Canine's with Diabetes Mellitus - Blood Glucose Concentrations Chart

Information for owners of Canine's with Diabetes Mellitus

Blood Glucose Concentrations Chart

Adapted from information given by
Peter A. Graham BVMS, PhD, CertVR, MRCVS

Print and use this chart to help you understand the readings
from your Blood Glucose Meter.

Please consult your veterinarian concerning your pet's particular needs. This information is general, and may not reflect levels deemed acceptable by your veterinarian.

Values above 12mmol/l (220 mg/dl) will allow glucose to leak into urine, and could cause clinical signs of hyperglycemia if prolonged (increased drinking and urination). Many dogs run with values up to 20mmol/l (180 mg/dl) or even slighter higher for short periods of the day without any problem, so being less than 12mmol/l for the whole day may be less important than it seems at first. Signs of lethargy or "dopeyness" due to high blood glucose do not appear unless blood glucose concentrations are really high (greater than 35 or 40 mmol/l) for extended periods of time.

Values below 3.5 mmol/l (65 mg/dl) might be low enough to initiate a physiological response to the hypoglycemia and cause problems with insulin sensitivity later in the day. Because dogs in reasonable condition can mount their own defense to low blood sugar, you might not always see the classical appearance of hypoglycemic signs.

International Readers:
To convert from mmol/l (millimoles per litre)
to mg/dl (milligrams per decilitre) the factor is 18.02

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Diabetes Mellitus | Insulin | Your Care Kit | FAQs | Blood Glucose Chart

The information on this site is general, and should not be used as a substitute
for advice from your veterinarian. Questions concerning your pet's health
should be directed to your pet's health care provider.

Blood Glucose Concentrations Chart

Adapted from information given by Peter A. Graham BVMS, PhD, CertVR, MRCVS

Adapted from information given by
Peter A. Graham BVMS, PhD, CertVR, MRCVS