Portia's blood glucose measurements at home>300mg/dL

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portiarita

Member Since 2013
Hi all,
So I got the alphatrak 2 in and tested portia's BG at home today over a period of 12 hours and it was between 300-350mg/dL all day. I've emailed the vet as well but would like some input from you guys on how to proceed. Also, any thoughts if these glucose levels are dangerously high? There are a lot of factors that could be causing her diabetes : prednisolone, chronic pancreatits and high carb diet (z/d). Which ones would you start with? Meaning taper her pred or change her diet? In my opinion, I dont think the pred has done much to help her but I think the z/d has. For anyone who wants to see it the following were her glucose readings today

9:23am : 300mg/dL

Fed her breakfast and gave her morning pills at 9:45

11:45am: 348mg/dL

1:45pm: 311mg/dL

Ate lunch at 2:45pm

3:40pm: 323mg/dL

5:40pm: 335mg/dL

7:40pm: 275mg/dL

Ate a little food at 8:30pm

9:40pm: 323mg/dL
 
She's higher than the renal threshold, ie glucose is likely spilling into her urine in some or all voids. That level, over time, causes damage to the organs.

If the cat has other conditions, you add insulin and shoot around those. I would start as soon as possible.

Also, you need to be checking for urine or blood ketones. Ketones form as a result of fat breakdown for calories.Too many may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal, expensive to treat, complication of uncontrolled diabetes. See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for tips on how to do urine testing. If you use KetoDiaStix, you also get a rough indicator of glucose levels.
 
Well they definitely indicate she is Diabetic and will need to start insulin as soon as possible. Her levels are not as extremely high as some we see when first diagnosed but definitely diabetic.

If you don't think the pred is helping then discuss weaning her off it with your vet. That will help some with her numbers.

Personally I would also invest in a human meter for daily testing and save the expensive Alphatrak for curves to be shared with your vet. As I know with Autumn I go through 100 strips in less than a month. It is much easier on my wallet to spend $20 for 50 strips than what the Alphatrak would run me for the same amount.

When it comes to insulin you'll want either Lantus, Levemir or Prozinc. Run the other way if Humulin N or Cannisulin is proscribed.

Also you will want to start no higher than either .5u or 1u twice a day.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn and The Fur Gang
 
Hi BJM and Mel,
Thanks for you response. I ordered the Bayer Multistix yesterday so I can check for ketones as well as blood,etc in her urine. I hope they come in soon.

Thats a great suggestion about buying relion for daily testing and use the alphatrak only for the vet. Thats a really great idea. Its available at walmart right? Ill pick up some over the weekend.

I've called my vet and asked them to call me back so we can discuss Portia's medication,etc. When the conversation of insulin comes up, I will make sure we use the recommended insulins. Looks like Lantus is the most common one.

Will keep you posted on what the vet says.
Thanks
Rita
 
Yep they are at Walmart if you don't see them on the shelf ask at the pharmacy counter. Some stores have them out some don't but will have them behind the counter. The Prime has the cheapest strips but take a bigger drop of blood than either the Confirm or the Micro. I have the Micro and love it. Strips interchange between the Confirm and the Micro but not with the Prime. So whichever one you choose double check that the strips work with that particular meter.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn and The Fur Gang
 
I will definitely buy the one which needs the least blood. I can barely get Portia's to bleed as it is. So the micro requires the smallest volume right?
Rita
 
The Micro/Confirm are basically the same meter (just different exterior) and as Mel said, the strips are interchangeable ($36 for 100). They only require .3 µl of blood (same size as the AlphaTrak) whereas the Prime requires .5 µl. Once Portia's ears learn to bleed a bit better, you can always switch to the Prime and save a bit more money on the test strips ($18 for 100).
 
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