Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disease in dogs and cats. Unfortunately, while diabetes mellitus alone is often easy to manage, complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can occur. DKA is a serious complication which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. In the emergency room, we often use regular insulin for the treatment of DKA patients. However, with recent drug shortages and backorders, regular insulin is less readily available. What do you do if you no longer can obtain regular insulin? VetGirl evaluates the use of a new, short acting insulin, Lispro™, in the treatment of ketoacidotic patients to help determine if this is a reasonable alternative to regular insulin therapy.
Tag words: emergency critical care, electrolyte, diabetes, endocrine
