Home Testing: Prescription Needed?

[Ninajory]

Hello, I'm a newbie and delighted to have found this forum. I've been treating my diabetic cat Cliquot since August 2013, and am just now considering home testing. I have a friend with diabetes who gets the testing strips by prescription. Do I needed a prescription for any of the materials including lancets and strips? Or can I get everything I need over the counter. I have had no trouble giving insulin injections, but I believe my vet has been too arbitrary about dosing and I have caused hypo attacks inadvertently. I want to proceed more intelligently.

I have also have issues with converting her from dry DM food to canned, but I guess that's for another post.

Many thanks for any help!

Ninajory

 

[Larry and Kitties]

No prescription is required for testing supplies. Your friend, a human, get a prescription so that their health insurance can cover some of the costs.

 

[BJM]

In the US, some states require a prescription for syringes.

Glucometer, matching test strips, and 26-28 gauge lancets are over the counter. Your friend may need the Rx to have insurance cover the costs.

We recommend an inexpensive human glucometer such as the WalMart ReliOn Confirm or Confirm Micro. These are sold by ADW as the Glucocard 01 and Glucocard 01 Mini. Both WalMart and ADW are shopping partners and purchases made through the SHOP link at the top of the page go to help support this board.

There are pet-specific glucometers, but they are priced expensively and each test strip may cost $1.00 or more. Testing several times a day, every day starts getting very costly.