Government Approves 1st Insulin for Dogs

Reported in yesterday’s New York Times, (May 4, 2004), was the news that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Vetsulin, a brand of insulin that is derived from pigs and used to treat canine diabetes. It is the first canine diabetes treatment to win approval, and according to the report is much better than the human insulin that dogs were prescribed previously.

The article states that 1 out of every 200 dogs develop diabetes, but I have never heard of a Kerry that had this problem. The disease usually develops when the dogs are 7 to 9 years old, and is more common in females. The symptoms for canine diabetes include excessive appetite, weight loss despite a good appetite and excessive thirst and urination.

The drug, Vetsulin, requires a veterinarian’s prescription and is made by Intervet. It is also sold under different names in 20 other countries. It should be available in late summer.

Carol Kearney