My diabetic dog is twitching and stumbling. Is it too much insulin?

I am so sorry to hear about Pepper. This is a sort of in-depth discussion that might work best as a consultation if you need more guidance. There should be a link below or you can go to the doctor page and request a consultation with me (or any doctor you wish). My first thought is making sure Pepper was correctly diagnosed so seeing some bloodwork/urine results would be very helpful. If this were the case the insulin itself could be making her very sick and weak. This is a life-threatening emergency. My next thought is that she was correctly diagnosed but she has some secondary complication- namely diabetic keto-acidosis. This is a life-threatening complication of unregulated diabetes which causes vomiting, dehydration, lethargy and can even progress to shock and death. Either way, I am extremely concerned and would STRONGLY recommend you visit the emergency vet IMMEDIATELY. Pepper could absolutely die in the next 48 hours depending on what is going on. If you absolutely cannot get to a vet I encourage a consultation as we may be able to ask some better questions and walk you through some steps to help figure out what’s going on. Best of luck to you and Pepper.

25 ml is an incredibly large dose of insulin, and I’m assuming you mean 25 units. if she’s eating normally and she is prescribed to receive insulin now, you should give it at the prescribed dose. I’m not sure how the spinal problem was diagnosed but Tramadol May help with any pain associated with that, so again, if this is a prescription given by her doctor I would go ahead and give that medication. Panting can definitely be a sign of pain, so I would use pain medications that have been prescribed for her and see if she improves. You should also also ask your veterinarian about whether gabapentin might be a good pain medication for her, as it frequently helps with pain that is neurologic in origin. if she does not improve after receiving her medications I’d recommend seeking emergency care, as difficulty breathing may be the sign of a serious and new problem for her.

I would recommend having Jock examined by a veterinarian right away. If his blood sugar level has gotten too low, that can cause weakness and we don't want that to get any worse. He could also have another reason for weakness that is causing him to collapse that should receive treatment right away, so I would have him evaluated as soon as possible. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Jock is fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

In most patients this would not be considered as an emergency as the condition tends to develop and progress slowly but I would be more concerned when Sassy is so week and unable to stand. I would strongly recommend contacting the emergency clinic to see if they have insulin in stock as the sooner she is stabilised the better chance she has of making a recovery - prolonged severe diabetic crisis can lead to permanent injury to many cases.

Hello. It could be, so this is the reason we need to monitor glucose levels so closely when insulin is first started. You do not indicate how old Mancat is, but at 17 pounds, he could also have some pain from arthritis in the leg. We now know that after 10 years of age, up to 90% of our pets ( including cats ), will have arthritis in 1 or more joints. Make sure his glucose levels are OK & you might want to at least put Mancat on a good joint supplement. Your vet can tell you what might be best for your pet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Vomiting can be a sign of elevated glucose levels. If your pet has skipped an insulin treatment then this can very well be the reason why she is now sick. It is best to feed her a meal and get her back on her insulin regimen as soon as possible to avoid prolonged high sugar levels that will continue to make her ill. If she is also refraining from eating and continues to act ill, then it is best to get her seen by a vet right away because she may be ketoacidotic (high level of ketones in the body due to excessively high sugar levels in the bloodstream) and in need of emergency treatment to help stabilize her.

Do not shake the vial but roll it between your palms to mix the contents gently. As for too much insulin, it takes a lot of adjustment in the beginning to get the right amount of insulin to control your dog's diabetes. Trust your vet. He knows what he is doing.