Hyponatremia after Insulin in dogs

The FDA has received 128 reports of hyponatremia in dogs after Insulin. That is 1.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.2% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

128Reports

77%Marked serious

10%Recovered

25%Died or euthanised

72 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

4 5.0%

1–2 days

2 2.5%

3–7 days

4 5.0%

1–4 weeks

9 11%

Over a month

61 76%

How the animals did

Recovered

5 3.9%

Recovered with lasting effects

8 6.3%

Still unwell when reported

35 27%

Died

14 11%

Euthanised

18 14%

Not known

48 38%

Problems reported at the same time

71 55%

55 43%

53 41%

51 40%

48 38%

Didn't work as expected

45 35%

Kidney problems

40 31%

Low sodium-potassium ratio (na:k ratio)

39 30%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Insulin treats diabetes.

Questions owners ask

Can Insulin cause hyponatremia in dogs?: 128 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 72 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).

Hyponatremia with similar medicines

Hyponatremia after Trilostane (Vetoryl) 465 reports · 3.9% of its reports

All reported side effects of Insulin in dogs · Medicines most reported with hyponatremia