My dog uses Vetsulin U-40. How do I convert dosage for new syringes?

If the insulin and syringe is U40 then yes, 5 should be 5 units (it is important to use the same graded syringes and insulin as this would invalidate the graduations otherwise). Blood glucose should be checked resting and fasting as a meal or strenuous exercise will affect readings - a schedule of timings before meals/exercise should be arranged in order to compare readings. Changes the the dose rate given should be made only in consultation with the treating vet - we are not legally in a position to prescribe medication as the animal must be under the direct care and supervision of the prescribing vet in order to make these decisions

Hello, and thank you for your question. Luckily, the concerns with underdosing are MUCH less serious than overdosing. I would not give him more insulin at this time. Instead, get your hands on the U-40 syringes ideally before his next dose, and administer his next dose as usual. If you cannot get the U-40 syringes in time for his next dose, I would just continue to administer the same number value using the U-100 syringes for now. As I said earlier, there will be minimal concerns with underdosing him for a few injections. At most, you may notice he is a bit more thirsty and has to pee a bit more often while he is getting the lower dose. I hope this helps, and that Stripes is doing well!

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.

Yes, he should get some insulin now. The usual starting dose is about ¼ unit per pound of body weight. Thus, a 20 lb. dog would start at 5 units; 40 lb. at 10 units, and so on. So at 29 pounds, he should get about 7 units of insulin. Check his glucose again in a few hours and see where he is to make sure he's not getting too low. If he does get really low, you can help bring it back up by giving some honey or Karo syrup.

Most dogs with uncomplicated DM do not require any more than 1 u per kg. Actually when I start having to increase to much over 0.5 u per kg I start to worry about occult infections I might be missing such as UTI or dental infections. Also, Cushings disease is common in small dogs and that can also make DM difficult to control. So I would visit with your veterinarian about the upper limit of their comfort level in your insulin increases. That way if you approach that level you should go in for an exam and possibly other lab work. That is probably how I would handle it, but of course all veterinarians are different and yours may have a different (and possibly better) recommendation! Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Yes, I would just wait and resume normal insulin dosing at his next meal. It's risky to try and "top off" a partial dose (if he didn't get the whole thing for some reason), so better to just pick up with his next normal dose and go from there. A single skipped or lower-than-normal insulin dose should not cause any serious harm. If the increased urination continues, then I would talk to your veterinarian as he may need to have his glucose levels rechecked and his insulin dose adjusted.

Hi there. Sorry that you are having this issue. All insulins are very sensitive actually and not just the Caninsulin. That being said, the Caninsulin actually comes in a preloaded pen that you can use instead of dosing from a bottle and filling the syringes yourself. http://www.caninsulin.com/vetpen/about-vetpen.asp I recommend you talk to your vet about getting that instead. I think it would be easier for you. I hope this helps. If you have more questions please feel free to post again! Best wishes!