How To Give Your Diabetic Dog An Insulin Shot

Online, April 8, 2011 (Newswire.com) - If your pet has been diagnosed with diabetes and the disease cannot be controlled through diet and exercise and you have to give daily insulin shots, don't panic!

Being faced with administering shots every day can be a daunting task for any pet owner, believe me, I know, but learning how to manage the job isn't as difficult as you'd imagine. It will just take a little time to build up your confidence level.

Once you've gone through the steps a number of times and established a daily routine between you and your pet, both of you will become accustomed to the process and it will become part of an every day ritual.

To better understand the medication you will be giving your dog I've included a portion of a really detailed article that specifically talks about insulin injections and something that you might not even have considered, what to look for if you have given your dog too much medication. The whole article is great, but I found this snippet was particularly helpful when my dog was initially diagnosed with diabetes.

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Insulin

Most diabetic dogs need insulin, given in daily injections. Depending on the type of insulin your veterinarian suggests, your dog will need one or two injections per day.

Your veterinarian will show you how to handle insulin and administer shots to your dog. The veterinarian may have you practice giving the shot in the office, to make sure you know how to do it and to answer any questions.

Insulin shots are given under the skin, so you won't have to find a vein. Some veterinarians suggest you give shots in the buttocks area, others suggest the loose skin around the neck. Ask which area your veterinarian recommends for your pet.

Too Much Insulin

The greatest threat to your dog's health related to insulin is getting too much insulin. This causes blood glucose levels that are too low (hypoglycemia), which can make the dog very sick and can result in death. Just as human diabetics carry a candy bar or orange juice to treat their low blood glucose, you should carry corn syrup or sugar pills with you for your diabetic dog.

Symptoms of low blood glucose include:
• Dizziness or unsteady gait
• Lethargy
• Shaking
• Falling
• Seizures

Every dog shows a different combination of these symptoms. React immediately to the symptoms by giving your dog corn syrup or sugar pills. It's important to make sure your dog ingests glucose in one of these forms as soon as possible. You can dilute the corn syrup in water and let your dog drink it. If the dog does not willingly drink it, administer it orally using a turkey baster. Corn syrup absorbs into the blood stream through the tissues of the mouth, so it is immediately effective.

You should quickly see a change in the dog's symptoms and behavior since this treatment increases the blood glucose right away. Keep in mind that elevated blood glucose for a short time is much less dangerous than low blood glucose. To prevent low blood glucose, it's generally better to err on the side of too little insulin rather than too much.

This article is approved by Ellen Miller, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM of Flatiron Veterinary Specialists

Please consult your veterinarian for diagnosis and before beginning any treatment program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_G._Casey

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To help you visualize what's required in the injection process, take a moment to have a look at this quick, but extremely thorough slide show that goes through each step of the injection process, including not only how to inject your dog, but how to properly fill the syringe with the insulin along with a whole lot of other really useful information.

I hope you found this information on diabetes in dogs useful and that it helps you gain confidence when doing your daily insulin injections.

Just try to remember not to stress too much about having to give the injections and pretty soon you & your dog will get used to the process and become pros!