Insulin Lispro has been tested successfully in dogs as an alternative to regular insulin. Insulin lispro is a new-generation, short-acting insulin that is more rapidly absorbed in humans following subcutaneous injection and contributes to improved diabetic control when compared to regular insulin. Andrew Bugbee, DVM, DACVIM, reviews results of a cat trial where lispro and regular insulin were compared.
Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2019. Link. Here are Dr. Bugbee’s key pearls to put into practice:
- Lispro, administered using a previously published constant-rate infusion protocol for regular insulin, is a safe and efficacious therapy for feline DKA management.
- Adverse effects of lispro are similar to regular insulin, with hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, and hypoglycemia most commonly encountered.
- Lispro cannot be considered equivalent to regular insulin when given intramuscularly or subcutaneously without further studies done in cats.
- Even with a recent manufacturer-based price reduction, lispro is currently more expensive than most regular insulin preparations.