Wobbliness (ataxia) after Insulin in dogs

The FDA has received 181 reports of wobbliness (ataxia) in dogs after Insulin. That is 2.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.6% across reports for all dog medicines.

181Reports

46%Marked serious

28%Recovered

15%Died or euthanised

12 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

14 23%

1–2 days

7 12%

3–7 days

5 8.3%

1–4 weeks

17 28%

Over a month

17 28%

How the animals did

Recovered

39 22%

Recovered with lasting effects

12 6.6%

Still unwell when reported

31 17%

Died

15 8.3%

Euthanised

12 6.6%

Not known

72 40%

Problems reported at the same time

Hypoglycaemia

72 40%

Didn't work as expected

51 28%

45 25%

39 22%

31 17%

27 15%

25 14%

24 13%

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 wobbliness (ataxia) in dogs?: 181 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 12 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).

Wobbliness (ataxia) with similar medicines

Wobbliness (ataxia) after Trilostane (Vetoryl) 226 reports · 1.9% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Phenylpropanolamine (Proin) 192 reports · 4.6% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Levothyroxine 115 reports · 3.8% of its reports

All reported side effects of Insulin in dogs · Medicines most reported with wobbliness (ataxia)