Urine test showing ketones but no glucose?

Status
Not open for further replies.
fenderrae

fenderrae

Member Since 2021
Hello, hope its ok that i'm starting a new thread for this. Have been trying to get used to home testing and changing my cat's diet for the past three weeks before starting on insulin. Her levels have always been around 200 and she didn't have ketones so I felt okay with seeing how the diet went. I took her BG this morning and it was 205, but I decided to do a urine test this afternoon as well and it showed that she was negative for glucose in the urine but the ketone test turned light purple? I was using the Relion ketone strips and am so confused by this result. The colour doesn't really match any thing on the key on the back, it's purple but much lighter/less saturated if that makes sense. She's been eating normally, is active, and no vomiting/diahrrea. Freaking out a little and could use some advice! Tried to call my vet but they were busy and unable to get a vet.
 
IMG-2789.jpg
a>

This is what the test strip looked like... Pale purple/gray? Doesn't really match the key.
 
Did you follow the instructions on the label? You have to do the comparison exactly as noted since the strip can continue to change color as time passes. Most strips have you do the comparison at 15 seconds.
 
I did wait 15 seconds.. Ran out and got another bottle of keto stix but they are still showing the same weird greyish purple colour. I will call my vet again tomorrow morning.
 
I searched and found a few other posts online about people having similarly weird grayish results with the ketone sticks but no real answers... Maybe it's something she ate that's throwing off the color? Will try not to panic since she otherwise seems fine and her BG isn't super high, but my vet will call me back tomorrow morning so i'll check with her then.
 
I have seen that weird grey colour on the ketone stick hours after I had thrown it in the garbage, I first thought I had read it wrong initially then realized that it continues to change colour.

Maybe try the urine stream next time. Or a different litter.
 
Another possibility, if your baby has good kidney function, is that the urine concentration is throwing out the ketones.

Good kidneys concentrate A LOT, so they CAN throw ketones while having good BG levels. It can mean a couple of things.

1.) Your sample is contaminated or old (or your strips are old/exposed). Remember, the longer urine sits the more it concentrates because it starts to evaporate. Also SOMETIMES, if you get some litter mixed in with the sample, it can really throw off the result. For example using the saran wrap method on a section of the litter box. I had this happen with Fena when I was using a "scented" litter.

I saw you were using a litter to get urine only. It COULD be the litter, but it COULD be how long it waited until you tested. Prolonged exposure to the air can concentrate/degrade it, along with leeching ANYTHING that might be in the litter itself.

2.) Your baby is more dehydrated than you thought, so increasing water intake can help or a possible UTI.

3.) The BEST time to check for ketones, at least I've found, is in the morning.

4.) Your dip stick might take longer to test. If I ever got a weird result from Fena, the next time I tested, I'd soak it for double the time, etc.

5.) Have you tried to catch your baby's pee in a spoon?

Good luck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top