Insulin Starting Dose Calculator for Diabetic Dogs and Cats
Conservative starting insulin doses for newly diagnosed diabetic dogs and cats. Pick the insulin product and species - the calculator gives you the unit dose to start, with monitoring guidance.
Species
Insulin type
Patient weight (kg)
How to use this tool
Cat insulin starting doses
Glargine (Lantus) 1-2 units per cat q12h, or 0.25-0.5 U/kg q12h for cats > 4 kg. Detemir (Levemir) 1-2 units per cat q12h - more potent than glargine, start lower. PZI (ProZinc) 0.25-0.5 U/kg q12h.
Dog insulin starting doses
Lente (Vetsulin/Caninsulin) 0.25-0.5 U/kg q12h, cap initial dose at 20 units. NPH similar dosing to lente. Detemir 0.1-0.2 U/kg q12h - more potent in dogs than cats, cap at 5 units initially.
Adjusting the dose
First glucose curve at day 7-14 (or sooner if signs concerning). Adjust dose by no more than 0.5-1 unit per cat or 10-25% per dog at any recheck. Wait 7-14 days between adjustments unless hypoglycaemia. Targets: nadir 80-150 mg/dL (cat), 80-120 mg/dL (dog), with duration of action matching the dosing interval.
Cat diabetic remission
~30-50% of cats achieve diabetic remission with early aggressive insulin therapy + low-carbohydrate diet + weight management. After 4-8 weeks of euglycaemia, trial a gradual insulin taper. Glargine + low-carb diet has the best remission rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting insulin dose for a cat?
1-2 units per cat q12h (under 4 kg), or 0.25-0.5 U/kg q12h for cats > 4 kg. Glargine and PZI are first-line options. Always start at the LOWER end of the range to minimise hypoglycaemia risk.
What is the starting insulin dose for a dog?
0.25 U/kg q12h for lente or NPH, cap at 20 units initially. Detemir is more potent - start at 0.1 U/kg q12h, cap at 5 units. Adjust based on glucose curves after 7-14 days.
Can a cat go into diabetic remission?
Yes - ~30-50% of cats achieve remission with prompt insulin + low-carbohydrate diet + weight management. After 4-8 weeks of euglycaemia, trial a gradual insulin taper. Glargine combined with low-carb diet has the best published remission rates.