? 3/10 Tiger AMPS 308 Ketone reading from sawdust?

Kathy and tiger

Kathy and tiger

Member Since 2021
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In "Tilly's" Kirsten describes getting a ketone reading by pressing the strip into the wet wood chips (see link in yesterday's post).

Does anyone know how long to hold the strip against the sawdust when using pine pellets? Is it the 60 seconds?
Is it accurate at all?

Thanks
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Sorry I can't help. Hopefully other's may be able to?

@tiffmaxee
@Butters & Lyla
@JaxBenji
@Sue and Luci
@PerfumedCatMom
@thebigfuzz


Tips to catch and test a urine sample

Wondering if the ear mites are causing the unusual increase in his number in the last few days?
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Hi and thanks!
He won't even let me walk into the hallway where the boxes are without stopping his pee and running! I used to be able to put a soup ladle behind him and catch some but he has decided not to let me do that anymore!!!

The ear mites have been a long term thing and have been creeping back slowly, so I don't really think so. I am ordering some Vetoquinol earwash and the Advantage Multi recommended in the Humane Society article that Mariette sent.

I'm more inclined to think the higher numbers are from stopping the YA! Or just diet change in general? Or possibly NDW? Fingers crossed he'll come back down soon!
:bighug:To You!
 
Kathy and tiger said:
Does anyone know how long to hold the strip against the sawdust when using pine pellets? Is it the 60 seconds?
Click to expand...
I've never done this but my inclination is to keep it in the urine for the time your strip says - the ketone strips I have just say to dip it - so I imagine you just need to make sure it's wet. 60 seconds sounds like too long IMHO. Most strips say you have to read them within 15 seconds else they will darken (and may give an inaccurate reading). What about just putting a little bit of litter in the box so you can still dip to the urine? just a thought (though it think that's in the ketone tip link someone posted for you previously).

I personally switched to a blood ketone meter and love it (don't love the cost of the Ketone strips :p but you don't use them as much as glucose ones) - it is so nice to just grab a blood drop for a ketone reading.
 
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JaxBenji said:
I've never done this but my inclination is to keep it in the urine for the time your strip says - the ketone strips I have just say to dip it - so I imagine you just need to make sure it's wet. 60 seconds sounds like too long IMHO. Most strips say you have to read them within 15 seconds else they will darken (and may give an inaccurate reading). What about just putting a little bit of litter in the box so you can still dip to the urine? just a thought (though it think that's in the ketone tip link someone posted for you previously).

I personally switched to a blood ketone meter and love it (don't love the cost of the Ketone strips :p but you don't use them as much as glucose ones) - it is so nice to just grab a blood drop for a ketone reading.
Click to expand...

I will think about a blood ketone meter!
My strips say 60 seconds to read...I bought some non-absorb litter but I have another cat and Tiger is very suspicious of any change to the box!

Glad I looked at your SS and saw that you are adjusting your shot time in advance! Smart idea, I hadn't thought ahead about that. I appreciate your help!
 
JaxBenji said:
I've never done this but my inclination is to keep it in the urine for the time your strip says - the ketone strips I have just say to dip it - so I imagine you just need to make sure it's wet. 60 seconds sounds like too long IMHO. Most strips say you have to read them within 15 seconds else they will darken (and may give an inaccurate reading). What about just putting a little bit of litter in the box so you can still dip to the urine? just a thought (though it think that's in the ketone tip link someone posted for you previously).

I personally switched to a blood ketone meter and love it (don't love the cost of the Ketone strips :p but you don't use them as much as glucose ones) - it is so nice to just grab a blood drop for a ketone reading.
Click to expand...
Susanne is right, my strips say 15 seconds. When Ruby was diagnosed the vet did not tell me to prick for blood glucose but rather use ketodiastix to test for glucose. I inadvertantly bought ones that test just for ketones and then bought the ketodiastix. Both bottles say to dip it in the urine and compare the strip to the color chart at precisely 15 seconds for ketones, longer for glucose.
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For the purposes of gathering the urine, I bought a SmartCat litter box and use Tidy Cat Breeze Pellets in it. The SmartCat box has a tray where the non-absorbant pellets go and the urine passes through slats in the tray and into a drawer that makes for very easy testing. You can also get the Tidy Cat box itself and not use the pee pads they sell. I love this system because the pellets last for a month, the poop sits on top so I just pick it up a couple of times a day with a poop bag and I empty the pee drawer once a day into the toilet. No/very little smell. I don't test Ruby's pee anymore since she's been regulated but still love this litterbox and will never go back to traditional litter again! It took the cats a few weeks to get used to the texture of the pellets (that wasn't so much fun :() but they have gotten very accustomed to it now and I love it.
 

