A century ago, a group of Canadian medical doctors came up with an amazing discovery that a hormone is responsible for the regulation of blood sugar. Prior to it was discovered that insulin could regulate blood sugar the disease was considered to be fatal and feared and untreatable disorders that led to the body producing excessive sugar, with devastating negative health effects. Insulin’s discovery revolutionized the diagnosis of diabetic mellitus people. Within two years of its invention, insulin became widely available and saved countless lives.
The human race wasn’t the only one benefitting from the discovery of insulin. The first references to treating dog owners with diabetes date from the 1940s and the treatment options for cats and dogs have improved dramatically in the past two decades. Insulin has been and continues to be, a major component of diabetes treatment in both breeds.
A Growing Problem
Diabetes is a major condition that affects both cats and dogs. Banfield Pet Hospitals reported in 2016 that diabetes diagnoses in their clinics was up by around 80 percent between 2006 and 2015. The incidence of cats was up 18% during the same time period however, the rate of diabetes of cats is greater than that of dogs. The conclusion is the fact that it is a widespread and rising issue in our pets. Because insulin therapy is a crucial element in treating diabetes for pets, it’s crucial that pet owners are aware of the most recent facts regarding the use of insulin for pets.
The first insulin preparations were created using extracts from pork and the pancreas of beef. Today, commercially manufactured human insulin recombinantly is the predominant kind of insulin and is the main kind of insulin used in treating both cats and dogs with diabetes.
In contrast to people who suffer from the type 1, or 2 type of diabetes the dog’s condition isn’t a categorizing it into one of the two. In the case of cats there is a picture that could be more clear, as the cat’s diabetes has a lot of similarities to type 2 diabetes in humans. A major distinction between diabetic cats and diabetic dogs and diabetics is that the oral drugs commonly utilized to control diabetes in humans have not had the desired results in the case of animals.
Insulin Treatment
If you own pets with diabetes or you have diabetes yourself and are aware of the numerous insulin preparations. The variety of choices available can be overwhelming in particular as newer varieties of insulin are developed and the older ones are modified or removed from the market.
The insulin can be divided into four distinct types based on three aspects:
- How fast does the insulin begin to work after being injectable
- The moment to reach the peak of insulin’s action
- How long will the insulin last?
Insulin kinds based on the following characteristics like:
- The rapid-acting insulins begin to work within 15 minutes of being injected. Its activity peaks within one hour and lasts for between two and four hours.
- Short-acting or regular insulins begin to function about 30 minutes after the injection. Their activities peak at around two or three hours after. These insulins last between three and six hours.
- Intermediate-acting insulins can take between two and four hours before they begin to work. They peak within 4 to 12 hours and last for 12 to 18 hours.
- Long-acting insulins can take a long time to get into the bloodstream, however, they don’t reach the capacity to be at their peak. They last between 20 and 26 hours.
- Ultra-long-acting insulin is a new class of insulins is currently being studied for usage in dogs. Perhaps just an injection a week would be needed. The research on cats is slow but is continuing.
Other forms that are not as common of insulin are mixtures of various insulins and insulins of various concentrations.
Insulin is produced in various concentrations. The insulin concentration is measured in grams of insulin for each milliliter fluid. The most commonly used forms in the field of veterinary medication include U-40 (40 unit of insulin in a milliliter) and U-100 (100 units of insulin per milliliter). Syringes for insulin are calibrated for every type of insulin. This makes measurements of insulin simple, but it is crucial to select the right kind of insulin syringe employed.
While giving your pet injections may seem intimidating however, most pet owners are quick to learn the procedure. Insulin therapy , when combined with the right nutrition and exercise allow pets and cats suffering from diabetes to live long and healthy life spans.