The diabetic pet starter kit: everything you need in week one

The evening after a diagnosis is a blur. So here's the thing that helps most: a simple list of what to gather, so week one feels organised instead of chaotic. The kit falls into five groups — monitoring, medication handling, feeding, hypo safety, and organisation. Your vet supplies the insulin; the rest you can have ready.

Monitoring

A pet-calibrated glucometer (or a CGM if your vet suggests one), test strips, and lancets. These turn "I think they're okay" into numbers you and your vet can trust.

Medication handling

The right syringes or pen needles for your vet's prescription, a sharps bin for safe disposal, and a plan for keeping insulin cold — including on the move.

Feeding

A consistent, suitable diet (see our feeding guides for dogs and cats) and a way to measure it exactly — a kitchen scale or scoops — so portions never drift.

The hypo safety kit — don't skip this one

Every diabetic pet home should keep a small emergency kit: a tube of honey or glucose syrup, and your vet's emergency number somewhere obvious. If your pet ever shows signs of low blood sugar — weakness, wobbliness, trembling, confusion — and is conscious, rub honey or glucose syrup on the gums and contact your vet immediately. Being prepared for this takes a real weight off your mind.

Organisation

A caddy or organiser for the supplies — and a way to log doses, readings and meals so nothing lives in your memory alone.

Mello is the logging half of the kit: every dose, reading and meal, turned into a vet-ready report.