Alpha Trak control solution?

Hi everybody,

I just opened a new vial of Alpha Trak test strips. This is my second vial. When I opened the first, I did a test with the control solution. Do I need to do another test with each new vial? Those strips are expensive!!! Thanks!

Savin

 

It's recommended. It doesn't take much solution. This is just a check to be sure the strips are good.

 

That's the main reason most of us use human meters!! No way could I afford to test if I had to pay $1 per strip!! They do say you're supposed to check with each new vial, but I feel your pain to "waste" a strip each time with the control solution!

 

Oh wow, you can use human meters? Is there a trick to calibrating it for a cat?

 

No trick, no need to calibrate it for a cat, we just use a slightly different scale. Much cheaper and more convenient, too!

 

Most of us here use human meters! The only difference is understanding a little bit different "scale"....On a human meter, normal numbers for cats are 50-120...On pet meters, it's 68- about 150 (you can't really compare them)

All our insulin protocols here use the human meter numbers too

If you live in the US, one of the most popular meters is the Relion Confirm or Micro meters from WalMart...they're about $14, take the tiniest sample size and the strips are affordable at $35.88 per 100! (and you can get them anytime too.....if WalMart is open, you can get strips! Very useful if it's 3am on a Sunday morning and your cat is running too low and you're almost out of test strips!)

 

Over the past 15 years I have only used a control solution test less than 5 times. Note that there is an expiration dae on the control solution and another statement that the solution is only go for X months after opening.

 

All the reference materials here were written using human glucometer reference values for cats.
Check my signature link on Human Glucometer and Veterinary Lab Reference Numbers and Notes.
.

 

Thanks, everyone! Such valuable info!