Insulin Defined

• Insulin shotsspecial syringe for insuline injections image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  Veterinary insulin is a hormone formulated especially for dogs, and you should not administer human insulin to your pet. The three concentrations of insulin are 40, 100, and 500 units/ml, which use different sizes of syringes to administer. Larger dogs or dogs with higher blood sugar will require a higher concentration.
  
  

Handling Insulin

• Insulin comes in a glass bottle and will lose its effectiveness if frozen or heated. Keep insulin refrigerated in an upright position. Tip the bottle back and forth a few times before injecting in order to "resuspend" the formula and increase its effectiveness.
  
  

Administration of Insulin

• Insulin must be injected daily on a regular schedule. The insulin must be administered along with a strict feeding schedule, healthy diet and an exercise program in order to be most effective.
  
  

Testing and Monitoring

• Be sure to regularly monitor your dog's sugar levels using urine test strips. This allows adjustments to be made to insulin levels. You may purchase the test strips at pet or drug stores.
  
  

Concerns About Insulin

• The primary danger with using insulin in the possibility of overdosing your pet. If you cannot remember if you gave your dog a insulin shot, do not give another one. Overdosing on insulin can be fatal whereas missing an occasional dose is not as dangerous.
  
  You should never obtain insulin anywhere but from your veterinarian or a pet hospital.