Ketone + BG tester

[cmw]

(just posted this to Health and saw a post here about someone having trouble getting urine for ketones...)

Hi,

Just thought I would pass along something that saved my little Dusty from having a much worse DKA episode.

Searched the web for what I thought was "the" blood glucose and ketone tester and eventually stumbled upon the fact that there are at least two on the market.

Couldn't find the Precsion Xtra meter anywhere, but Walgreens carries the Nova Max Plus.

Now, near as I could find no store carries the blood ketone testing strips.

However, the Nova Max Plus meter comes with two ketone testing strips (also a lancing device, but no glucose strips).

These meters are available lots of places online, as are packs of strips. It seems the meter may even be free from the manufacturer's website but I didn't go that route.

For us it was helpful to be able to determine that, yes, Dusty was headed DKA and needed help asap. So $29 well spent. Now it is good to know we've got it if we need an answer and just aren't able to get a urine sample.

Maybe this is old news to everyone else but it seemed worth mentioning.

.

 

[Grayson & Lu]

Hey - thanks for coming over to PZI. I was the one that posted. I didn't realize Walgreens has the meter. Maybe I'll price the strips there or Walgreens.com. A couple of weeks ago, someone posted a link for a free meter. Mine arrived about 3 weeks later, and came w/ the 2 ketone strips and 10 BG strips. It also came with a coupon for a $15 co-pay test strip discount card, but unfortunately my Grayson isn't covered by my health insurance policy! angry(2)_cat

I'm sure they got a chuckle when I filled in the warranty card with "type of diabetes" and added "feline" to the list of choices! I wonder if they have any idea how many of us test? They're probably just happy to get the money, but I'll be curious if they ever send me discount coupons as I indicated he didn't have health insurance! You never know, maybe it'll cross the desk of someone who loves their pet and moves to the top of the pile. Not holding my breath, as it's probably a machine that reads the cards anyways!

Lucky for me, Grayson doesn't have shy kidneys or bladder. I usually test him at least once a day since our MODERATE scares. But for those that can't get their cats to pee in front of them, and haven't had success w/ the aquarium gravel and other techniques, the meter is a great tool to keep an eye on them.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lydia & Sid & Jake(GA)]

I use the Nova Max meter and have posted Sid's ketone levels as a tab on his SS. While walgreens does not carry the ketone strips, I was told they can be ordered and will arrive the next day at the store. I buy my strips from ADW for $23/10 box.

I would be interested to know the reading for the cat that was tested and found in a ketone crisis.

 

[Grayson & Lu]

I I would be interested to know the reading for the cat that was tested and found in a ketone crisis.

Not sure if that's referring to Grayson. On the meter the first test (after control test) showed 5.4 mmol. But his urine strips have been absolutely NEGATIVE until Monday night when they registered TRACE. He's on 4.5u PZI BID, eating like I never feed him, and no signs of infection... but I've increased his fluids 100mL back to daily (from every other day), and he's acting normal... so I'm thinking it was either a misread, or just some bugs in the new meter. It's all noted on my SS if you'd like to see.

Maybe it was referring to another cat? I haven't re-checked the thread in a few hours. Hopefully not Grayson! Just checked. Looks like it's CMW's Dusty that was headed toward DKA. Whew!

 

[Lydia & Sid & Jake(GA)]

Hi Lu-Ann

I was worried about Grayson's 5.4 so im glad you increased his fluids and that his ketone levels have improved. Maybe I will send a pm to ask about Dusty's level on the meter. I want to know how high it read.