New South Wales-Where to buy Insulin?

[Marie 2]

Hi all, I need some help. Someone wants to know where they can get different insulins in New South Wales.They have a dog on Vetsulin and the vet is saying only vetsulin is available for dogs. But that one is making them sick and they want to try another one. The other more commonly used insulin for dogs in the US is Novolin N, So does anyone know where they can specifically get Novolin N or any other insulin, but for a dog, in New South Wales?

 

[Antje77]

But that one is making them sick and they want to try another one.

How is it making their dog sick?

 

[EllieM]

Is this NSW in Australia? (If not then ignore the below.)

I don't believe that a pharmacy will let you have insulin without a prescription for a doctor. (Happy to be proved wrong).

Have they tried a different vet?

Alternatively, try posting in the lifestyle/pet forum in this Australian based forum
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

And finally, google suggests that caninsulin is available in Australia.

 

[Marie 2]

Thanks @EllieM It is Australia

@Antje77 I'm not completely sure, she posted she has tried 3 other vets and they say no other kind of insulin is available there for dogs. Of course other insulin is there but can she get access to it would be the question. The dog is refusing to eat quite often and she is saying having a gas issue. The refusing to eat seems common with a lot of diabetic dogs, and the same with upset tummies. They quite often have you give Pepcid for it. Those are usually solvable problems but the vet is suggesting she needs to put her dog down if she won't eat and she doesn't want to and it seems really wrong to me too as the dog is still active. people usually nurse their dogs through these things here.

Usually people search out another insulin because the one isn't working well and Vetsulin isn't the most preferred kind in the US as it has I guess 2 peaks and can run out before 12 hours on some dogs. People have much better luck switching their dogs to Novolin N when they have issues with Vetsulin. She had said she thinks her dog isn't reacting well to vetsulin............Not sure though why. She is skipping some doses of the vetsulin because of the not eating which isn't good either. People have told her once she posted she shouldn't skip it altogether, you just give a lesser dose and there is a chart to adjust doses for it.

People have also told her to try Novolin N but she said when she talked to vets they said nothing else was available. Since I know there are some Aussies on this board I was wondering if they had any clues as to how to get some. In the US you don't need a prescription to get Novolin N.

 

[EllieM]

Not sure though why. She is skipping some doses of the vetsulin because of the not eating which isn't good either.

Might be better to keep the insulin going (albeit in lesser doses if the dog won't eat) before blaming the issue on the insulin. It's hard to put a dog down but the vets she's talked to have presumably seen the dog and we haven't.... I wouldn't necessarily blame the insulin for the dog's issues.

We had an old dog who had diarrhoa for two/three weeks and the vets were making comments about soon drawing a line in the sand. She then recovered but two weeks later her heart gave out. Sometimes you have to accept that it is their time.

Not sure how it works for a dog but a person with insufficient insulin in their system feels really bad. I wouldn't put a dog through that.

Good luck to your friend and their dog.

 

[ert]

I recommend you try:
https://www.theanimalpharmacy.com.au/

 

[Marie 2]

Thanks @ert Perfect!