Newbie...need advice please on glucometer and other things

I wrote about Gracie a couple days ago. Her BG at the vet using their Alpha Trak today was 325. Vet also sent sample to Antech. My vet totally supports hometesting and I want to go get a glucometer but am confused about which is best. I did a search but it came back with so many responses that it
would take me forever to go through them. Is the Abbott Freestyle or the Freestyle Flash the best? Do they come with lancets and all I need to test? My vet said her tech can come to my house and show me how to do the testing on Gracie so she's not stressed by another trip in to the vet. If Gracie's BG is still this high at home, vet will do a glucose curve and start us on Lantus (probably .5 u once/day as Gracie is so sensitive to everything) but I'm sure the
glucose curve will tell her more. I've read through much of the literature on the website and trying to go through the things on the board.
I'm not even sure where to start to concentrate on things other than the hometesting to see where Grace really is with this. I know if she is diabetic, I
will have so many more questions...I am so afraid of getting her hypoglycemic...I couldn't bear losing her.

Any help/advice/suggestions would be so greatly appreciated. My girl is only 4...she's always been on a low carb diet, is not obese, has
no clinical signs right now except she is a bit more lethargic but that could also be due to Al detoxing we are doing. I'm urine testing for glucose and ketones right now until I can get the glucometer which I'd like to do tomorrow. Vet is hoping this is transient due to steroids for interstitial cystitis. Please
help....Gracie is the light of my life...I just want her to be happy and healthy again.

Thank you.

 

Marjorie, I could provide you with a newbie kit that has everything you need to test your kitty. I do have a few to choose from and I could tell you some of the pros and cons if you like. Check your pm's the little message box upper left corner of your screen for a message.
Lori and Tom

 

All blood glucose meters work the same way. Many people just buy a meter that has inexpensive test strips because that is the ongoing cost. A basic meter is all you need. Wal Mart's ReliOn brand is good. I think there are a few different ReliOn models to choose from. The AccuChek Aviva is cat-friendly but test strips tend to be expensive. Some people here use the OneTouch brand, again a few different models to choose from. The OneTouch Mini is basic and good enough to use for a cat. The FreeStyle meters work well.

A meter kit usually comes with 10 lancets and 10 test strips. Check the box to see what is included. You will need to buy more while you are at the pharmacy. Test strips may be kept behind the pharmacy counter so ask there if you don't see any alongside the blood glucose meters. The ReliOn meters do not come with anything but test strips are like $20 and lancets are probably less than $10.

One thing you will need is a "rice sock" or something similar to warm your cat's ear up with. There are instructions here on how to make one: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=287

 

There are still some meters out there (e.g., OneTouch SureStep) that are not sipping and thus need a lot of blood. You want a meter that needs 1.5 ul or less. A lot of meter use 1 ul and less. Here is a link of meter comparison.
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_tec ... z0zVhT54lD

Also, not all meters work the same way. The OneTouch SureStep uses a color change which the meter measures and converts to a BG value. Newer design meters uses a chemical reaction as follows:
Most glucometers today use an electrochemical method. Test strips contain a capillary that sucks up a reproducible amount of blood. The glucose in the blood reacts with an enzyme electrode containing glucose oxidase (or dehydrogenase). The enzyme is reoxidized with an excess of a mediator reagant, such as a ferricyanide ion, a ferrocene derivative or osmium bipyridyl complex. The mediator in turn is reoxidised by reaction at the electrode,which generates an electrical current. The total charge passing through the electrode is proportional to the amount of glucose in the blood that has reacted with the enzyme. The coulometric method is a technique where the total amount of charge generated by the glucose oxidation reaction is measured over a period of time. This is analogous to throwing a ball and measuring the distance it has covered so as to determine how hard it was thrown. The amperometric method is used by some meters and measures the electrical current generated at a specific point in time by the glucose reaction. This is analogous to throwing a ball and using the speed at which it is travelling at a point in time to estimate how hard it was thrown. The coulometric method can allow for variable test times, whereas the test time on a meter using the amperometric method is always fixed. Both methods give an estimation of the concentration of glucose in the initial blood sample.

 

Thank you all so much. I ordered a Newbie kit....I just need to get started and after talking with Lori, I think that is the best
way. I know I will have a ton of questions but I will do anything for my Gracie. So I'm certain you will hear much more from us.
Thanks for being there with your explanations.

 

I'm sure it's already been mentioned, but we are new to lantus also, and the Lantus board has been so amazingly helpful to us, (as has the entire FDMB)

hope to see you over in Lantus-Land

celi & binks