Eye or vision problems after Insulin in dogs

The FDA has received 227 reports of eye or vision problems in dogs after Insulin. That is 3.1% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

227Reports

59%Marked serious

34%Recovered

15%Died or euthanised

40 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

16 14%

1–2 days

7 6.0%

3–7 days

4 3.4%

1–4 weeks

20 17%

Over a month

70 60%

How the animals did

Recovered

14 6.2%

Recovered with lasting effects

64 28%

Still unwell when reported

38 17%

Died

15 6.6%

Euthanised

18 7.9%

Not known

78 34%

Problems reported at the same time

Cataract

103 45%

Didn't work as expected

82 36%

34 15%

33 15%

31 14%

22 9.7%

22 9.7%

20 8.8%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

123

12+ years

About this medicine

Insulin treats diabetes.

Questions owners ask

Can Insulin cause eye or vision problems in dogs?: 227 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 40 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Eye or vision problems with similar medicines

Eye or vision problems after Trilostane (Vetoryl) 132 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Phenylpropanolamine (Proin) 178 reports · 4.3% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Levothyroxine 25 reports · 0.8% of its reports

All reported side effects of Insulin in dogs · Medicines most reported with eye or vision problems