Rotating injection sites prevents skin problems from injecting insulin.
A depression in the skin's fatty underlayer caused by insulin injections which can be eliminated by either rotating the injection site or altering one's injection technique. A kind of lipodystrophy, opposite to lipohypertrophy. Alters the rate of absorption at that site.
Vary Injection Site[]
Placement of Insulin Injections can make a big difference. Absorption problems can occur possibly causing hypoglycemia [1] or hyperglycemia if the insulin injection sites are not varied. [2]
The area needn't be very far from where the last shot was given--the distance of the width of 2 fingers will do fine as a measure. [3]
When shots are given again & again into an area of skin, the tissue becomes thicker at that point; a fairly good analogy would be the calluses people get on hands and feet. The callus skin is thicker and harder; injection areas become similar to this too from repeated shots. This thicker, harder skin doesn't let the body absorb the injected insulin as well as thinner, non-hardened areas. [4]
Most of us dealing with pet diabetes vary the side we give the injections in--right side mornings and left side evenings, for example. This is another help in avoiding giving shots in the same areas.
Many people give insulin shots in the scruff of the pet's neck, which is now considered to be a less than optimum choice. The neck area provides poor insulin absorption, due to it not having many capillaries, veins. etc. (vascularization).[5]
- Other sites suggested by Dr. Greco include the flank and armpit. [6]
- Intervet recommends giving injections from just back of the shoulder blades to just in front of the hipbone on either side, from 1 to 2 inches from the middle of the back. [7]
References[]
- ↑ Insulin-Section 6.1-Kinetics. InChem.
- ↑ Cook, Audrey (1 April 2010). Identifying the reasons behind difficult-to-control diabetes in dogs. DVM 360.
- ↑ Tips for Injecting Insulin. Joslyn Diabetes Center.
- ↑ Injection Site Selection. BD Diabetes.
- ↑ Greco, Deborah (2010). Treating Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs and Cats. Western Veterinary Conference.
- ↑ Better Medicine E-Newsletter. Intervet (June 2006).
- ↑ Vetsulin-Preparing Insulin & Giving Injection-Page 2. Intervet.
More Information[]
- Lipoatrophy can Happen with Any Subcutaneous Insulin Hussein, Saleh Farag, et. al., 2006, Endocrine Abstracts