Buying a ketone meter

[Websterthecat]

I've been having a difficult time catching Webster in the litter box to get a urine sample for a ketone test and am considering picking up a Ketone meter.

What are you guys using? I'm of course looking for something that is accurate and uses the least expensive test strips.

Also, does a blood test meter detect keystone much sooner than a urine test? What would you consider to be an acceptable reading for a post DKA cat?

 

[BJM]

Nova Max tests ketones or glucose. Strips are pricey, but if you've a cat prone to ketones, it is worth avoiding emergency treatment.

Ketons show up in blood first, then are filtered out of the blood into the urine.

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

I used the Nova Max with Smokey. The strips cost about $2 per strip and were not the most reliable (had a good number of them error out) But it was the one meter I could get strips for consistently.

I would expect the blood meter to read it quicker than the urine because just like the sugar reading for BGs, once it is spilling into the urine it is more advanced. Some vets poo-poo home blood monitors for Ketones. The e-vets here did not think it was measuring with any accuracy. I told them it was measuring a rise. A rise signals a need for a reaction. Whether its indicator that she was in a warning stage or not yet was inaccurate was irrelevant, it was signaling a need to me to do something because ketones were rising.

 

[Websterthecat]

I used the Nova Max with Smokey. The strips cost about $2 per strip and were not the most reliable (had a good number of them error out) But it was the one meter I could get strips for consistently.

I would expect the blood meter to read it quicker than the urine because just like the sugar reading for BGs, once it is spilling into the urine it is more advanced. Some vets poo-poo home blood monitors for Ketones. The e-vets here did not think it was measuring with any accuracy. I told them it was measuring a rise. A rise signals a need for a reaction. Whether its indicator that she was in a warning stage or not yet was inaccurate was irrelevant, it was signaling a need to me to do something because ketones were rising.

Thanks for the response. I would be interested to read the e-vets response to using a ketone meter. I wonder why they are so against it?

 

[Websterthecat]

Nova Max tests ketones or glucose. Strips are pricey, but if you've a cat prone to ketones, it is worth avoiding emergency treatment.

Ketons show up in blood first, then are filtered out of the blood into the urine.

Thank you. I will have to check that one out.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

I think the one you would want is the Nova Max Plus. Nova Max also makes meters that only test blood glucose. The "Plus" tests both glucose and/or ketones. Two types of strips. I used the Plus for ketones with Bob. If I remember correctly, the strips were about $2 each but that was four years ago. Considering an ER stay for DKA can cost $1000 per night, $2 was well worth it.

 

[Websterthecat]

I think the one you would want is the Nova Max Plus. Nova Max also makes meters that only test blood glucose. The "Plus" tests both glucose and/or ketones. Two types of strips. I used the Plus for ketones with Bob. If I remember correctly, the strips were about $2 each but that was four years ago. Considering an ER stay for DKA can cost $1000 per night, $2 was well worth it.

Excellent. Will have to check that one out.

 

[Christianna]

I use the Nova Max Plus. Nadine (tibbs5's mom) uses it also and recommended it to me. Since Noodle is so ketone-prone, it is worth every penny. If Noodle seems even a little bit "off" I check his blood ketones and seeing how high the blood reading is is really an early warning system, since the ketones will appear in the blood before spilling over into the urine. The urine sticks are fine if your cat is not particularly ketone-prone and/or if he will let you sneak up and grab a sample. However, if time is of the essence and you really need to know NOW, the blood meter is really valuable, even at $2 a strip :smile: How is the Webster boy doing?

Christi

 

[Websterthecat]

I use the Nova Max Plus. Nadine (tibbs5's mom) uses it also and recommended it to me. Since Noodle is so ketone-prone, it is worth every penny. If Noodle seems even a little bit "off" I check his blood ketones and seeing how high the blood reading is is really an early warning system, since the ketones will appear in the blood before spilling over into the urine. The urine sticks are fine if your cat is not particularly ketone-prone and/or if he will let you sneak up and grab a sample. However, if time is of the essence and you really need to know NOW, the blood meter is really valuable, even at $2 a strip :smile: How is the Webster boy doing?

Christi

Hi Christi! Great to hear from you and I'm glad to see Noodles is doing well after his encounter with DKA.

Webster is doing okay. I'm learning new things every day and feel as if I'm one step closer to getting him regulated.

Tell me about the Ketone readings. What's the scale? At what level would you consider bringing noodles to the vet? I really don't want to get a meter, see a reading of like 1 or 2 for example and rush to the vet when this type of level may be acceptable (I don't know whats acceptable)

I've been using the strips and am able to catch him in his box every other day or so.

