How often should glucose curves be performed?

Perform a glucose curve 5–7 days after starting or changing insulin, then every 1–3 months for stable patients. More frequently if regulation is poor.

What is the glucose nadir?

The nadir is the lowest glucose concentration reached after insulin administration. It should ideally be 100–150 mg/dL (5.6–8.3 mmol/L).

Can I use a continuous glucose monitor instead?

Yes. CGMs provide more frequent readings and can reduce stress from repeated sampling. Correlation with traditional curves is good.

Clinical decision support

Glucose curve generator

Enter blood glucose readings over time to generate a glucose curve for diabetic dogs and cats. Identify the nadir, assess duration of insulin action, and review interpretation. Educational decision-support tool only.

Safety checks

This tool supports calculation and education only.
It does not diagnose, prescribe, or replace clinical judgment.
Glucose curves are affected by stress, feeding, and exercise.
Single curves are snapshots; trends over time are more informative.
Always correlate with clinical signs and body weight trends.

Basis and limits

Goal: nadir 100–150 mg/dL (5.6–8.3 mmol/L), controlled for full inter-dosing interval.
Dogs: typically dosed q12h; curves performed over 12 hours.
Cats: may be dosed q12h or q24h; curves performed over 12 hours.
Stress hyperglycemia: hospitalization can falsely elevate readings.
Scope: this tool provides arithmetic support. It does not replace clinical assessment or insulin dosing decisions.

Curve audit trail

Curve details will appear here for verification.

Last reviewed: May 2026

References: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Merck Veterinary Manual, BSAVA Formulary, AAHA Guidelines. Verify against current references before clinical use.

Glucose curve generator

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