One of the most popular insulins with VetRxDirect pet owners is Lantus, and until recently it has been the only one of its kind available. Basaglar, insulin glargine, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of diabetes. The release of Basaglar also means a lower price compared to Lantus, and that’s a big deal for pet owners.
Basaglar, like Lantus, is insulin glargine a type of long-acting human insulin. It lowers and regulates blood sugar levels in pets with diabetes. Because it is long acting, it can take a few hours to start working and then can last for as long as 24 hours. Basaglar also comes in the KwikPen, like Lantus SoloStar Pen, a favorite among pet parents.
Insulin injections are commonly prescribed to animals with diabetes because they are unable to produce their own insulin or use it properly. Giving injections can be difficult and time-consuming once you have wrangled all of the supplies and your pet together. Insulin typically comes in a bottle that has to be drawn out and measured with certain insulin syringes, but many insulins come in pens. Insulin pens hold the medication inside of a chamber and can be reused for multiple doses. The end has a numbered dial that is twisted until the desired dose (units) is displayed and the bottom end is pressed like a pen to release the dose of insulin. Specially designed “pen needles” attach to the opposite end for each injection. Some pet owners prefer using the pens because they are easier to handle and get more accurate dosing.
Basaglar KwikPen is easy to use. It has a twist dial for giving doses as small as 1 unit and fits with most U-100 pen needles. Talk with your veterinarian about insulin pens and if Basaglar is right for your pet.