Pets with type 1 diabetes are given insulin injections and may need changes in diet, and may need to lose weight. Pets with type 2 diabetes do not need insulin because they can usually be controlled with diet, weight loss, and oral medication (Glipizide Rx).
Some pets with type 1 diabetes can be treated with insulin, diet, and weight loss so that they no longer need insulin.
Why is insulin injected?
Insulin is a protein that is destroyed by stomach acid when it is swallowed. Instead, insulin is injected under the skin and is picked up by the blood and circulated throughout the body.
A pharmaceutical company is developing a form of insulin that is inhaled as a mist. The mist reaches the capillaries in the lungs and is carried through the body. Until this form of insulin is ready, pets will continue to be given insulin injections.
Vet Tip: Not all insulin injections have the same effect.
- The larger the insulin dose, the longer it takes to be absorbed, and the longer it has an effect.
- Insulin is absorbed faster if it is injected into moving limbs rather than non-moving areas such as the back.
- Insulin given deep in the muscle is absorbed faster than insulin given just under the skin, which is called the subcutaneous (SQ) tissue.
- Summer and warmer environments increase the rate of insulin absorption.
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What types of insulin do pets use?
Pets use several types of insulin:
Regular crystalline insulin, which has a rapid onset and short duration of action, perhaps only a few hours;
Intermediate-acting insulin, such as NPH (Isophane), which has an intermediate duration of about 12 hours;
Lente insulin, which has an intermediate duration of 12 hours, but lasts as long as 24 hours in some pets; and
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Ultralente insulin, which is long-acting, usually as long as 24 hours, but it may be only as long as 12 hours in some pets. Insulin can be mixed to combine a rapid and a longer-duration product in a single bottle.
Pets use insulin made from beef, pork, a combination of beef and pork, and from human recombinant DNA. If switching a pet from animal to human insulin, the dose is lowered and the pet is re-regulated. Examples of insulins prescribed for pets are PZI Vet Cat Insulin (Rx), Vetsulin for Dogs (Rx), and Humulin N (Rx).
Insulin is injected with special syringes that are calibrated in units. The syringes have tiny needles because they are intended to deliver insulin below the skin. It is important to use U-40 syringes with U-40 insulin (PZI Vet Cat Insulin and Vetsulin for Dogs and U-100 syringes with U-100 insulin (Humulin N).
For more information, read these articles about Diabetic Dogs from the American Diabetes Association.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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