Monitors: Major Differences and Maybe Damage to My Cat

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Steph

Steph

Member Since 2013
My vet compared his AlphaTrak reading to mine last week and his readings for my cat were significantly higher than those I'm getting on a ReliOn Confirm: Today's reading was 214 at three hours on my ReliOn meter and 324 on the AlphaTrak I just got in the mail.

Sadly, I've been using the ReliOn for two years, along with its ReliOn partner, the Prime, and I fear my cat's readings have been way higher than they should be because the two ReliOns rate him incorrectly.

Can anyone weigh in on this? Thank you!
 
Actually, that's not too far off at all: Both #s are ok. Really!

You need to remember that it's basically a numeric difference of 30% to 40% lower (sometimes a little more, a little less) on a human meter vs. the Alpha Trak #s you get.

Look at it this way: Your Alpha Trak meter read 324; your Relion human meter read 214.
Mulitply the Alpha Trak # by 0.65 (which would be 35% less), and you get 210.6 --- that's pretty darned close to your Relion's reading of 214.

So you see, it's just a matter of "translating the #s." Neither one is wrong.
 
I am not sure I understand. I see other posts saying the two meters are not that far off.

Is there a source I can go to to read more?

I so appreciate this.
 
This weekend Dusty's reading was 28 on the Relion I've been using all this time. Granted he's OTJ (not on insulin) and was eating, playing, peeing normally so I wasn't too concerned as long as it wasn't high. So guess what I'm saying is these meters being used on animals aren't all that accurate but close enough to keep them safe, not too high, not too low.
 
Its like Fahrenheit vs Celsius in measuring temperature, or using yards vs meters. They are just different ways of measuring and both are fine for their intended purpose.
In the US, meters - pet or human - are allowed to read +/- 20% from what a lab would get. That standard will be moving to +/-15%.
And human meters, on the average read about 30-40% lower than pet meters, according to Dr Rand's reported data in her articles.
With those 2 factors, we don't do any conversions, as there is too much variation. Just use the reference numbers for the meter type you have.
 
If I don't need the AlphaTrak, I don't want to keep it: the kit was $60.00. My vet insisted I get it--I didn't buy it from him. Frankly, if I don't have to do a lot of math (!)
I will be happier. Thanks for this, team. I had thought Stub was doing pretty well, and then got into the major difference in readings discussion.
 
Steph said:
If I don't need the AlphaTrak, I don't want to keep it: the kit was $60.00. My vet insisted I get it--I didn't buy it from him. Frankly, if I don't have to do a lot of math (!)
I will be happier. Thanks for this, team. I had thought Stub was doing pretty well, and then got into the major difference in readings discussion.
Click to expand...
I'd return it, then.
(Ha, maybe your vet insisted on you getting it because it's easier for a vet to not have to convert/translate the difference in reference ranges!:rolleyes:)
 
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