AlphaTrak 2 meter--sadly, very miserable experience...

[MsBliss]

I recently switched from my human meter (Bayer Contour Next) to Alphatrak 2 because my vet said the numbers would be more accurate. There are a host of issues with the Alphatrak 2 which I think others should be made aware of:
1) The AT2 is very limited and the interface is also very limited. It does not have any flexibility for using it for referencing old number reads and you cannot scroll through the data very easily. You also cannot "mark" readings with additional info like meals, snack, etc.
2) The lowest beep tone for attaining a sample is very loud and stridently high pitched. If you don't quickly move it away from the cat's ear, the noise can be very disturbing as it's right next to the ear drum.
3) The readout does not have any back lighting and is difficult to read.
4) It requires coding.
5) Once you start the test, and insert the test strip, you have to wait several seconds for it to cycle through the turn on process and read out the code.
6) I have had several dead and non-responsive tests which have wasted strips. When I called the manufacturer, although they wanted the information and lot number, they were unwilling to replace the bad strips.
7) It is truly one of the worst interfacing software I have ever used with a meter. Very rigid in terms of flexibility and difficult to set up. It is not "intuitive" in terms of use.
8) They are gouging on the price of the test strips. They are $1.20 per strip, and that is if you buy the biggest bottle of strips.
9) Unlike the Bayer meter, you cannot charge this with a wall adapter, as it is battery driven. I have been warned that the battery on these meters fails not to default/shut down, but to mis-reads or errors. It does not warn you that the battery is getting low. To me, that is pretty dangerous.
10) You cannot upload your data without buying a separate hook up component, which does not come with the start up kit.
11) Finally, AND MOST SERIOUSLY, I am beginning to suspect that the AlphaTrak reads higher than the actual glucose really is and this has led to extreme swings in my cat's glucose and insulin dosing. It has been a nightmare in this regard.

It is such a piece of poorly made equipment compared to the human meter I was used to, I am ready to switch back to the Bayer meter and will never buy anything from this company again.

Does anyone know how to correlate the numbers from a Bayer Contour Next meter for cat use? I would almost rather use my old human meter than deal with this awful product, but I don't now how to interpret the numbers from human grade readings.

 

[manxcat419]

Does anyone know how to correlate the numbers from a Bayer Contour Next meter for cat use? I would almost rather use my old human meter than deal with this awful product, but I don't now how to interpret the numbers from human grade readings.

Yes. The normal range on any human glucometer is 40-120 for a cat (the same range as for humans). We use a cut-off of 50 at the low end where we start treating for potential hypo to prevent the cat going lower. Your meter should be fairly accurate, give or take the 20% allowed variance, in the lower ranges. At higher ranges, it may vary further from a lab reading than the AlphaTrak but you do reach the point where you're looking at numbers that are too high no matter what meter you're using. As far as I'm aware, the majority of people here still use human meters rather than the pet specific ones, often for cost reasons - as you quite rightly point out, the price of the strips for the pet meters is way higher than can reasonably be justified by the manufacturer. I think a lot of us don't use the integrated software with our meters, preferring to just input the numbers to our spreadsheets as we get them, though I agree that if you're trying to use the software, intuitive use really helps. I've used the Bayer software for my step-son and find it easy to use beyond the initial set-up stage which I had a couple of issues with though I think those were more about Bayer's site than the software itself.

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

sorry you had such a bad experience with AT... Lots of people use the human meters

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

I'm sorry you did not find the AT2 meter to your liking. As with any product, whether it be a glucometer or coffee maker, some come with more bells and whistles than others and if you are looking for a lot of whistles, the AT meter is not for you. The AT2 meter is a re-worked version of an older version of a very basic Freestyle meter from Abbott. Zoetis has bought out the Abbott animal division but the strips for the meter are still an Abbott product. Not sure who you called about the bad strips but in case it was Zoetis, you might want to try Abbott.

8) They are gouging on the price of the test strips. They are $1.20 per strip, and that is if you buy the biggest bottle of strips.

