whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

[krs10]

I'm looking to change from Vetsulin to something a little less pricey. My 14 yr old Lab is currently taking 17 Units twice a day and its getting costly . I have heard that insulin is sold at Walmart that can be used on pets, Is this something that is interchangeable?
I called our vet and they said they would not recommend changing. Not sure if this is because they want us to buy from them at a higher price?
Krs10 L

[CraigM]

Re: whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

Welcome to the forum!
Yes, many of us have switched from Vetsulin to Novolin-N from Walmart. The Novolin-N comes in the same physical sized vial as Vetsulin, but contains 1000 units of insulin as opposed to only 400 units of Vetsulin. In other words, you get 2.5 times the active insulin (stronger concentration) with Novolin-N. Novolin-N from Walmart cost about $25/vial, so a pretty big savings.

The important thing is that you should also switch syringes to U-100 syringes. The good thing is that U-100 syringes are almost always less expensive than the U-40 syringes you are using with Vetsulin. U-100 syringes are available at any pharmacy, I get mine at Walmart.

To be continued in a few minutes

Craig

[CraigM]

Re: whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

Dosage of Novolin-N is usually close to that of Vetsulin, remembering to switch to the proper U-100 syringe. I think most reduce the dosage a little, maybe to 15 units in your case, for safety and then adjust as needed. I ended up injecting the same number of units (different syringes), but each pup/ situation is different.

Are you home testing blood glucose? You would probably need to be home testing to get the proper dosage. Novolin-N and Vetsulin are not identical, so the shape of the "curve" will likely differ, but most can be switched with home testing.

About your vet. Ask what they used when Vetsulin was off the market and not available. There was about a 2-3 year period when Vetsulin was withdrawn from sale, this is when many of us first were forced to switch to Novolin-N and we just stayed with Novolin-N due to the lower cost.

Craig

[Cara Sandler]

Re: whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

It's reasonable to ask the vet WHY they don't want you to switch. They might have a valid concern.

[krs10]

Re: whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

I don't currently nor have I ever tested at home. I'm guessing this is something I will need to purchase at Walmart? I will get in touch with the vet again and ask the reason they dont recommend . Thanks All!:

[CraigM]

Re: whats interchangeable with Vetsulin?

I don't currently nor have I ever tested at home. I'm guessing this is something I will need to purchase at Walmart? I will get in touch with the vet again and ask the reason they dont recommend . Thanks All!:

You've probably seen TV commercials for diabetes testing meters. They range from under $20 to possibly as high as $80. Online, like from Amazon, are usually the best prices. Basically, we poke the skin with a lancet (needle), and using a hand held meter get a reading of the blood glucose. After we do a series of tests throughout the day, called a "curve", we can determine if the insulin dosage needs adjusting.

There is a meter specifically made for dog blood (dog blood differs some from human blood) called the AlphaTrak. Many (most) vet clinics use the AlphaTrak. The problem is that the disposable test strips for the AlphaTrak are expensive, typically over $1 each. Many test twice a day, and occasionally as often as 6 times, so it can get expensive. Many on this forum use human style meters which are less expensive, some are less than 20 cents per test strip. The reading from a human meter won't be exactly correct, but close enough to get the pup into a decent range of blood glucose. Strangely, some vets discourage home blood testing, while others nearly insist on doing it! Most on this forum blood test. My Annie has been diabetic for 7+ years and I think I've skipped possibly 5 days total in that time.

There are videos of blood testing on the main part of this website, or Check for videos on You Tube by searching something like "diabetic dog blood testing". You will find dozens of videos.

Here is a link to a website from general information:
http://www.2ndchance.info/diabetesdog.htm

How long has your dog been diabetic? Are you feeding and injecting twice a day, 12 hours apart? What are you feeding? What is his weight and is he maintaining his weight? Any other medical conditions?

Craig