At $2 per strip it's money well spent. From what I'm hearing from others, they were paying $1000+ per day for an ER visit. When Webster had DKA I took him to a non-24 hour vet and after 4 days, I actually delighted when I was handed a bill for somewhere around $600. I was bracing myself for that $4k bill.

Looking back, (not knowing what was going on of course) a 24 hour emergency clinic may have been a better choice since they were leaving him alone from 10PM-8AM.

 

[Christianna]

Hi Mike,
So good to hear Webster is doing well and getting closer to regulation. That's such good news!
The NovaMax Plus is, like pretty much all the other meters (except AlphaTrak) a human meter. The instruction book gives readings for humans and says that up to 0.6 is negative/normal. It then says that up to 1.5 ketones IF BGs are over 250 might indicate a problem is developing.





Take care, Mike, and give Webster a loving pat from me :smile:

Christi

 

[Websterthecat]

Hi Mike,
So good to hear Webster is doing well and getting closer to regulation. That's such good news!
The NovaMax Plus is, like pretty much all the other meters (except AlphaTrak) a human meter. The instruction book gives readings for humans and says that up to 0.6 is negative/normal. It then says that up to 1.5 ketones IF BGs are over 250 might indicate a problem is developing, but this is in humans. This was not exact enough for me so I called and had a lengthy chat with a customer service rep after Noodle's last DKA scare. I came clean with them and told them I was using it for my diabetic cat. As karma would have it, the CSR uses it for his diabetic dog. :smile: This is what he told me: He said that 0.0 to 0.6 is negative, approx. 0.7 to 3 is trace (and would show up as trace on a urine ketone test also), 3.1 to 4.5 is small ,4.6 to 5.5 is moderate, 5.6-7.0 is large, 7.1 to 8 is very large and anything over 8 or HIGH is very life-threatening. When Noodle suddenly became so ill he tested at 7.1 and was in full-blown DKA. I ran all this past my vet who was of the opinion that these were pretty accurate interpretations. She thought that under 3 (trace) if the BGs weren't super-high and plenty of fluid and food was getting into the kitty and they didn't ACT ill, it would be safe to monitor very closely. She did not feel that rushing the cat to the vet at a reading of 1 to 3 was necessary, UNLESS those other factors of inappetance, dehydration or obvious illness were present, or of course BGs were skyrocketing. Bear in mind, these numbers are what the CSR told me and my own vet concurred with but I wouldn't want to put Webster at any risk for guaranteeing them myself. I do know that when Noodle tested at 1.2 on the blood ketone meter Sunday, he showed barely a color change on his urine stick a few hours later. So I hope this helps. Nadine has a lot of experience (more than me) with the Novamax Plus so hopefully she'll weigh in.
I hope this has been helpful :smile: Noodle's 4 days in the vet hospital cost me over $700 so I definitely feel the $2 per strip is more than worth it, especially for those of us with kitties that have had brushes with DKA. That is such a scary and dangerous complication of this awful disease.
Take care, Mike, and give Webster a loving pat from me :smile:

Christi

Thanks Christi. Lots of great information here.

Was this noodles first or second round with DKA? At $700 (while still expensive) it sounds like you got off pretty easy in comparison to some of the other stories that I have heard.

 

[Christianna]

Hi Mike,
This was Noodle's third DKA episode. He had severe DKA at the time of his diagnosis (in addition to pancreatitis and hepatic lipidosis) and that cost us $2500 for 5 nights in the hospital. Then he had a "mild" DKA episode which we caught very early, so he only spent one night in the hospital, costing $300. That was 4 months ago. And then this latest one; I honestly expected it to cost more than it did. So you can see why I'm thinking the $2 strips are a bargain. :? Noodle came very close to dying the first time and too close for comfort this last time too. These ketones scare me to death. I hope Noodle never has to go through that again. I guess I'm almost obsessed with testing but I think you can understand why. :shock:

Christi

 

[Websterthecat]

Hi Mike,
This was Noodle's third DKA episode. He had severe DKA at the time of his diagnosis (in addition to pancreatitis and hepatic lipidosis) and that cost us $2500 for 5 nights in the hospital. Then he had a "mild" DKA episode which we caught very early, so he only spent one night in the hospital, costing $300. That was 4 months ago. And then this latest one; I honestly expected it to cost more than it did. So you can see why I'm thinking the $2 strips are a bargain. :? Noodle came very close to dying the first time and too close for comfort this last time too. These ketones scare me to death. I hope Noodle never has to go through that again. I guess I'm almost obsessed with testing but I think you can understand why. :shock:

Christi

Wow... three times! Noodles is a real fighter!

I completely understand. It's very difficult to see your little one so sick and going through the whole process of dropping him off at the vet and leaving him there, hoping that hes strong enough to come around. Not to mention the added stress of anticipating a $2,500 er bill.