Effect of insulin dosage on glycemic response in dogs with diabetes mellitus: 221 cases (1993-1998)

Objective-To evaluate glycemic response to insulin treatment in dogs with d iabetes mellitus. Design-Retrospective study. Animals-221 dogs with diabetes mellitus. Procedure-Type and dosage of insulin used, minimum and maximum blood glucos e concentrations, time of blood glucose concentration nadir, and optimal du ration of action of insulin were determined on the basis of data obtained p rior to initial examination at the leaching hospital (127 dogs), at the tim e of initial examination (212 dogs), at the time a second follow-up blood g lucose curve was performed (59 dogs), and at the time of clinical control o f diabetes mellitus (83 dogs). Results-Prior to examination, 69 of 127 dogs (54%) received 1 SC insulin in jection daily. Thirty-one dogs (24%) received a high dose of insulin (ie, > 1.5 U/kg [0.7 U/lb] of body weight); 27 of these dogs (87%) received 1 inj ection/d. Eleven of 16 dogs (69%) that were hypoglycemic (blood glucose con centration < 80 mg/dl) also received 1 injection/d. However, optimal durati on of action of insulin was > 12 hours in only 5 of 83 dogs (6%) evaluated at the time diabetes mellitus was clinically controlled. At that time, only 1 dog (1%) received a high dose of insulin, and the dog received 2 injecti ons/d. Moreover, 8 of 10 dogs (80%) with hypoglycemia received 2 injection/ d. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Most dogs with diabetes mellitus are cli nically regulated with 2 daily insulin injections. Administration of a high dose of insulin or development of hypoglycemia may be more common in diabe tic dogs that receive insulin once daily, compared with dogs that receive i nsulin twice daily.