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WHAT IS INSULIN ?

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

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.

Insulin injections are widely prescribed by veterinarians for use in diabetic patients - but what is it ?

Insulin is a hormone produced by special cells in the pancreas. This hormone has many effects in the body, including :

  • It increases movement of the sugar glucose from blood  into cells
  • It increases the movement of amino acids from blood into cells
  • It increases the production of protein
  • It increases the production of fat

Insulin secretion from the pancreas is increased if the blood concentration of glucose or amino acids increases, such as following a meal.

Diabetes mellitus is a common disorder in dogs, cats and other animals and it is usually a result of :

  • Inadequate insulin production by the pancreas - because the cells are damaged - this condition can be treated by giving insulin injections.

OR

  • Enough insulin is being produced by the pancreas but it does not have its effects on the target tissues because receptors on the cells that usually detect and respond to insulin in the blood do not work properly - a condition called insulin-resistance. This is common in obese patients and can not be treated by simply giving insulin injections.

Commercially available insulin preparations are usually derived from :

  • Cattle pancreas tissue
  • Pig pancrease tissue

OR

  • They are made synthetically

Sometimes patients develop an allergy to insulin and their medication has to be changed to a different type of insulin. 

 

Updated October 2013