How to Stimulate an Insulin Release in a Cat

Overweight cats, neutered male cats and older cats are all prone to developing diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a potentially life-threatening disease that prevents the body from taking up glucose from the blood and using it as an energy source, due to an insufficiency -- or a lack -- of insulin. Cats that have an insufficiency of insulin can be stimulated to have an insulin release through the use of insulin or an oral medication designed to stimulate the pancreas.

Things You'll Need

  • Lancets
  • Automatic lancing device
  • Glucometer
  • Glucose test strips
  • Insulin, as prescribed by veterinarian
  • Insulin syringe
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine your cat̵7;s blood glucose level before administering an injection. Prick the margin of your cat̵7;s ear with a lancet to obtain a drop of blood. Test the blood drop with a glucometer to determine the insulin level.

    • 2

      Determine the insulin dosage to be used. Your cat̵7;s vet will have determined a standard insulin dose for you to give him on a daily basis. However, if his blood glucose level is under 150 mg/dL, the insulin dose should be reduced from that standard amount. Call your cat̵7;s vet to confirm the amount by which the dose should be reduced, if necessary.

    • 3

      Prepare the insulin. Remove the vial from the refrigerator and roll it between the palms of your hands. Doing so mixes the insulin product within the vial and warms it, as well.

    • 4

      Remove any protective caps or cylinders from the syringe.

    • 5

      Fill the syringe with the proper amount of air. Pull the syringe plunger back to the mark indicating the number of units of insulin you will be giving your cat. You may feel some resistance pulling the plunger back into the barrel of the syringe.

    • 6

      Insert the needle into the rubber cap of the insulin vial. Inject the air you drew up in Step 5 into the vial.

    • 7

      Draw insulin into the syringe and turn the vial upside down. Pull the needle back until it is entirely covered by the insulin, to ensure that only insulin, not air, is drawn up. Draw up several units more of the insulin than your cat has been prescribed.

    • 8

      Flick your fingers against the side of the syringe to remove any air bubbles. Push the plunger into the syringe until the proper dose has been achieved. If the air bubbles persist, repeat Steps 4 through 8 until you have successfully drawn up a dose without any air bubbles.

    • 9

      Pull up skin from behind the neck, on the hips or on the cat̵7;s sides to form a ̶0;tent.̶1; Hold the syringe approximately parallel to the cat̵7;s spine, with the bevel -- the slanted surface of the needle -- facing upward. Depress the plunger smoothly and quickly. Remove the needle from your cat̵7;s skin.