Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Glucagon treatment for low blood sugar in dogs with insulinoma
By Harris, Megan E et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2020·Department of Biological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Glucagon therapy in canines with an insulinoma: A retrospective descriptive study of 11 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old Labrador with an insulinoma (a type of tumor that causes low blood sugar) was treated with glucagon after experiencing severe hypoglycemia. The treatment helped stabilize his blood sugar levels, and he was monitored closely during his hospital stay. While some dogs did not survive, those that responded well to glucagon showed better outcomes. This study suggests that glucagon can be an effective option for managing low blood sugar in dogs with insulinomas.
People also search for: dog insulinoma treatment · glucagon for dog hypoglycemia · Labrador low blood sugar symptoms
Abstract
Canine insulinomas are uncommon neoplasms, which often result in refractory hypoglycemia. Glucagon is one readily available treatment for insulin-induced hypoglycemia. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate blood glucose trends and outcome (survival to dischargedeath or euthanasia) for dogs with insulinoma that were treated with glucagon. Secondary objectives included the description and influence of other variables such as abnormalities on diagnostic tests, physical examination abnormalities, concurrent administration of dextrose and/or glucocorticoids, and seizures. The median glucagon constant rate infusion dose was significantly higher for the non-survivors than for survivors. No other correlation was found between any of the independent variables evaluated when comparing blood glucose trends, length of hospitalization, and outcome. The main conclusion of the study is that glucagon therapy in insulinomas is an effective treatment to manage hypoglycemia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32655157/