Difference in glucometers is alarming - Any ideas

[Julie + Muffin]

Hi All
Yesterday we took one of our other kitties (Violet) in to the vet because we were concerned she was hypoglycemic. According to our glucometer which is a ReliOn Confirm she was consistently in the 50s and low 60s. We asked the vet to get one sample from the vet glucomter and one from our ReliOn at the same time. The results were vet glucometer reading 100; ReliOn reading 72!!
That is a huge difference and could affect our decision to shoot insulin or not in our diabetic cat Muffin. We are uncomfortable with this finding and very concerned we could make the wrong decision and do harm.
If you have any thoughts our advice please let me know.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

Hi Julie,
Human glucometer's do read lower than pet meter's because their blood is composed differently. One of the big reasons many use a human meter is test strip affordability. Each meter is also allowed a 20% variation, so 100 on a pet meter could be a range of 80 - 120 and 72 on human meter 57 - 86. We know at higher numbers the variation in BG reading is greater and lesser at lower numbers, like your 72:100. Anyways, the protocols were written here using human meter's but if you are very uncomfortable with the difference, some are and it's OK, if you can afford to use the AT2 go ahead and switch . If that was a Pre-shot test you would definitely skip giving a shot since it's only been a week. Wait, Muffin's only been on it a week, sorry. May still apply for Violet. If that was around her nadir (lowest BG, peak insulin action) that's a very good number. I think I kind of babbled, my apologies. I don't know if anything I have said was helpful right now . Hopefully other's will chime in so you don't just have my semi-coherent gibberish

Regardless, whichever meter YOU decide to go with and are more comfortable with, we'll still be able to understand the numbers and help you how we can .

Side note, I couldn't see Muffin's SS it needs permission.

 

[Julie + Muffin]

Hi Yong
Thanks so much for your reply. We can't afford a vet glucometer either because with over 100 cats at the sanctuary it's just too costly. I did not realize the protocols here were based on human glucometers so that is great info and we will stick with the ReliOn. Muffin is not on insulin yet; we are trying 7 days of low carb food. Her SS chart is not really typical since I am only charting the time she eats, time test taken and glucometer reading. It looks like at some point she will need insulin. I will change Muffin's SS chart so you can see it.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Hi Julie! That's about the right difference. With a human meter, 'normal' is 50-120 while a pet meter 'normal' is 80-140. It's kind of like reading the temp in Celsius vs Fahrenheit. 0 degrees celsius and 32 degrees fahrenheit are the same temp, just different scales of measurement.

 

[Julie + Muffin]

Not sure if I did it right to allow permission to SS chart?

Hi Julie! That's about the right difference. With a human meter, 'normal' is 50-120 while a pet meter 'normal' is 80-140. It's kind of like reading the temp in Celsius vs Fahrenheit. 0 degrees celsius and 32 degrees fahrenheit are the same temp, just different scales of measurement.

'Thanks!!

 

[Julie + Muffin]

Hi Julie,
Human glucometer's do read lower than pet meter's because their blood is composed differently. One of the big reasons many use a human meter is test strip affordability. Each meter is also allowed a 20% variation, so 100 on a pet meter could be a range of 80 - 120 and 72 on human meter 57 - 86. We know at higher numbers the variation in BG reading is greater and lesser at lower numbers, like your 72:100. Anyways, the protocols were written here using human meter's but if you are very uncomfortable with the difference, some are and it's OK, if you can afford to use the AT2 go ahead and switch . If that was a Pre-shot test you would definitely skip giving a shot since it's only been a week. Wait, Muffin's only been on it a week, sorry. May still apply for Violet. If that was around her nadir (lowest BG, peak insulin action) that's a very good number. I think I kind of babbled, my apologies. I don't know if anything I have said was helpful right now . Hopefully other's will chime in so you don't just have my semi-coherent gibberish

Regardless, whichever meter YOU decide to go with and are more comfortable with, we'll still be able to understand the numbers and help you how we can .

Side note, I couldn't see Muffin's SS it needs permission.

Not sure I did it right to allow permission to SS?

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

I can see it now

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

The 20% variation is allowable by federal law in the U.S. and Canada. Sometimes it's science with a little voodoo tossed in.