Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dogs with insulin low blood sugar seizures often don't need long-term
By Verkinderen, Brandon & Lane, Michael·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2026·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Long-term antiepileptic therapy is often not required in dogs with insulin-induced hypoglycemic seizures: a multicenter retrospective study of 49 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog experienced seizures after receiving insulin for diabetes, which caused dangerously low blood sugar levels. The dog was treated at an emergency clinic where its blood sugar was corrected, and only a small number of dogs in similar situations needed long-term medication to control seizures. Most dogs recovered well without ongoing treatment, and the study found that long-term seizure management was not often necessary. If your dog has diabetes and experiences seizures, it's important to discuss their treatment plan with your vet.
People also search for: dog seizures after insulin · diabetes dog low blood sugar treatment · insulin-induced hypoglycemia in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical features, management, and short- and long-term outcomes of dogs experiencing insulin-induced hypoglycemic seizures (IIHS). METHODS: Dogs with documented blood glucose concentrations < 80 mg/dL (4.4 mmol/L) within 12 hours of insulin administration were retrospectively identified from 14 private practice emergency and specialty hospitals in the US (January 2017 to January 2025). Dogs were classified as having IIHS or insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH) without seizures. Data collected included signalment, insulin type and dose, blood glucose concentration at presentation, time to glucose correction, seizure characteristics, antiepileptic drug (AED) use, length of hospitalization, and survival to discharge. Associations between clinical variables and seizure occurrence were assessed with logistic regression. RESULTS: 49 dogs met the inclusion criteria: 34 with and 15 without seizure activity. Body weight showed a curvilinear association with seizure occurrence, with higher odds at low (< 10-kg) and high (> 25-kg) weights (body weight: OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.97; body weight2: OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.93). Antiepileptic drugs were used in 7 of 34 dogs (20.6%); 3 required long-term management. Multiple seizures were associated with AED use. No significant differences were found in insulin type, amount administered, or time to glucose correction between groups. CONCLUSIONS: IIHS are common in diabetic dogs; however, long-term neurologic sequelae and the need for ongoing AEDs are uncommon. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Future studies are warranted to better identify patients at increased risk for long-term neurologic complications and to establish criteria for initiating AEDs. Additionally, research evaluating IIHS associated with other insulin preparations (eg, detemir, glargine) is needed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41237494/