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.