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I used plastic pellets in a clean plastic lined litterbox to catch Luci's urine. Sometimes I have to pour it in a bottle and take it to the vet for a urinalysis. I set her other LB with the door facing a wall so she can't get in there...and when she pees in the morning I have a fresh clean place to dip or catch the urine.

This last time I had to catch her urine, I didn't have any plastic pellets, just a clean lined litter box (I keep a smaller plastic one on hand)...and as soon as she does her thing I put the other one back in place for her.

I hope that's helpful!
 
I put waxed paper over the litter and managed to get a reading. That is how I diagnosed Max with fd as well.
 
Butters is very fussy about her LB and also hates when I am near it even if she isn't in it. I could never manage to get a good reading from the stix and the litter so I switched to a blood ketone meter. It's much easier; but, the strips are extremely expensive (at least in Canada where I am).
 
I use the breeze boxes with pine pellets and puppy pads underneath instead of trays. It's a really good system--unless you want liquid urine! I think I will try laying down a plastic layer under the pellet tray but over the sawdust pile and see if I can get a sample that way. And look at buying a meter.

Thank you all for all the good info!:)
I think I will start adjusting our schedule as soon as I can wrap my mind around it!! I hate changing the clock:mad:but I do like the results:D

Sure wish Tiger's numbers would come back down:( He doesn't feel so good...
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Susanne is right, my strips say 15 seconds. When Ruby was diagnosed the vet did not tell me to prick for blood glucose but rather use ketodiastix to test for glucose. I inadvertantly bought ones that test just for ketones and then bought the ketodiastix. Both bottles say to dip it in the urine and compare the strip to the color chart at precisely 15 seconds for ketones, longer for glucose.
View attachment 60108 View attachment 60109 View attachment 60110 View attachment 60111 View attachment 60112
For the purposes of gathering the urine, I bought a SmartCat litter box and use Tidy Cat Breeze Pellets in it. The SmartCat box has a tray where the non-absorbant pellets go and the urine passes through slats in the tray and into a drawer that makes for very easy testing. You can also get the Tidy Cat box itself and not use the pee pads they sell. I love this system because the pellets last for a month, the poop sits on top so I just pick it up a couple of times a day with a poop bag and I empty the pee drawer once a day into the toilet. No/very little smell. I don't test Ruby's pee anymore since she's been regulated but still love this litterbox and will never go back to traditional litter again! It took the cats a few weeks to get used to the texture of the pellets (that wasn't so much fun :() but they have gotten very accustomed to it now and I love it.
Click to expand...

Tiger's twin brother Leo(GA) started eating litter because he was anemic from CKD. He even ate the breeze pellets! I had to find something he wouldn't eat and pine pellets were it. Ok he's going into the box now after I put in plastic underneath...wish me luck!
 
Yes SUCCESS!
I put a 13 gallon trash bag under the grate and over the sawdust and got a little puddle!!!!
He is spilling some glucose so I know the strips are working but NO ketones!!!:joyful:
Thanks to all for ideas galore! And inspiration!
 
Kathy and tiger said:
NO ketones!!!:joyful:
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yay, glad you got a sample!

Kathy and tiger said:
What brand of meter are you using?
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I got the Nova Max Plus - https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/20784/free-nova-max-glucose-ketone-meter - this deal from adwdiabetes is the meter plus 20 ketone strips (ketone strips are pricey!). Technically this particular meter can be used for glucose (with separate strips) but I'm just using it for ketones (once a week check over here). I personally picked this particular meter as it was one mentioned on FDMB and in the Ketones Info Post.
 
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