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My diabetic dog won't eat. Is it safe to give her insulin without food?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My diabetic dog won’t eat. It’s been almost 24 hours since she ate and had insulin. All the vets are closed for the holiday. I’ve tried chicken and rice, baby food, wet food, cheeseburgers etc. do I give her insulin without food? Please I need help!

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 1st, 2020

Oh no. poor girl. I would not give her insulin without a meal. If she takes a snack (dog treat), then you can give her half of her insulin. However, having an acute case of too low blood sugar is much worst than having too high blood sugar levels. Unfortunately you may have to take her to an ER vet if she seems to be in dire condition and also lethargic and not doing well. Otherwise, if she seems stable for now, its best to get her seen by a vet first thing in the morning to find out why her appetite is not so good. I do hope that your pets condition improves soon! Best wishes and take care.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jacqueline Nobles, DVM, DACVECC

    Veterinarian, Board-Certified Emergency/Critical Care Specialist

    Published on April 13th, 2017

    If she is not eating, I usually tell my clients not to administer insulin. If my diabetic patients miss more than 2 meals, I recommend evaluation by a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. The reason being is that Princess could develop diabetic ketoacidosis which is a complication of diabetes resulting in severe metabolic derangement and critical illness.

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on June 30th, 2019

    His lack of appetite may be a concern as it could indicate diabetes related complications. If he is behaving normally, monitor him and monitor his blood glucose levels and have him seen, as planned, in the morning. If he becomes lethargic or if his glucose levels rose or drop significantly then have him seen tonight at the nearest veterinary ER. You can try warming his food or mixing in a teaspoon of plain baby food to stimulate his appetite.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 10th, 2018

    It's definitely best to not give him the insulin shot if he doesn't eat. Without the insulin, his blood glucose may get high, but this is not nearly as concerning as when the blood glucose gets too low - like would happen if he got the insulin shot without eating. It's somewhat concerning that he's not eating, because it means that something is making him feel bad, but it's difficult to know how concerning this is without being able to evaluate him. If he has any of the following, then I would take him to the emergency vet tonight: 1) Vomiting 2) Uncoordination 3) Change in behavior (aside from the not eating) If Poobear is otherwise acting normal and is drinking water, then it would be safe to wait until tomorrow morning to take him to your normal vet if needed. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. I hope that helps and all is well with Poobear.

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