Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs

Treatment

                Treatment of diabetes mellitus requires a commitment of time and management from you, the owner.  Our goal is with proper diet, insulin injections, exercise, and weight management, to help your dog maintain a healthy blood sugar level.  With such therapy, your pet can lead a happy, comfortable life.

                Once your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, its specific insulin requirements need to be determined.  This is accomplished by the Animal Hospital of McHenry testing the blood sugar levels at regular intervals throughout the day.  These results are used to determine your dog's initial insulin requirements.

Home Care

                You must provide your dog twice daily injections of insulin for the rest of its life, or until remission is achieved.  Oral medication is rarely effective for diabetic animals.  It is also important that the insulin injections are given at the same time each day.

The Insulin Dose

                The type of insulin and the daily dose are tailored to meet the needs of each dog.  Some dogs need only one daily injection and others may need two.  A low dose of insulin is used initially, then the dose will be slowly adjusted until the optimal dose is reached.  The insulin dosage will need to be adjusted periodically throughout your dog's life.

Handling Insulin and Syringes

                Insulin should be kept in the refrigerator all times and the bottle should be rolled gently in your hand prior to withdrawal of the insulin into the syringe.

Drawing Up the Insulin

                Set out the syringe and needle, insulin bottle and have the pet ready.  Then:

                1. Remove the needle guard from the needle, draw back the plunger to the desired dose level.

                2. Insert the needle into the insulin bottle.

                3. Inject the air in the syringe into the bottle to prevent a vacuum from forming in the insulin bottle.

                4. Withdraw the plunger, filling the syringe with the correct amount of insulin.

                Before injecting your dog with the insulin, check to see there are no bubbles in the syringe.  If you see an air bubble, draw up slightly more insulin than the exact dose.  Now, withdraw the needle from the bottle, tap the syringe barrel with your finger to move the air bubble to the nozzle of the syringe, then, gently, expel the air bubble by pushing the plunger upwards.

                Now, check to see you have the correct amount of insulin in the syringe. The correct dose of insulin is measured from the needle end, or "0" on the syringe barrel, to the end of the plunger nearest the needle.

How To Give An Injection

Do not attempt to sterilize the skin with alcohol.  It can be counterproductive if it stings and causes your dog to want to avoid the injection. 

1. Hold the syringe in your right hand (or your left, if you are left-handed).  There are many ways to    hold a syringe and with time you will develop the one easiest for you. 

2. Have a friend or member of your family hold your pet as you pick a fold of skin along the pet's back with your free hand. (Pick a different spot each day.)

3. Push the very sharp, very thin needle through the dog's skin quickly.  This should be easy and painless using an insulin needle.  Take care to push the needle through on fold of skin, not into your finger, the dog's underlying muscle, or through both layers of skin.

                4. Pull back gently on the plunger to make sure no blood fills the syringe.

                5. With your thumb on the plunger, push the plunger further into the syringe.

                6. Withdraw the needle from the dog's skin, and immediately cover the needle with the needle guard.

                7. Praise your dog for sitting quietly.  A reward of your affection quickly creates a cooperative dog that may not even need to be held.

                Important!

*If you do not think that you gave the insulin correctly or are not sure if you gave the whole amount, do not attempt to repeat injection. Wait to give more insulin until the next time your dog is due.

Nutrition

                Your dog?s blood sugar is also affected by the type of food that he eats. It is very important that you feed a high fiber diet such as Science Diet W/D. High fiber diets slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and aid in better blood glucose control. Your dog should be feed twice daily, before insulin is given.

*If your dog does not eat, do not give insulin as that may result in the blood sugar going too low.

?If he doesn?t eat, don?t treat!?

Avoid giving other treats or food throughout the day.

Sometimes your dog may have an insulin reaction caused by a marked decrease in blood sugar.  This reaction usually occurs 2-6 hours after the injection.  The earliest signs are your dog may seem "spacey" and unresponsive.  Your pet may be weak and walk with a wobbly, uncoordinated gait.  This stage may progress to seizure or coma.  Should this occur give Karo Syrup orally. Contact Animal Hospital of McHenry or Animal Emergency of McHenry County and immediately attempt to.FEED!  A blood sugar level significantly below normal (hypoglycemia) is an immediate threat to life and needs to be dealt with as an emergency situation.

If you think your pet may have had a hypoglycemic episode, DO NOT give the next insulin injection until you have consulted with us or Animal Emergency.

Exercise

                There are no restrictions of your dog's normal activity.  However, it is important that your dog's exercise be moderately regulated and consistent in order to keep the insulin needs as consistent as possible.

Things to watch for at home

                1. Lack of appetite

                2. Changes in normal behavior

                3. Changes in normal urination pattern

                4. Changes in water consumption

                5. Depression

                6. Drunken state

                7. Cataracts

                8. Seizures

                9. Coma

Special Considerations

                Although diabetes mellitus can be controlled with insulin and diet, diabetic animals are more susceptible to other health problems.  Diabetes mellitus can cause an increased incident of infections, slowed healing, cataracts, gastrointestinal dysfunction, kidney disease, heart disease, pancreatitis and nervous system disorders.