Managing diabetes' insulin injections require awareness and patience, as insulin needles equate to  your dog's life.

Managing diabetes' insulin injections in your dog requires awareness of the actions of all family members to insure that the dog does not receive extra doses.  Over dosage can be fatal.  Keep a record of the time insulin needles are given and be sure that your dog gets the insulin required.  As the dog cannot give itself insulin needles, managing diabetes for your pet is your responsibility.  Insulin needles are extremely thin, and the injection almost painless.  Get someone to help hold the dog and distract it the first few times.

Managing diabetes for your dog will become second nature as you become proficient with the insulin needles.

Managing diabetes using pre package insulin needles is handled as follows: 

• Remove the needle guard from the insulin syringe.
• Right handed people hold the insulin syringe in their right hand and pick up a fold of skin along your dog's back or shoulders the left hand.  (Use a different site each time.)
• Push the needle through the skin at about a 45 degree angle.  Do not push the needle right through the fold or into your finger.
• Pull back slightly on the insulin syringe plunger insuring the needle is not in a blood vessel.  Administer the insulin by pushing the plunger with your thumb.
• Withdraw the needle from the dog's skin and replace the needle guard.
• Reward the dog and record the time of the injection on your calendar.
• Place the needle and insulin syringe in a puncture-resistant container.  Follow your local regulations regarding disposal.

Managing diabetes' insulin injections important tip:.

• Do not shake the insulin vial.  Air bubbles that form will make it more difficult to get an accurate measurement.
• The insulin should be uniformly cloudy in the bottle when you draw it into the insulin syringe.
• Insulin is measured in units and the insulin syringes are marked in units.  Be sure to use the unit scale.
• Some vets recommend giving insulin needles under the skin on the sides of the chest and abdomen, since insulin may be better absorbed from these sites.
• If the dog does not receive the entire dose of insulin (some leaked out, the needle went through the entire fold of skin and some was shot into the air) DO NOT give more insulin, wait until the next scheduled does.  Over dosage can be fatal.
• Insulin needles, puncture-resistant containers, insulin vials, insulin syringes can be purchased from our suppliers.  Visit our pet health page.

Insulin needles, puncture-resistant containers, insulin vials, insulin syringes and all canine health products can be purchased through our pet health link.  Other unique online pet shopping & products are available from our links below.

Article adapted, author acknowledged:

Holly Nash, DVM, MS received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Master's Degree in epidemiology from the University of Wisconsin.  Dr. Nash has always been interested in the human-animal bond and the education of animal owners, and finds being Editor of PetEducation.com a perfect match.  She is a member of the American and Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Associations, the Society of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine, the Association of Reptilian & Amphibian Veterinarians, and the Association of Avian Veterinarians.  Dr. Nash lhas a dog named Kip and a cat, Eddie.  Thanks to Dr. Nash for her informative article.

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• Managing canine diabetes injections in dogs
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