9/11 KittenCat AMPS #173

[Jenifer]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/9-10-kittencat-amps-129.235040/#post-2631967

I saw my vet yesterday (for a dog related issue) and he asked me how Kitten was doing. I gave him an overview and showed him some pics. Then we talked numbers and he wasn’t mad I was using a human meter but he said that they aren’t as accurate as a pet meter like the AlphaTrak2. He said human meters are good for detecting trends, which is great but that a pet meter should be used for everyday numbers...........
Thoughts?
Also had some low numbers all day yesterday. Got a little freaked out last night when I was heading to bed with her testing in the 70’s after her shot

 

[Sue and Luci]

He said human meters are good for detecting trends, which is great but that a pet meter should be used for everyday numbers...........

Apparently your vet doesn't realize that the AT2 meters were developed AFTER people started using human meters to test animals for BGs. High numbers are high, lows are low. What you're looking for are ranges. As you can see when you look at your SS, the colors at the top and the colors that fill in when you insert a number are indicators of those ranges - highs are reds and blacks, yellows things are getting better, blues and greens, nice comfortable numbers and lime green means kitty is too low!

There are thousands of people using human meters successfully to the point of getting many cats into remission.

Having an AT2 tell you that your cat's number is 180 isn't much different than a human meter telling you your cat's number is 155 - it's still a blue number...

I hope this helps you in your understanding of what your vet said and that you're doing the right thing by 1)Saving yourself a ton of money and 2)Testing affordably so you can get those 'ranges' filled in on your SS.

Beautiful numbers yesterday btw!

Have a wonderful day Jennifer!

 

[tiffmaxee]

It’s what many say. The methods were based on human meters because at the time home vet meters didn’t exist. Look at all the cats who have gone OTJ here using them. My vet never used one but never pushed me to use an AT. He was impressed with how I managed Max. It’s up to you. It’s a lot more expensive. I’d rather spend my money on other things since I know I am keeping kitty safe.

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Most vets don't have experience with human meters. As Elise said TR and SLGS were created with human meters in mind. It's easier, and less expensive, to use a human meter with them. Nice surfing last night. I hope you see more green today.

 

[Jenifer]

Hopefully this replies to everyone (since I'm still not sure when I'm responding to individual comments or all comments) So, he didn't discourage me from using a human meter and was very happy with the numbers and how Kitten was progressing and how I was managing her condition. He didn't tell me to change anything I was doing but he knows I also have an AT2, so I'm guessing that's why he mentioned accuracy to me. I assuming he just thinks a pet meter (not just the AT2) is more accurate for each individual test since it is calibrated for feline blood but that the human meter works fine too especially when looking for trends like I've been seeing with Kitten. How she was mostly pink to start and then she spent a few weeks at yellow and recently she's been blue and now even a few greens. Just curious if anyone on here had noticed or had experience with both meters.
My human meter and my AT2 actually take the same strips so cost is the same to me with either meter unfortunately. Which leads me to another question. A few weeks ago I tested with both meters every time and recorded #'s. Then put them in a spread sheet to see if there was an average percentage difference between the two meters. The results were all over the place and there was definitely no clear pattern. But what I noticed most was the colors on the sheet. I'm wondering why a number that is blue on the human spread sheet can be pink on the feline spread sheet. Or green on the human and blue on the feline. That confused me a little. I guess none of this really matters as long as Kitten is continually improving and her #'s are staying consistent no matter which meter or spread sheet I use. I'm just a curious person by nature so this has been driving me crazy since I noticed it
i attached a screenshot of my graph with the two meters and their results and averages

 

[tiffmaxee]

Human meters read lower which is why there’s a safety net when a cat tests under 50 on a human meter. That’s why the take action number on the AT is 68 and 50 in the human. SGSL is a newer method which is why the cut off is 90 for reductions. Some people when they have enough data lower that number some as well. Most people have found that when numbers are high or low the meters read closer.

 

[Sue and Luci]

When you type a comment everyone who has posted previously on your thread gets a notification of your comment...so you're doing just fine

Glad to here the vet is understanding and supportive of either meter. And so nice to see the trends are falling for KittenCat! Excellent progress!

 

[carfurby (GA)]

I've found you can drive yourself crazy comparing meters. To start with meters are allowed a 20% variance. When numbers are higher they can be farther apart between different meters and closer when lower.