My diabetic dog's insulin was left out. Is it still okay to use?

The problem with insulin is that it cannot handle temperature variations. There is a small chance that it may still be ok, however it would be better to replace it with a new bottle to make sure Buddy is getting his proper working dose. If you are measuring blood glucose yourself at home, then you can measure his blood glucose before giving him his shot and then 6 hrs after giving him his shot. If the insulin is not working any more due to having been out of the fridge, then he will have a blood glucose value the same or higher than the first measurement. If his Blood glucose is lower and close to his usual low glucose level then the insulin is still good. However, I would recommend replacing the bottle with new insulin.

Just keep him on his normal feeding and exercise routine. His blood sugar will be elevated without the insulin but a couple days should not be that huge of a problem. What you may notice is a temporary recurrence of signs (such as excess thirst and urination), but is not life threatening. If you see him acting ill though you should take him to an ER clinic immediately.

Hello. The danger of using expired insulin is that it may not work. Unless you are testing Fargo's blood glucose twice a day, you will have no idea if his diabetes is wildly out of control until you begin to see signs of uncontrolled disease. Not all medications stop working the minute you reach the labeled expiration date, but insulin is one medication I would not take a chance with. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would wait about 12 hours after his last dose of insulin. I would also make sure he eats something before giving the insulin at that time. If you are not going to be up at the 12 hour mark I would recommend holding off the insulin until tomorrow. If you give the insulin now you risk his glucose going to low even if he just ate. Just know he may develop diarrhea from the cat food. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No, I do not recommend it unless specifically prescribed by your vet. While it can be used, it's never advised to change your dog's insulin yourself as you could accidentally do great harm to Sasha. Speak to your vet about insulin options for her. I hope this helps!

Hello, and thanks for your question. While it's ideal to keep the meal and insulin dosing as close to 12 hours apart as possible, "real life" work schedules certainly factor in, and I have had several patients on a schedule like what you described. Andy would most likely do fine on a 8am / 6pm schedule, but double check with your vet, since they have more details on where Andy's been with his blood sugar numbers. Hope this helps!

A single unscheduled meal is unlikely to cause any significant issues, so try not to worry :) I would continue on Duchess's normal insulin dosing and feeding schedule, and monitor her for any problems. If you have any concerns, contact your regular veterinarian to see if they want you to make any changes.