Testing ketones with blood meter

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DEF

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I just read about importance of ketone testing (when necessary) when you are doing tight regulation.

I want to be able to do this but I know from past experience that it is a total pain to try and get a urine sample when I want one. Involves locking up poor cat in bathroom with a box containing that non- absorbent 'litter' . Hours and hours can pass without obtaining results. Cat is miserable and crying to get out.

I was googling this and that I ran across this: testing ketones (along with blood glucose) with a meter

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/d_0n_030.htm

There are 2 blood glucose meters that also do ketones. One is $50 and ketone strips would run about $2.50 per test.

This sounds fantastic to me and well worth the money. I don't care how cheap the urine strips are I just don't want to get into that. Reading the tip about catching the urine with a ladle made me think --I sure wish I had a cat that would let me do that, what's wrong with my Pinkie? :lol: If I come anywhere near the litter box she would stop in mid- stream and jump out fast--ladle or no ladle.

Anybody familar with these meters? .
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Yes, the Precision meter has been discussed and there are some users on the board. You can probably find some of the previous posts by using the search feature in the upper right and searching for precision.
 
I use a nova max plus to test blood ketones on bob. Strips are very hard to find locally so i have to buy them online. You can sometimes find them on ebay. Meter works well and requires same amount of blood as my relion. If i get a big drop i can test both with only one poke!
Carl
 
I use a Precision Xtra and like it much better than the Nova Max Plus which I found hard to use, sorry Carl. I also find the Precision strips much easier to find on eBay, but they are not cheap.

Nancy and Payne
(who we still don't know why, throws off such bad ketones that I do urine and blood tests daily ohmygod_smile )
 
and if you'd like a Precision Xtra to try, i have one i can send you. i don't have strips for them but i'd gladly send you the meter to try out. if you do, send me a pm with a shipping address and i'll get one out to you. i think DCIN has some they'd like to find homes for too if anyone else is in need of this ability to test for ketones easily
 
Thanks for the offer but I was out all evening and just got home and bought one while out. Wasn't even looking for one but I needed lancets and the meters were next to them.

I found the Nova Max for $10 ($20 - 10 store coupon) at Walgreens. It has two ketones strips.

Sorry to hear that this one might be hard to use but I was anxious to do a test tonight so $10 wasn't much. A trip to vet would be alot more.

Do you have to do any adjusting to the numbers that come up as it is a cat or do you just use the people chart that must come with it. (haven't opened the box yet) Thanks for info.
 
:cry: waaaaaaaaa I messed up one of my ketone sticks--only one left.

I did find it a bit difficult to make the stick stay in the meter--it barely goes in.

But for $10 I will make it work next time.

The problem was Pinky squirmed around alot and the blood got all smeared and by the time I got it enough on the meter I had run out of time and it shut off. Not going to put her (or me) through it again tonight.
 
i haven't used that meter, so can't speak to it exactly, but one trick with a squirmy kitter is to get the blood drop onto your fingernail and then test it from there. you won't squirm as much as Pinky! :lol:
 
DEF said:
Do you have to do any adjusting to the numbers that come up as it is a cat or do you just use the people chart that must come with it.
Click to expand...



We go by the people chart, the numbers 0.2-1.6 or something. I've had the the Precision Xtra/Xceed meter since 2008.


Ann
 
I use Precision Extra/Exceed. It is easy to use. It was a life saver for my Major. He had high keytone presence in his blood the very first time I used the meter to test him back in 2008 when he was on Lente. He ended up in ER and was hospitalized.
 
The only ketone striPs I found using blood were like $60 for 10 strips or something. If you want to urine test you don't have to lock kitty in bathroom. I just close the bathroom door for a few hours if i go out or something and eventually I can follow her in and am able to test her as she goes. She's not ketone prone so i don't have to worry about every single day testing though.
 
I am thinking about trying this too. Cass doesn't mind me sticking a steip under him when he pees, I just have trouble catching him inthe box. With 2 cats I can't just test what's in the box because I don't know whose it is.
 
Thanks for advice and tips.

WIth 6 cats coming and going I still like testing blood despite cost. I don't thnk I would have to do it very often.
 
With no history of dka, random testing, especially when bs numbers are high, should be fine. I'd say once a week or so. The vet wants me to check daily.
 
Thinking about this - even with multiple cats, what are the chances that the ketones are due to any cat other than the diabetic?

Unless you have more that 1 diabetic cat, or suspect it in one of the other cats (in which case, you're probably making a vet apt), the most likely culprit is the diabetic.
 
BJM said:
Thinking about this - even with multiple cats, what are the chances that the ketones are due to any cat other than the diabetic?

Unless you have more that 1 diabetic cat, or suspect it in one of the other cats (in which case, you're probably making a vet apt), the most likely culprit is the diabetic.
Click to expand...

I actually hadn't thought about that. Good point. Of course, my other boy is 13; it wouldn't surprise me if he was having problems, too. He hasn't actually been checked.
 
I am having nothing but problems with the Nova Max. I can't recommend it at all. No wonder it is only $10.

Carl, you may have a working one but mine is defective.

I got another error entry on my last ketone strip and I certainly would not buy any more for this meter.

The strip does not stay in on its own. It just flops around and doesn't make contact so it constantly goes on and off. I tried to hold it in when applying blood it came out slightly and gave me an error.

I really consider it totally worthless.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: I did call customer service and they are sending me a new meter and 2 more ketone strips so they were very good about that.

Elaine (DEF)
 
Elaine
I haven't had any trouble with the strip not staying in place. Hopefully the new one will work right. The only thing I don't like is that te meter is bulkier than the relion micro I use for BG rests which is very small.
Carl
 
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