New Member (3/16/24) - Home Testing?

[rjf026]

Hi! I have a 14 year old female (Cami) that was recently diagnosed with diabetes. She had some issues right after getting started on insulin, and she spent three days in the ER. Fortunately, she's back at home and doing better. They also discovered a mass on her adrenaline gland (the specialist said to just manage that with potassium supplements), but I digress...

Back to the diabetes. She started on vetsulin and was on 1.5 units for a couple of days. Since leaving the ER, she's now on Prozinc. She started with 1 unit, but her primary vet increased it to 2 units a couple of days ago. We had be checking her levels with a Libre, but it died already, and said it needs to be replaced (it was placed on 3/11 and was dead by 3/15 despite infrequent scanning!).

2 units had her glucose levels finally coming below 500, but we will probably end up increasing it again. However, there's gotta be a better way to test at home.

1. What's the best way to test at home?
2. Is there a better system than the Libre?
3. Should we get the Libre 2 or is there another unit?
4. Are home kits pricking the ear effective? Traumatic?

Looking for any advice, and I'll start combing through existing threads.

Thanks!

 

[Shell]

Hi! Welcome to you and your cat! I am only a rookie. I test my cat's ear quite often. I was so very concerned that this would cause discomfort and pain, but he doesn't even flinch and even comes out at dinner time because he knows the routine. I have a regular tester from the drug store as a back up and another meter I use. I couldn't tell you which is the best, though. Perhaps someone with more experience could advise about that part.

With ear testing, I highly recommend warming her ear with a sock or something that can hold a little heat. Not hot, but just warm. That helps to open up the blood vessels in the ear. If I don't warm the ear first, I won't get enough blood and I need to retest.

Another thing I do is hold the sock behind the ear to reinforce it when I test. I test best from the inside around the outer edge. But that's just me. Lots of people prefer to test from the back of the ear. And, there is even a little graph that shows the best spot for blood testing. I am sorry I don't have that, but I am sure someone experienced will respond with far more info.

 

[squeem3]

1. What's the best way to test at home?

Varies. What works for one person may not work for another. You just have to find a routine and method that works for you and your cat.

I generally test my cat while kneeling over him on the kitchen floor. I have him tucked between my knees while I mess with his ear. I've occasionally tested him while he's on the bed sleeping. Not everyone has the mobility to kneel on the floor so testing on a table or sofa or elevated preferably non-slippery surface will work better.

Hometesting tips and videos: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

2. Is there a better system than the Libre?

3. Should we get the Libre 2 or is there another unit?

Any Human blood glucose meter works, the ones that uses a drop of blood from a finger. Some vets recommend the Libre because the owner doesn't want to prick the ear or a paw to get blood. The Libre sticks to the cat's bare skin and stays in place for 2 weeks, I think. There are people here who use Libre but also have a back up regular blood glucose meter to double check numbers.

You don't need a pet specific meter such as the AlphaTrack.

4. Are home kits pricking the ear effective? Traumatic?

What home kits? A lancet device, included with any blood glucose meter, is used to prick the edge of the ear. Most cats aren't bothered by the lancet device or the actual quick prick. Some cats don't like the click noise of the lancet device so some people freehand the lancet without the device. A yummy treat after a test helps makes hometesting a lot easier. A lot of cats look forward to testing because they know they get a yummy treat afterwards.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Welcome to FDMB!

This is a link to information regarding Prozinc. You'll want to look at the sticky notes at the top of the page. This forum (Health) tends to be busier than the Prozinc forum so it's best to post here if you have questions.

Sometimes the Libre works for the entire 2 weeks; sometimes it doesn't. It also tends to read much lower than a hand held meter when your cat is in low numbers.

Just to make sure you've gotten started in the right direction, what are you feeding Cami?

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Is there a better system than the Libre?
3. Should we get the Libre 2 or is there another unit?

Measure BG from bolld from an ear stick or paw-pad stick is less expensive and more reliable. Libres typically red lower than ear stick at low BG and hihger at high BGs. The advantge of the Libre is that it shows trends and maybe when to test w/earsticks.s You can attach a Libre yourself (maybe w/a helper). This FB group has info on attaching a Libre
https://www.facebook.com/groups/libreforpets/
Which Livre youo use depends upon the country you are in. Since you mentioned Vetsulin you may be in the US. If so then the Libre 3 id better ince it is samller and it automatically transmits BGs to phone app or dedicated reader.

 

[Conbon L.]

So, I'm seeing here that glucometers for humans can be used for pets, yes? Are the readings the same? Was thinking of purchasing Walmart's Relion system since it seems that a lot of you are using this one.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

So, I'm seeing here that glucometers for humans can be used for pets, yes?

Yes

re the readings the same?

The reading fro a human meter are low that pet met and vet lab results. That is why for a mun eter below 50 is when action should be taken and below 68 for pet meter.
I have been using human meters for over 20 years. I now have three Reliojn meters . One for each of my diabetic cats. The cost of test strips for pet meters us just too high, like $1 for pet strips but $0.18 for Relion strips.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I hope you understood Larry's shorthand. I'm struggling a bit to figure out what he said since there are typos.

I think what he's trying to say is that typically, a pet meter reads a bit higher than a human meter. They are calibrated differently. The difference between the way they read is larger the higher the numbers. When he referred to "take action," Larry means the point at which you want to intervene with high carb food in order to bring low numbers into a safer range. On a human meter, this is 50 versus on a pet meter, it's 68. (And those numbers apply if you're using Lantus/glargine and following tight regulation.)

The Relion meter is a very popular choice for members in the US. Walmart isn't in Canada so our Canadian members use a variety of other meters. When I first joined FDMB, the pet-specific meters were not as aggressively marketed as they are now. Even the vet offices were using human meters to test in the office unless they were doing a full blood panel or sending samples to an outside lab. All of our dosing methods are based on human meters. In other words, human meters are just fine!

 

[Conbon L.]

Actually, my vet uses the iPet PRO found on Amazon and Chewy. The cost of the monitor is half the price of AlphaTrak, but the supplies seem to be about the same. I will be using the iPet PRO. Thank you!