I have done extensive research into the strips for the AT meter including speaking with the human and animal divisions at Abbott( before the sell off of the Animal Division to Zoetis), checked the patents and am 99.9% sure the AT2 strips are the same strips used in the current Freestyle Freedom Lite and Freestyle Lite meters. The difference is that the strips sold for use in the AT2 meter have undergone specific batch testing to provide the optimal meter code for the species being tested. So while they are indeed more expensive, the batch testing is done to ensure optimal animal lab equivalent results. The additional cost of the strips and coding the meter are trade offs for getting the most accurate lab comparable readings. The batch testing and separate packaging add to the cost of the strips.

Not sure why you think the AT meter is giving you falsely higher BG readings but if you were continuing to use human number references when you switched to the AT2 meter, you would indeed get that impression. The AT meter will always read higher than a human glucometer and this is the very reason why your vet feels the AT meter is more accurate. The composition of cat blood differs from that of human blood. The AT meter reads BG levels for a specific species based on the code set on the meter which has to be set for each for new vial of strips to ensure the most accurate readings possible. A human meter on the other hand reads cat's blood as if it were human blood resulting in lower readings.

I've been using my AT2 meter for 14+ months and have not yet had to change the battery. I do side by side testing with a human meter and while the AT meter always reads higher, I have never had reason to believe the AT was giving me any falsely high readings.

Either type of meter will work just fine. It's a matter of personal preference.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

I'm just going to second Linda's opinion on the AT 2. True, I've had a few dud strips, but I've had a few duds when I've cross checked with FSL strips (had one yesterday). When ordering my last batch of FSL stripsfrom eBay, which is where I've always found them the least expensive, that the prices have gone up quitea bit. Makes me think someone at Abbott/Zoetis has figured out that pet owners have figured out that they're the same strip and are going to take advantage of that.

My husband uses the Relion Micro, I really, really wish I could wrap my brain around using one forGoof as it'd sure make my life easier, but I just can't make it work in my head.

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Tammy, I just got another supply of AT strips from the pet pharmacy last week and the price was the same as it's always been so perhaps it's the eBay retailer who has figured out this is a "special" product they can make a killing on. I've checked eBay Canada here for various products over the years (sadly they don't EVER have AT2 or Freestyle strips) and sometimes I am totally flabbergasted at the outrageous prices they are asking for stuff. It's definitely buyer beware when dealing with eBay up here!

I'm sure Abbott and Zoetis have some kind of contract regarding the suggested retail pricing for the strips. Both, especially Abbott, would stand to lose a lot of business if they raise the prices on the AT2 strips too much. Have you tried Countryside vet? Another member recommended them for decent prices on the AT2 strips awhile ago but I'm in Canada and couldn't take advantage.

 

[scoobydoox]

Years ago you could find decent deals on ebay for items. Now its all about making money.

 

[Shoeskitty-GA]

I am going to give my unsolicited opinion here about the AT2 meter and strips. Yes I use it. Do I like it? Not as much as some do. My meter registers higher than the lab equipment at my vets. Last check it was 80 points higher - AT2 meter 309, vet's lab equipment 229. I continue to use it because 1) I feel that it's probably accurate in the lower range of numbers. Shoes had a mini-hypo on 2/24 before I left for work so I caught it. His numbers registered 33 on the AT2. I think that was very accurate. 2) Vet asked me to continue, 3) Knowing that it is very much higher in the upper ranges soothes me a little when Shoes bounces as high as he does, 4) I am used to it now. 5) I don't like that I can't delete some numbers that were not accurate and that I would have to buy the cable from Abbott to download info. (I hate proprietary things like this.) 6) The strip cost is exorbitant!
Linda, if you can buy the strips cheaper in Canada, can I send you money to get some for me and mail them to me?

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

I'd be more than happy to help out if I could however I don't think the strips are any cheaper up here in fact I think they are more expensive because you folks have more selection of retailers than we do and can sometimes get some bargains on them. My cost here totals $78.19/50 strips CDN (we have to pay an additional 13% in sales tax on top of the cost of the strips which are retail $69.19/50 !!!) which at today's exchange rates amounts to about $61.53US. Add on shipping and I don't think there are any savings to be had.

Last check it was 80 points higher - AT2 meter 309, vet's lab equipment 229.

