Hometesting: The Routine, a little advice needed!

[RuBee]

Hi everyone, new hometester here. Rufus is my ''Betes Boy', as we call him, and I'm a little bit into the head + wall = knock knock knock stage of learning the intricacies of the informed diabetic pet owner's day.

The meter I'm using to test Rufus with is the Contour USB (I know it's an entirely different beast than the original Contour, but I liked what I heard about it, so I gave it a shot). So far, the two times I've been able to successfully get numbers from him, they have been low for a diabetic cat (77 the first time, which was about five+ hours after dinner, and 59 the second, which was an hour after dinner), yet he seems to just be pouring sugar into his litter box. Might it just be faulty readings? I'll admit I don't quite know how it would present itself, other than something catastrophic, but might it be indicative of the somogyi effect? *hair pull*

I tested with the control solution once and it came out as it should have, and the readings I get from testing myself seem appropriate, too.

Also, a more general question: in what order do you find most effective in testing (Test > Food > Shot [or no shot] or Food > Test > Shot?). I tried to test before dinner last night and couldn't get him to hold still long enough to get any blood... at all. Does it even matter what order I use? I think it would be easier to get him to hold still after he's eaten, because he is VERY dedicated to mealtime, and doesn't like be delayed in the slightest.

For reference, Rufus is on 2u twice daily of Lantus and eats Merrick's Cowboy Cookout... and will try to eat the dog food when he can (naughty little devil). :YMSIGH:

 

[Tena and Curry(GA)]

Welcome aboard. You are definitely in the right place. And its definitely alot to learn.

I'm a newbie too and had the same issue w/trying to get a reading on a hungry kitty. Over a period of a week she seemed to settle down and allow me to go ahead and get the readings. Of course she still moves her head alot and growls up a storm, but she is allowing me to poke her ear. After a week of experimenting w/Curry's ear, I now Test..Feed...Shoot.

I'm going to defer the advise giving to the more experienced members here. I still have my training wheels. Just wanted to say hello and welcome.

 

[Venita]

How long after receiving insulin were those tests taken?

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

How are you currently testing? Test, feed, shoot? What do you mean by "pouring sugar into his litter box?" Are you checking urine sugars? If so, they are notoriously inaccurate, especially in registering lower numbers.

You noted your +5 and +1 test results, did you get any pre-shot tests? The 77 and 59 are great. I do have a concern. If those were the only times you are testing, there's no way to know if Rufus is dropping even lower at nadir.

 

[Kelly & Oscar]

It will be really important to test before the shot tonight. Also, are you positive the strip on the meter filled properly? For some meters, if the strip fills too slowly, or there is an air bubble, they will give an artificially low number instead of giving you an error reading. Do you possibly have another meter, or know someone who does so that you can check the numbers? Of course, if you are consistently getting lower numbers at the same amount of time after the shot, and the strip fills in a timely manner, then you have some really great numbers on your hands for just starting out!

 

[RuBee]

Welcome aboard. You are definitely in the right place. And its definitely alot to learn. [...]

I'm going to defer the advise giving to the more experienced members here. I still have my training wheels. Just wanted to say hello and welcome.

Thanks for the welcome! I knew I'd fallen into the right place when I saw how active and involved this board is. And I love those training wheels! I think I'm still on a tricycle, though!

How are you currently testing? Test, feed, shoot? What do you mean by "pouring sugar into his litter box?" Are you checking urine sugars? If so, they are notoriously inaccurate, especially in registering lower numbers.

I am trying to test, feed, shoot, but so far have only been able to test "under the right conditions" (ie. when he's relaxed and seated somewhere comfortable), learning how to test under not-so-right-conditions is proving to be a process, though.

By the sugar comment... We (both Mom and I) have noticed on occasions that the clumping litter we use will turn gummy when he urinates - almost like someone mixed it with rubber cement; this only started happening after he was showing symptoms. I know it's very careless of me to automatically assume it's glucose, so I should probably amend that part. That's what happens, anyway.

My mother got a pool large enough to test not long ago and said it was in the low two-hundreds, but I'd heard about the strips and figured it was probably a ball-park figure at best.

You noted your +5 and +1 test results, did you get any pre-shot tests? The 77 and 59 are great. I do have a concern. If those were the only times you are testing, there's no way to know if Rufus is dropping even lower at nadir.

I wasn't able to get pre-shot tests. We're working on it every day, though. I definitely don't intend to only test sporadically. This will definitely be a concrete routine, my concern with 'forcing it', though, is that he may never associate it with the fun stuff (treats and meals!) and just figure Mom's following him around the house in order to fondle his ears!

It will be really important to test before the shot tonight. Also, are you positive the strip on the meter filled properly? For some meters, if the strip fills too slowly, or there is an air bubble, they will give an artificially low number instead of giving you an error reading. Do you possibly have another meter, or know someone who does so that you can check the numbers? Of course, if you are consistently getting lower numbers at the same amount of time after the shot, and the strip fills in a timely manner, then you have some really great numbers on your hands for just starting out!

Definitely testing tonight - feeling good about it, too, after last night's success. I finally realized I was sort of 'pulling my punch' with the lancing device, so I'll get blood tonight.

As for the meter - the materials sent with it say that it will not perform the test without enough blood in the strip, and I've had that proven to me by experience as well, so I don't think that's the case. I'd never considered air bubbles - actually, didn't know that was a possible culprit; is it a manufacturing defect or a mishandling thing? The strip has filled before I could even blink every time I've used it, too.

I don't have another meter, but I thought about heading out to Wal-Mart to pick up the Reli-On meter I've seen mentioned for a comparison. It would really set my mind at ease. I don't want to have a hypo episode. He is faaar too precious to put through that because of my inattentiveness.

 

[Jean and Megan]

I'd get a ReliOn, since you are thinking about it.

I've had the Contour (not the USB, but one of the older models) give me unreasonably low numbers too many times to be comfortable with it. Sometimes I can dream up a possible explanation - not enough blood, for instance, yet enough that the meter doesn't error out - but other times everything seemed fine but the number was still unreasonably low.

So even though all the tests of meter function come out OK, my Contour is in the don't-use-this drawer. I don't trust it.

 

[RuBee]

I'd get a ReliOn, since you are thinking about it.

I've had the Contour (not the USB, but one of the older models) give me unreasonably low numbers too many times to be comfortable with it. Sometimes I can dream up a possible explanation - not enough blood, for instance, yet enough that the meter doesn't error out - but other times everything seemed fine but the number was still unreasonably low.

So even though all the tests of meter function come out OK, my Contour is in the don't-use-this drawer. I don't trust it.

Yikes! Thank you for that bit of information. Hopefully the USB is an improvement on the original, but I'm still going to see how many meters I can get my hands on (reasonably speaking), and compare. You're likely spot on with that low reading problem, though. I can't imagine Rufus is really that impressively healthy!

 

[Tena and Curry(GA)]

I laughed when I read your comment about running around the house fondling your kitty's ears. I to have been doing alot of ear fondling lately and Curry thinks I'm nuts.

Thanks for the laugh. :lol:

Good luck w/the testing.