Newbie ? re curve

[Alfred]

Hello!

Alfred is still doing fairly well, we are currently battling some chin acne and a swollen anal gland and a possible food allergy (itchy ears and around the face). While at the vet for these things we did a full blood panel and a fructosamine. Panel came back normal with glucose at 179 which we felt was elevated due to stress. The fructosamine came back at 403 which the vet felt was high for a cat not receiving insulin so she'd like me to do a curve.

When I do a curve I test every two hours, do I do this for 12 hours or 24 hours?

Thank you!

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Every two hour for 12 hours. Usually it starts with preshot BG/eating and then shot. With no Shot I would measure BG right before eating and then two hours later for total 12 hours.
Was the urine tested for glucose?
A BG of 179 could be explained by vet stress.

 

[Alfred]

Hello!

Thank you! I was thinking the curve was for 24 hours and not looking forward to that but 12 hours is much easier!

He did also have a urinalysis and that came back all normal, no bacteria, no glucose, no ketones, no sediment etc. He did have microscopic blood but the vet said that was pretty typical and she wasn't concerned about it.

At the vet we also used my Relion meter to test Alfred's blood (from the same draw the vet tested) and the meter gave out 119 while the vet's equipment gave 179. I know it's expected that they should be different given how the meter works etc, but is that too much of a difference or within the range one would expect?

 

[BJM]

1) home glucometers are allowed to be within 20% of the lab test
2) human meters may read between 30 - 40% lower than pet-specific meters/lab tests.

See my link Glucometer Notes for more details.

 

[Alfred]

Thank you for the info and all the work you've put into your signature documents, they are very helpful!

One more question, I've been using the Neosporin pain relief cream and I see that it is not recommended. I put it on prior to poking then wipe it off before I poke. I do notice that it seems to make the blood expand out rather than bead up and I see that is one of the reasons it is recommended to use the ointment and not the cream, so I will be getting the recommended one. I didn't pay close enough attention when I was buying it.

But does the cream affect the test result at all? I'm in the middle of doing this curve and have been using the cream and hate to think that I've screwed up the whole curve by using the cream.

 

[Deb & Wink]

Nope, the cream version of the Neosporin with pain relief does not affect the BG readings. As you have discovered for yourself, it makes the blood droplet spread out more and makes it harder to get a drop of sufficient size. That's the reason we do not recommend the cream version, but prefer the ointment version.

 

[Alfred]

Oh good thank you! I will get the correct ointment and just put the pain relief cream on after the pokes for the rest of his curve today. Alfred has been a trooper with all the pokes today, but I am not his favorite person right now!