Information of Glucose Meters

[Kyellin]

Hi,

So, my cat was diagnosed with diabetes a month ago, and my boyfriend and I have been going to check-ups every week so that we can check her glucose. It's taking a toll on our cat, as she doesn't like to be out of the house.

So I asked if I could do glucose monitoring at home and she said yes! (yay)

I also asked if I could use the human monitoring, and she said it would be better if I used the Amtrak device, as the human ones are too different for feline glucose monitoring. I asked how is it different, and she couldn't answer me...

Are the results so different that I can't use the human one, or she is just trying to sell me a more expensive device?

Amtrak is 80$cad to buy and the strips is an unknown price

 

[Larry and Kitties]

To answer you question:
Blood Glucose Meter for Cats
Facts:
Blood has two constituents, the red and white blood cells and the liquid (serum). Blood plasma is blood serum without the clotting factor
The blood glucose value obtained via laboratory analysis is the glucose level in the serum/plasma constituents of blood
The glucose is in both the serum and red-blood cells (RBC) themselves. However, the distribution of glucose is different between humans and cats (and dog too)1
In Humans 58% is in plasma/serum and 42% in RBCs
In cats 93% is in plasma/serum and 7% in RBCs
In dogs 87.5 % in plasma/serum and 12.5% in RBCs.
The point-of-use blood glucose meters (the ones we use at home) all use whole blood.2 However, what specific blood glucose they measure varies with the manufacturer. Some manufacturers only measure the glucose in the serum/plasma. Others lyse (disrupt the cell walls of the RBCs) and thus mix the glucose that was in the RBC into the liquid and thus measure total glucose. The meters then correct/adjust the reading to be equivalent to human blood plasma
Discussion:
Since the glucose distribution is different n humans and cats/dogs the resulting BG valve obtained from the human meters will be different that lab values and animal-calibrated meters. Also, some manufacturer's meters will be much different that lab values for animals depending upon which method (lyse cells or only use plasma/serum) they use to measure glucose.

Animal calibrated meters correct the value to be equivalent to lab values.

What clouds any BGs obtained from hand-held meter is that they are only accurate to +/- 20 %. That includes the animal-calibrated meter. Also, do not confuse accuracy with reproducibility. It is expected that one meter with one lot of tests strips to be relatively repeatable, that is if you use the same drop of blood, you BG value will be much close than +/- 20%

References:
1 Different Species, Different Blood
http://www.vet-advantage.com/dsr_library/get_file.php?file_id=161
2. Glucose Meters: A Review of Technical Challenges to Obtaining Accurate Results
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769957/

Most here use a human meter. A popular one is WalMarts Confirm or Confirm Micro.

I used the Amtrak device

I think you mean AlphaTrak

 

[Kyellin]

I think you mean AlphaTrak

Yes, this is what I meant!

Thank you for the information! The answer is what I needed to understand why she was against it!

I'll check the the Confirm Micro. Hopefully, it's available here in Québec!

Also, your first link does not work.

 

[Vegetable (GA)]

Yes, this is what I meant!

Thank you for the information! The answer is what I needed to understand why she was against it!

I'll check the the Confirm Micro. Hopefully, it's available here in Québec!

Also, your first link does not work.

@Kyellin the only way you will most likely get that meter is if you order from ADW diabetes, they are the manufacturer of the relion meters. If you are close to the US border you could slip down and pick up a meter and some test supplies at the nearest walmart. If you have to buy in Canada the meters are usually free when you buy a box of test strips. You can use pretty much any meter that is available here just shop around and price out the test strips. Also watch for sales at Safeway (if you have one in Quebec) sometimes they have deals on where you buy one box of strips you get the second box free.

Here in Canada we get our insulin for cheap but we pay a premium for the testing supplies. Insulin & syringes should be available over the counter.

 

[Kyellin]

unfortunately, I do not have a car, so that option is not available to me. But thank you for directing me to the site, it is going to be very helpful