? BG Level Range

I'm looking through blood work from last year and in the glucose it shows normal values 72-175 mg/dl.
When I google it it said cats should not be between 75- 120. What am I missing?

 

75-120 is normal non diabetic range. 175 mg shot with insulin down to under 100 is basically a regulated diabetic or a stressed cat. renal failure starts around 200 so under 200 is basically the first goal for most cats.

what link did you find for cats should not be between 75-120? that's basically normal for most cats who aren't diabetic I believe, and a goal for diabetics.

 

If you're testing on a human glucometer, normal (at least according to the consensus on this board) seems to be 50-120. I don't know the numbers if you're testing on an Alpha Trak.

 

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual,

* normal fasting blood glucose in dogs and cats is 75–120 mg/dL // 4.2-6.7 mmol/L. (presumably measured on laboratory equipment - reference range would apply to Alphatrak/other pet meters, NOT human meters).

* renal threshold for cats is 280 mg/dL // 15.6mmol/L

Our vet looked up a veterinary reference text (don't know which one - thought it was the Merck manual but could be wrong). He quoted me a range of 3.9- 8.3 mmol/L // 70-150 mg/dL as the full normal range for laboratory equipment / pet-calibrated meters. (Presumably the upper limit is set higher to allow for postprandial rises in blood glucose levels). Can't find an online reference that quotes this range right now.



Mogs
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The Merck Manual has an online version.
This is the page on Diabetes Mellitus.

 

I am unclear by what "The renal threshold for glucose is~280 mg/dL in cats" means.

For a cat in remission, at what # do I need to be concerned and put CJ back on insulin at?

 

When the glucose is elevated over 150 mg/dL, the hunger and thirst are high, and glucose is spilling into the urine (ie above the renal threshold), I might resume insulin, even if treating infection, to avoid glucose toxicity.

 

If hunger and thirst are normal and there are no ketones in the urine, at what level would you recommend resuming insulin? Over 200?

 

In Dr. Rand's 2013 book for veterinarians on feline diabetes, she wrote that there's no consensus in veterinary literature on what glucose concentration should be classed as diabetic; that diabetes is diagnosed when blood glucose concentration is above the renal threshold, causing water loss, and polyuria & polydipsia (excess urine & excessive thirst/drinking); and that those two signs are associated with BG of
234-288 mg/dL (14-16 mmol/L) or higher. (I would assume those values are as measured on laboratory equipment?)

Have no clue how those values would translate when testing with human glucometers, though ... perhaps someone else here knows more about that?

 

I'd first look for an explanation - many times, relapse requiring insulin happens due to infection or inflammation (ex. pancreatitis) - and get that treated quickly, then monitor.

 

[Emphasis mine.]

Methinks Dr Rand needs a better proof-reader: 234 mg/dL = 13 mmol/L. (No wonder people find this confusing.)

I think Rand's renal threshold range is a better practical reference range to use for day-to-day diabetes management than the Merck reference for same quoted above. (In practical terms I would be urine testing more frequently as soon as the cat reached double figures on an Alphatrak, and at an even lower number if using a human meter.

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On the blood results sheet from the vet it has your pets result levels and then all the ranges it should be in.
For the Glucose it has a range going from 74 - 159 this is considered normal range , so I'm a little confused .
I'm referring to strictly blood work from a vet and lab not my meter.

 

Also I was told yesterday by the tech my vet is now using this site to help his patients. I have to say other than the surgery time I really like this vet and his openness to learning more about feline diabetes. They're really did take great care of Blitzen yesterday .

 

Mogs, you eagle-eye!!! Reminds me of the time a rather well-known author proudly gave me a copy of the (8th?) edition of one of his books, and when I opened it to chapter 1, page 1 ... there was a VERY obvious grammatical error in the first paragraph!

 

Equipment varies and may have different reference values.
Local reference labs may set their own reference norms, too.
And of course, our cats vary; some may have a lower renal threshold than others, particularly if there is any renal compromise.

 

I posed that question to a physician once (re: lab reference ranges) & he told me that the "normal" reference ranges that appear on blood tests can vary, depending on the lab and which equipment that lab uses. (Now that's really helpful to everybody, eh?)

 

BJ, have you any research links for that. It's something that could very much help me in my upcoming negotiations with Saoirse's vet.
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Absolutely correct. That's why it's necessary to look at the reference ranges as well as the results when comparing labwork carried out by different facilities.
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Well Blitzen has had him pain meds, I thought it was supposed to make him drowsy! He has not rested for more than 15 minutes since he came home yesterday. All he wants to do is eat and cry....typical Blitzen.

 

Just grabbed two bg from him , 64 & 66

 

The Merck Veterinary Manual and Dr Rand have different values as noted above.
If you do a Google search on feline glucosuria you'll likely find others.

Any of the measures can differ from source to source. Here's an example.
from https://www.prozinc.us/feline_diabetes.html
"Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) defined

This is blood glucose higher than 200-300 mg/dL. After blood glucose stabilizes with treatment, it may occasionally rise due to stress, illness, injury or changes to the cat’s normal routine (such as ingesting something unusual or missing a PROZINC injection)."