Newly Diagnosed, First Glucose Test ?

[Mom2SweetPea]

Hi everyone,
So happy to have found this site and its wealth of information! My cat, Sweet Pea, is 9 and was diagnosed two weeks ago. Her glucose was around 300 at the vet, and her fructosamine was high and there was sugar in her urine. Sorry I don't have more specific numbers. Dr. put her on 1 unit of Vetsulin twice a day. Since then I have found this board and have learned SO MUCH! Thank you for that! I ordered a blood glucose monitor (went with the Alpha Trak 2 though I know most of you use human ones). It arrived today. She's on day 10 of insulin, and since she was 300 at the vet, I expected a similar or lower number today. I did the first test and it was 481!!! I was shocked! I know one number is meaningless, and I intend to start monitoring, but why would the number be so high? She is scheduled for a curve on Friday at the vet, but I wanted to do my own at first to have something to compare it to. She is eating Purina DM dry (I know, I know!! She's a dry food addict who won't even look at wet!). I am hoping to transition her to wet but got the monitor so I can do it safely. It's an uphill battle for sure. Anyway, I was hoping for any insight into the high reading I got. Anyone have a similar experience at the beginning?

ETA- She had her dose at 9:00am and I did the test at 5:15 pm.

 

[Anne Biddle]

Hi. Vetsulin peaks after about 6 hours. When Truffles was first diagnosed his was over 500. Started on 1 unit went up slowly to 2.5 and now is down to normally about .25. He has his at 9am and 9pm and his low point is usually around 3pm when he has tea after testing. He is fed wet food 3 times a day. It takes a while to stop the ups and downs! We’re still a work in progress.

 

[Mom2SweetPea]

Thank you for your reply! I managed to do a curve on Sweet Pea and noticed the vetsulin peaked after the 4 hour test. I just dropped her off to do a curve with the vet, and she wasn't a happy camper at all. Not sure how valuable the date will be. They didn't seem overly impressed that I did my own curve. :-/. The lowest reading I got was 336. Sigh.

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you for your reply! I managed to do a curve on Sweet Pea and noticed the vetsulin peaked after the 4 hour test. I just dropped her off to do a curve with the vet, and she wasn't a happy camper at all. Not sure how valuable the date will be. They didn't seem overly impressed that I did my own curve. :-/. The lowest reading I got was 336. Sigh.

Pay no mind to their indifference. The curves done at home are more accurate than at the vet. I use an Alphatrak as well. I know it's pricy but I like having the same readings my vet does. I mostly use alpha strips, but for not as important readings where I'm just curious I use Insulinx strips.... Made by the same company but for a human meter. I get them on eBay for 10-13$ for 50 of them. Saves me a little money here and there. The cheapest place for alpha strips is usually amazon, and I first go through an AP called ibotta which gives you 3% back on pet supplies on amazon. (I can give you a referral link if you are interested.)

 

[nanefy]

My vet also discouraged at home testing, but it was obvious they were just trying to milk me for cash because they would do a curve and then a fructosamine.....costing me a £140 every time for the privilege. The last time I took Crockett to the vets, I asked them exactly what they would be doing before I dropped him off and they assured me it was just a curve and would only cost £40. I went to pick him up at the end of the day and lo and behold, they also did a fructosamine test!
My vet had never heard of the Methyl B12 for neuropathy and also didn't know that most dry diabetic foods are not suitable because they are still too high in carb content. As far as I am concerned, this board has been 100% more knowledgeable on the subject than my vet ever was.

The last time Crockett went for a curve, he was so stressed that he didn't eat anything, so the results were pointless - this is why at home testing is more accurate - your cat is in their own home, their own safe space, with people they know - if you slot the testing into their normal routine, you'll get way more accurate results.

 

[JanetNJ]

My vet also discouraged at home testing, but it was obvious they were just trying to milk me for cash because they would do a curve and then a fructosamine.....costing me a £140 every time for the privilege. The last time I took Crockett to the vets, I asked them exactly what they would be doing before I dropped him off and they assured me it was just a curve and would only cost £40. I went to pick him up at the end of the day and lo and behold, they also did a fructosamine test!
My vet had never heard of the Methyl B12 for neuropathy and also didn't know that most dry diabetic foods are not suitable because they are still too high in carb content. As far as I am concerned, this board has been 100% more knowledgeable on the subject than my vet ever was.

The last time Crockett went for a curve, he was so stressed that he didn't eat anything, so the results were pointless - this is why at home testing is more accurate - your cat is in their own home, their own safe space, with people they know - if you slot the testing into their normal routine, you'll get way more accurate results.

Once I started testing at home my cat didnt go back to the vet for a year. I just occasionally emailed her a link to the spreadsheet to keep her in the loop. If I were you I wouldn't pay for the fructosamine portion of the test since you didn't authorize it. That test is good for diagnosis, but serves no other purpose as it may gives you the average of the last 2-3 weeks. If you home test you have much better info then that.