Were those tests run on the same blood sample? If not, that could explain some of the discrepancy. Since there is an allowed variance of +/- 20% for the AT2 meter and a smaller variance allowed for the lab equipment, it's possible to have that great a difference based on a one time reading.

I don't like that I can't delete some numbers that were not accurate and that I would have to buy the cable from Abbott to download info. (I hate proprietary things like this.)

How would you determine what readings might not be accurate?
Abbott used to send the data cable out for free when they were the owner of the rights to the AT2 meter but you did have to call them to request it. I have no idea if Zoetis is still following that practice.

 

[Shoeskitty-GA]

No, it looks like it is more expensive there. Sorry about that.
The tests at the vet : Vet took blood from neck vein. Blood for my meter came from the ear.
Readings that are inaccurate are the ones done with the control solution that I forgot to mark, the ones tested on myself and the ones that were obviously bad strips, i.e. way different from the previous test, such as getting a number like 56 when the before number and after number was in the 400's, that type of thing.

No, I haven't contacted Abbott or Zoetis to get the cable. I just have read several times that it must be purchased so haven't followed up on it.

Thanks!

 

[MsBliss]

I'm sorry you did not find the AT2 meter to your liking. As with any product, whether it be a glucometer or coffee maker, some come with more bells and whistles than others and if you are looking for a lot of whistles, the AT meter is not for you. The AT2 meter is a re-worked version of an older version of a very basic Freestyle meter from Abbott. Zoetis has bought out the Abbott animal division but the strips for the meter are still an Abbott product. Not sure who you called about the bad strips but in case it was Zoetis, you might want to try Abbott.



I have done extensive research into the strips for the AT meter including speaking with the human and animal divisions at Abbott( before the sell off of the Animal Division to Zoetis), checked the patents and am 99.9% sure the AT2 strips are the same strips used in the current Freestyle Freedom Lite and Freestyle Lite meters. The difference is that the strips sold for use in the AT2 meter have undergone specific batch testing to provide the optimal meter code for the species being tested. So while they are indeed more expensive, the batch testing is done to ensure optimal animal lab equivalent results. The additional cost of the strips and coding the meter are trade offs for getting the most accurate lab comparable readings. The batch testing and separate packaging add to the cost of the strips.

Not sure why you think the AT meter is giving you falsely higher BG readings but if you were continuing to use human number references when you switched to the AT2 meter, you would indeed get that impression. The AT meter will always read higher than a human glucometer and this is the very reason why your vet feels the AT meter is more accurate. The composition of cat blood differs from that of human blood. The AT meter reads BG levels for a specific species based on the code set on the meter which has to be set for each for new vial of strips to ensure the most accurate readings possible. A human meter on the other hand reads cat's blood as if it were human blood resulting in lower readings.

I've been using my AT2 meter for 14+ months and have not yet had to change the battery. I do side by side testing with a human meter and while the AT meter always reads higher, I have never had reason to believe the AT was giving me any falsely high readings.

Either type of meter will work just fine. It's a matter of personal preference.

Yes, you make excellent points.

Also, ABSOLUTELY, the AK2 IS A MORE ACCURATE DEVICE, and this is important.

I meant I suspected that the AT2 meter was reading higher glucose numbers above and beyond that allocation for kitty blood--that is, I had read that they can trend toward a higher read despite it being specific to a cat. I should have been clearer that I understood that a pet or cat specific meter will ALWAYS read higher because it IS higher; that is, human blood and human meters will read cat blood at a lower number, and thus, when switching to AT2 always expect higher numbers because that is what translates for cats. I was under reading my poor kitty's blood using the people meter for years, but my vet never told me people meters under read. So she was getting under treated and not enough insulin.....

Now that I've switched to the AT2, her dosage is a bit higher, but I've noticed it has started to rocket all over the place.

I'm still, despite the more accurate glucose tests on the AT2, having trouble getting her dose right.

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

It can be frustrating trying to find that "sweet" dose that works a charm. If you would like to set up a spreadsheet with your testing data and post for advice, there are a lot of very experienced folks here who could offer you some ideas of what might be happening and help you find the right dose for your cat. The instructions for the spreadsheet are HERE.