Human meters - New to forum, not new to diabetic cat

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Robin Dailey

Member Since 2018
Good morning,

I have been lurking on the forums for several months now after stumbling on it when I was having issues regulating my cat who has been diabetic for over 6 years. I finally have him leveled out and felling better than he has in years. With that being said, it was not until I joined this forum that I realized you could use human meters. Yes, I have been paying over a dollar per test strip for 6 years!! I can't believe it either.

So, I have obtained a One Touch Ultra 2, simply because I can get the test strips for free. This morning I have spent considerable time on the forum looking for any sort of guide, conversion, or just general information on how to compare the One Touch results to the pet meter results. I think I have just simply confused myself. It may just be because of strong opinions, etc causing the confusion, but I need some sort of something to go on, as I finally have him more regulated now than he ever has been.

Details.... He is on Lantus.... Was previously using pet meter..... Switching to human One Touch Ultra 2 today... Test several times per day.... A good day for him is between 100-150 on the pet meter. We have way more good days than bad now.

Can anyone help me with conversion numbers for this? I certainly don't want to crash him, and I do test at least twice per day, most days more and adjust accordingly, so I am terrified of this switch.

This forum has helped me save so much recently. Learning about Canadian pharmacies selling Lantus at a fraction of the price. Cheaper needle supplies, and now I am just grateful to cut out the ridiculous price of the pet test strips by using a human meter. Thanks so much for your help!!!

Robin
 
Hello Robin, and welcome to you and your sweet kitty named ?

There is no straight conversion from AT or pet meters to human meters. Our dosing methodologies used here, the Tight Regulation protocol or the Satrt Slow Go Slow method, use numbers from the human meters as use of pet meters is relatively recent, not to say pricy if testing a lot. The one guideline we have is that our 'take actio" number or number where we feed higher carbs to bring them up is 50 on a human meter and 68 on the pet meters. We do know the pet meter generally reads higher, especially in the higher numbers. Cats not on insulin generally test in the 50-80 range on the human meter, though down to 40 is not uncommon. But too low for cats on insulin. Has your vet given ou guidance on the normal range for a non diabetic cat on the AT?
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Hello Robin, and welcome to you and your sweet kitty named ?

There is no straight conversion from AT or pet meters to human meters. Our dosing methodologies used here, the Tight Regulation protocol or the Satrt Slow Go Slow method, use numbers from the human meters as use of pet meters is relatively recent, not to say pricy if testing a lot. The one guideline we have is that our 'take actio" number or number where we feed higher carbs to bring them up is 50 on a human meter and 68 on the pet meters. We do know the pet meter generally reads higher, especially in the higher numbers. Cats not on insulin generally test in the 50-80 range on the human meter, though down to 40 is not uncommon. But too low for cats on insulin. Has your vet given ou guidance on the normal range for a non diabetic cat on the AT?
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No, I don't think any of my past vets have ever discussed the "normal" for a non diabetic. I have had two less than stellar vets before the amazing one I have now though. It's been a rough journey. I wish I would have known about this forum during those times. My current feline only vet is the one that finally helped me get him on track when I was at my wits end and thinking he was on his last days. My last vet had him rebounding almost daily. I had no idea and still feel terrible to this day. They also had me on the terrible RX food the whole time, which was not helping either. Now between diet management, and getting him back on lantus, he is only requiring a half unit twice a day. Thats after being diabetic for 6 years and having numbers frequently in the 500's on the pet meter. To think that I can keep him between 100-150 on most days now is just unheard of, and something I never thought I would have. And being able to do that on a half unit is even more mindblowing.

I guess because in my mind the pet meter numbers are already pretty low (at least for his past) I am afraid to interpret the human meter. My biggest fear is finding that number that tells me when not to dose him at all. I don't dose him under 100 now on his morning reading. But that is not on the advise of anyone, its just my fear of crashing him or his body rebounding like it was before. The vet says that the low low is different for cats that are so used to having such a high number for so long. We are talking I used to be jumping for joy when I would see 250, and 400 was the norm. Its so very sad.
 
I am glad your kitty managed to survive and is now in good numbers. How old is he?

One of our dosing methods, SLGS, says not to dose below 90, the other, TR, says not below 50. But whether you shoot that low depends on historical data, your ability to monitor and supplies.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I am glad your kitty managed to survive and is now in good numbers. How old is he?

One of our dosing methods, SLGS, says not to dose below 90, the other, TR, says not below 50. But whether you shoot that low depends on historical data, your ability to monitor and supplies.
Click to expand...

He is estimated at 14-15. I rescued him in 2005 and he was guessed at age 2-3 at that time. I call him my million dollar kitty with 20 lives. He has had urine crystals twice.. He has a thick bladder lining that inflames several times a year, GI issues, has had several teeth pulled, you name it. However, ironically every ailment has subsided with the diet change and insulin being managed better. He has occasional GI issues remaining, that is all. He is a brand new kitty, and even plays with the new baby we found in the middle of downtown Atlanta.
 
Doodles & Karen said:
These are the two methods Wendy is speaking of. Read them both and you can decide which is appropriate for you and your kitty. Keep in mind you can change methods at anytime. Tight Regulation (TR) and Start Low Go Slow . Both are found in the stickies at the top of the page.

We'd be glad to see you regularly on the forum. Since we help mostly on data you would need to set up a spreadsheet. Spreadsheet Instructions
Click to expand...


Thanks so much. I do keep a pretty detailed log currently. I will look over these links for sure. Thanks for your help!
 
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