You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

A useful formula in the diagnosis of hyperinsulinaemia

Hyperinsulinaemia occurs  due to excessive secretion in pancreatic neoplasia  but hyperinsulinaemia may also be present in diabetes mellitus - notably when insulin resistance is present or due to iatrogenic causes. It is important to recognise when hyperinsulinaemia is present to avoid overdosage of insulin administration.

A blood insulin concentration of >30mU/mg glucose is a diagnostic indicator of hyperinsulinaemia.  

The formula to use  is :

Plasma insulin concentration (in mU/ml) x 100 divided by plasma glucose (in mmol/l) x 18 - 30

If the plasma glucose concentration is 1.7mmol/l or less, the plasma insulin concentration is divided by 1.

Last updated : January 2016