What if the morning meal ran late?

What you might notice at home

You're an hour past his usual breakfast. He's waiting, and you're trying to remember if the vet said a bit late was okay. Now you're not sure what to do about the evening meal either.

Vets want the times kept steady, but they also expect you to call when the day doesn't go to plan.

What to write down for the vet

• The usual time and today's time, for both the meal and the injection.
• Whether he has eaten.
• How he seems: normal, quiet, wobbly, vomiting.
• When you'd normally do the evening meal and injection.

What to do while you wait

Keep him where you can see him and make sure he has water. Don't give extra treats to tide him over until you've asked. If he seems unwell, call your vet or an emergency clinic now. Watch for weakness, wobbling, trembling, vomiting or a seizure.

I missed an insulin shot. What now?

Missed shots happen to most owners at some point. Call the vet and tell them the last time you know the insulin was given and when the next one is due. Don't catch up, double up or squeeze the gap. If your vet has already written down what to do about a missed injection, follow that.

Tell them whether your dog ate, how they seem, and whether you're unsure what someone else in the house did. If your dog seems unwell, get urgent vet help, because it's more than a timing problem then.

How do I handle insulin times across time zones?

Don't work out the insulin changes for a new time zone yourself. Take your departure and arrival times, the route and your written plan to the vet well before the trip. Ask for a travel schedule that says which local time each step uses.

Plan for delays, your dog refusing food, keeping insulin cool, and how you'd reach a vet on the way. Don't bring injections closer together to catch up. If plans change while you're travelling, call your vet or find a local vet.

How do we shift the schedule for daylight saving time or a new job?

A new job or a clock change can throw your whole routine. Ask the vet to plan the shift with you instead of squeezing injection times together at home. Give them your current timetable and the one you need to move to.

Ask them to write down the steps and what to do if food or work throws it off. Share the new chart with everyone who helps and mark the date it starts. Insulins don't all handle a change the same way, so get the plan made for yours.