Diabetic
Stabilisation
As an
owner of a pet diagnosed with diabetes,
it is reassuring to know that with
your help and with the care of our
veterinary surgeons, your cat or dog
can lead a normal, healthy life.
When your pet goes home he/she should be stabilised on a
suitable dose of insulin. This dose may vary slightly from day to day.
Each morning a urine sample should be
collected and tested with a ketodiasitix
strip.
The result should be read at 30
seconds after dipping in the urine.
What to do with the dose of insulin:
-
if the reading is negative for glucose decrease the dose by
2 i.u
-
if the reading is between 1/10th and 1% keep the dose the same
-
if the dose is above 1% increase
the dose by 2 i.
Record
the dose each day and the urine
test result.
Inject the insulin under the skin
at the scruff of the neck.
Feed a quarter
to a half of your pet's normal amount
of food.
Insulin has its maximum effect
6-8 hours after injection and at this
time the dog/cat should be given the
rest of his/her food.
If your pet appears
weak or wobbly or collapses this may
indicate that your pet is low in blood
sugar ,this can be quickly rectified
by giving sugar tablets or honey or
part of a mars bar to your pet. If
your pet appears collapsed put honey
or sugar directly onto their tongue
and then contact the surgery.
It is
important to get your dog/cat into
a routine with regular exercise and
regular meals . It is important not
to give them titbits.
If you have any
questions or are worried about your
pet do not hesitate to give the surgery
a ring.
Our Veterinary surgeons will help
you, but there may be times when
a little more information can prevent
a lot of worry. So to save
you a trip to the surgery and give
you instant peace of mind, Intervet
has launched a website dedicated to
owners of diabetic pets.
Simply click on www.diabeticpets.co.uk and
you will have instant access to a wealth
of information that can help both you
and your pet. You will find all
you want to know about managing diabetes
in dogs and cats , useful tips on diet
and exercise, as well as answers to
the questions most frequently asked
about the disease. Along with
hints on giving insulin injections,
there are helpful videos and diagrams
to help you make the process quick,
easy and painless. You
can even download a copy of a brochure
explaining all about how Caninsulin
works to help your pet live normally.
Read
about 'Holly' top right - A Diabetic's
Tale.
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