Vetsulin Announcement - Vetsulin is a pet medication for diabetic animals

Zeke turned 13 on Dec. 1, 2009 - Happy Birthday Zeke!

Update July 4, 2010

With my stockpile of vetsulin about to run out later this summer I ordered Caninsulin from a Canadian Pharmacy.  Caninsulin is the same exact medication as Vetsulin but it is sold under the name Caninsulin in Canada.   What I used to pay about $66 for (a box of 10 2.5 ml vials) cost me $88 plus $14 shipping.  It is much more expensive than I used to pay at my local veterinarians office.  It arrived in one week.

Zekes' veterinarian obtained approval for him to participate in the Vetsulin Critical Need program which is for diabetic dogs who for health reasons cannot be switched to another type of insulin.  

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I took Zeke to the veterinarian in July 2007 because he was drinking excessive amounts of water and urinating in the house. This is a common diabetic dog symptom.  Zekes' glucose levels were in the 400s' which is very high since they should be under 140.  The veterinarian put him on one shot a day of 14 units of Vetsulin which is  a textbook dose based on his weight.  Vetsulin is made in the Netherlands.

 I would learn over the next several months that getting the right dose for your dog with diabetes is an exercise in trial and error.  The dogs need for insulin can change at any time without notice.  Dog Diabetes is something that your dog can live a good life with if you and your veterinarian can control the dogs blood sugar levels.

I tried to research diabetic dog food but Zeke has always been a meat eater.  At his age we thought it would be difficult to switch his diet. The vet started Zeke out on one shot of 14 units of Vetsulin once per day. After two weeks of still high blood glucose levels the shot was increased to two doses of 10 units of Vetsulin twice a day.  Zeke began drinking excessive amounts of water and waking me up at night to let him out so I increased the second shot to 14 units and he was fine.  

Over the last 2 years I have learned alot about diabetes in dogs by reading online and by especially from the veterinarian.  Zeke has been on doses as low as 8 units and as high as 15. The veterinarian always thought it was Zekes system reacting differently but now with the Vetsulin announcement I suspect  that it was the inconsistent strength of the vetsulin medication.  To monitor him I was taking him to the veterinarian about once a month to have his blood glucose tested.  The vet checks Zekes blood glucose level every couple of months.  Currently I am testing his urine several times a week with Bayer Diastix urine glucose test strips which I purchase online from Hocks Pharmacy in Ohio.  They have the best prices I have found and since I am in Michigan the shipping time for Ground is only 1 day and Hocks shipping cost is very reasonable.

For the past few months Zeke has been on 2 shots a day of 14 units of Vetsulin It can take alot of trial and error to get each dogs dosage correct. The diabetic dogs need for insulin can change at any time without notice. It is important to watch your pet closely and report any changes to the veterinarian.

Warning:  there is currently a production issue with the pet medication Vetsulin.  Please see the FDA Announcement below.

Link to the FDA Announcement about the pet medication Vetsulin