What are the risks of increasing my diabetic dog's insulin?

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.

This could be a possibility. If your vet thinks Cushing she could be complicating her diabetes, you could consider testing her for cushings. If she definitely has cushings then you can start treating her for that. In the meantime, y'all will need to work on getting her diabetes under control. Another option would be to see if there is a specialist (internist) near you that could take over her case to help you get the DKA under control while also diagnosing and treating for cushings if needed. The main difference between a specialist and a general practitioner is that the specialist specializes in these complicated metabolic diseases and usually have facilities and specialized equipment that can care for them 24 hours if needed. If there is a cost concern and yall are unable to get the DKA under control and she is continuing to decline then yes, I would consider euthanasia. Unfortunately, even with intensive care and extensive testing, sometimes these guys don't improve and continue to decline no matter what we do. I know this is a difficult time and decision. Just know that you are doing the best thing for her whatever you decide. I hope this helps and know we are thinking of you. Hugs!

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, 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.

Hello, thank you for your question. I would not give more insulin to your dog in spit of getting into this candy. It is possible that by giving additional insulin we could make her blood sugar drop too low. One bout of significant hyperglycemia should not cause serious derangement of the diabetes. If there was any chocolate in these candies however, I would be concerned that your dog could experience chocolate toxicity. If there was chocolate in these candies I would recommend contacting the ASPCA Poison Control for further recommendations. There is a fee for this service, but they can help determine if additional treatments are needed. Hope this helps, good luck!

I'm always hesitant to disagree with another veterinarian, because she may well have valid reasons for choosing to do this - but, that being said, I have not personally ever heard of anyone starting a newly diagnosed diabetic cat on this high of a dose. Most internists recommend a starting dose of 1 unit twice daily for an average sized cat, or 1.5 - 2 units twice daily for a very large cat. If you're uncomfortable, there is nothing wrong with asking your veterinarian to explain her reasoning to help allay your concerns, or seeking a second opinion from another veterinarian in your area. Best of luck with your diabetic kitty! :)

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.