Pet insulin syringes are usually one of the different sizes of U 40 insulin syringes. They commonly come in ½ ml or 1 ml sizes and are calibrated in U 40 insulin units. A U40 syringe is quite handy for injecting your pet and makes treatment of diabetes in animals easy to do at home.  It just takes a little practice to master the skill of giving injections.

The development of veterinarian strengths of insulin has allowed many pet owners to treat their pets using the pet insulin syringes and give their pets a return to health and a longer life.  Diabetes in animals is a growing problem that in previous years was handled by euthanizing the pet.

Diabetes in pets develops in the same way and for the same reasons that humans get diabetes.  Sometimes it is because the pancreas doesn’t secrete enough insulin to deal with blood sugar and other times the animal becomes insulin resistant and no matter how much insulin is secreted it is not enough to do the job of regulating blood sugar.

Veterinary insulin was developed to help manage diabetes in pets and the proper pet insulin syringe makes the job of giving injections easier.  Most pet insulin is of the U 40 insulin type, which means there are 40 units of insulin in one mL of insulin solution. Human insulin is typically of the U 100 type or 100 units of insulin per mL so unless the right syringe is used with the corresponding strength of insulin there can be issues of overdosing or even under-dosing with each injection.  It is possible to do conversions and use U 100 syringes with U 40 insulin, but the safest is to use the right pet insulin syringe that matches the insulin your veterinarian prescribed. So use a U40 syringe with U40 insulin and a U100 syringe with U100 insulin.

 Usual symptoms of cat diabetes are increased urination and increased thirst which are caused by the condition of excessive high blood sugar which leaks through the kidneys into the urine. The glucose takes water with it and the cycle of increased thirst and increased urination is on. Another symptom is neuropathy of the back legs which causes the cat to walk on its hocks instead of the back feet. This is caused by nerve damage from the high blood glucose concentration over a period of time and if not treated can cripple the cat.

 Good websites that review symptoms and treatments are www.felinediabetes.com and http://www.fabcats.org. Both are comprehensive in discussing the disease and what to do about it.

 Treatments for diabetic cats involve several things. Some veterinarians believe that change in diet alone can reverse diabetes in cats and this may be true, but it will strict adherence to the diet. Also newly diagnosed diabetic cats that aren’t in a chronic diabetic condition have a greater chance of reversing the disease. The diet change is to completely stop feeding any dry cat food and switch to canned food exclusively.  Cats were created as obligate carnivores, which means that they get all the nutrients and amino acids they require from eating protein or meat only. They don’t really need carbohydrates or grain and vegetable based food at all. Dry food relies heavily on grain or cereal as the majority of its formulation and this high carbohydrate intake over time causes high blood sugar in cats.

 This diet change also means no more table scraps or human food as it converts to glucose very quickly and only adds to the high blood sugar problem. If your cat has a sweet tooth because you allow him to eat human food, realize you are contributing to the diabetes problem and you need to change your habits to help your cat recover.

 Besides diet the other parts of treatment involve increased exercise for the animal and more than likely using insulin syringes to give insulin injections and glucose monitoring. Glucose monitoring is done by taking a blood drop from the cat’s ear and testing it with glucose strips and a glucose meter. Insulin injections are given in the scruff of the cat and are usually done with U40 insulin syringes and U40 strength insulin. Your veterinarian will determine how much insulin to give in each injection and how often your cat will need injections. Regular glucose monitoring will determine the efficacy of the treatment and what changes, if any, need to be made.

 Changes in diet, glucose monitoring, U40 insulin injections with a U40 syringe and increased exercise can all happen at home and be structured by you the owner to fit the best schedule for your cat. Taking the responsibility to treat your cat yourself will reduce the cost of treatment and allow your cat to regain health and live out the rest of its nine lives.

 Injections should be given just under the skin which is known as subcutaneously. It is recommended to give the injections just to one side or the other of the middle of the back from somewhere just behind the shoulders to just in front of the hips.  You should also vary each time from side to side to even out the injection sites.

 Holding the U-40 insulin syringe in one hand, with your other hand pinch up a fold of skin and stick the needle into the middle of the fold, being careful not poke yourself. Then push the syringe plunger all the way in to push the insulin into your pet. When the syringe is empty, carefully remove the needle from your pet and dispose of it in a safe place.

 While the first few times will be nerve racking for you and your dog practice with the insulin syringes will soon make it second nature for both of you.