Vetsulin is manufactured by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats. Diabetes mellitus is caused by low insulin production, resulting in uncontrollable levels of blood glucose. The FDA in 2009 issued a warning stating that Vetsulin could be unreliable because of the product's chemical instability. A critical need program was established to provide Vetsulin to dogs who couldn't be effectively treated with a substitute insulin.
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Composition of Vetsulin
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Vetsulin is a porcine insulin zinc suspension, composed of 70 percent crystalline zinc insulin and 30 percent amorphous insulin. Vetsulin is a pork-based insulin with an amino acid sequence that's identical to natural canine insulin. This helps prevent your dog from developing insulin resistance, as your dog is far less likely to produce anti-insulin antibodies than she would with an insulin product formulated for human use. Vetsulin is unsuitable for use with dogs that are allergic to pork products because of its pork base.
Administering Vestulin
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Vetsulin is administered by injection and should be administered immediately after your dog has eaten. U-40 insulin syringes should be used because they provide the best gauge for measuring the correct dosage. The amount of Vetsulin to be injected depends primarily on your dog's body weight. Your veterinarian will indicate the proper dosage. The number of required daily injections varies. A multi-center clinical trial conducted from May 1997 to May 2001 indicated that 2/3 of dogs required injections twice a day and 1/3 only required one daily injection.
Monitoring Progress
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Your vet needs to periodically reevaluate your dog during her Vetsulin treatment. Results from urinalysis and glucose screens, among other clinical tests, will determine whether your dog's Vetsulin dosage needs to be adjusted. Make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise and has a proper diet, as these are important adjuncts to Vetsulin treatment in managing your dog's diabetes.
FDA Warning
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The FDA discovered that the crystalline zinc insulin content of Vestulin varied unpredictably, an instability that could result in unstable glucose levels in dogs undergoing Vestulin treatment. Those dogs are at risk for hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, conditions with symptoms that include increased thirst and urination as well as weakness and disorientation. In November 2009, the FDA urged veterinarians to consider alternative insulin products for dogs undergoing Vetsulin treatment.
Critical Need Program
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The FDA allows Intervet to issue limited supplies of Vetsulin through the Vetsulin Critical-Need Program. If a vet believes that a diabetic dog under his care can't be effectively treated with another insulin product, the Critical-Need Program allows him to continue using Vetsulin. The veterinarian needs to provide Intervet with a detailed explanation of why the dog's diabetes can't be effectively managed with another product before Vetsulin is provided.
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