blood calcium levels that may occur during nursing, although occasionally, it can present itself during the last few weeks in a dog's pregnancy. 
Chihuahuas and other tiny breeds of dogs, are at higher risk for developing this, but the actual size of their litter does not seem to attribute to it. One of our Chihuahuas developed milk fever, and this was brought on by how much milk she was producing, even though the litter was small, and the pups were only 2 weeks old. Milk fever in dogs most commonly occurs when the nursing puppies are between 1 and 4 weeks of age, and it is caused by excessive milk production. Some dogs produce milk too rapidly and their blood calcium levels can not keep up with the demand. It is never a good idea to change a dog's diet during pregnancy, as this can sometimes inadvertently cause this condition. People mistakenly think that adding extra calcium and meat during the pregnancy, will be good for her, when in fact, it is not.
It is only after dogs have given birth, that their diets need to be changed to puppy food. Puppy food has the extra calcium that she needs, but it also has the proper ratios of calcium to phosphorus that is needed for her. It is extremely important that this is NOT started during her pregnancy, as prevention is the best thing you can do for her. As for the signs and symptoms of milk fever in dogs, they are easy to recognize, and there is no mistaking that something is very wrong. The affected female will start acting restless and nervous. That progresses to panting, trembling, and stumbling around. Her body will go stiff as if she is paralyzed, and she may be drooling. She may develop an extremely high fever, but trust me, you won't have time to check that to see. When our Chihuahua had this, it looked as if she was having an epileptic seizure. You do not have time to wait. You must immediately call your vet and rush her to him, or she will die. 
The vet will give her an IV of calcium supplement, possibly a cool bath to reduce her fever, and will keep a close watch on her. Our Chihuahua did get to come home a few hours later, but we had to bottle feed the litter. Occasionally, the mother may be able to gradually start nursing again, but your vet will decide whether this is safe or if it will put her further at risk. Once dogs have had milk fever, the chances of it repeating itself is very high, and you will need to discuss with your vet about preventative measures, and whether or not she should ever be bred again.
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