Frodo, the Schnauzer

[FrodosFam]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

And I would hope to only use the meter for home curves instead of going to the vet and paying out the butt for them to use the same thing.

[CraigM]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

Would it be reasonable to assume that if we were to buy our own meter that it really doesn't matter what lancets we use?

True, any lancet would produce a usable blood sample. There are different types if you plan to use lancing device (a spring loaded "pen" that holds a lancet and when activated pokes the hole). If you have doubts about the lancet and lancet device, I'd ask a pharmacist. Walmart / Sams Club would be a good choice for the first purchase, then compare with Amazon for the best price. Really, lancets are pretty cheap anywhere.

You will have a choice to the gauge (thickness of the "pin") for the lancet. Most humans like the super thin 30, 31 or 33 gauge. These are frequently too thin for our dogs. I'd recommend 26, or 25 gauge for our dogs. Your local pharmacy might not stock these thicker 25 gauge lancets, but you can get them online.

When you shop for a meter, remember the test strips are their money maker . A $20, or free, meter might not actually be better than a $40 meter if the test strips are more expensive. You will be using a lot of test strips. Everyone has their favorite meter (I have 8, because this became a hobby for me ). Get one, and there's no law that says you can't get another if you don't like the first one!

Craig

[Daisydog10]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I use the ReliOn (Walmart) lancing device (I think I paid a couple bucks) with ReliOn 26 gauge lancets (around $1.68 for 100).

I also use the Alphatrak2 (strips run about $48/50 count) Advocate Pet Test (strips run about $38/50 count) and now that I've been doing this awhile and am getting a feel for it, just got the ReliOn Prime (Walmart human meter, strips run $19.88/100 count) and do a little equation to get pretty close to the Alphatrak2 number. When she goes a little haywire with her blood glucose, I always use the Alphatrak2 to do a curve or confirm extremely high or low numbers.

It's a shame you can't mix and match meters and strips, but like Craig said, that's the moneymaker.

[FrodosFam]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

Where do people typically buy their supplies?
Anyone ever order from adw?

[Daisydog10]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I get the test AT2 strips from ADW or Ebay, whichever is cheaper but I've found Walmart is the cheapest for Novolin, ReliOn syringes and lancets. The Advocate Pettest strips are cheaper on Amazon, sometimes Ebay but you have to watch the expiration dates.

The health dept. in our county gives out free sharps containers and when it's full, you turn it back in and get another one.

[Daisydog10]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I am thinking about the monitor. Right now, I wouldn't know how to adjust his insulin based on the results. We will see what happens when we go back to the a-hole vet on Monday.

You'll do a curve starting at morning fasting/feeding, then around every 2 hours until next fasting/feeding, so about 7 readings. The lowest blood glucose number is what you'll base your insulin adjustment on. Be sure to post all the times and readings and everyone here will help you.

[FrodosFam]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I guess I need to decide what meter I want to start with.....
Part of me wants to go with the cheapest since we have put out nearly $1000 on poor Frodo in the past week or so.
Part of me wants to get the more expensive because it's reliable.

Someone just tell me what to do!

[CraigM]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I guess I need to decide what meter I want to start with.....
Part of me wants to go with the cheapest since we have put out nearly $1000 on poor Frodo in the past week or so.
Part of me wants to get the more expensive because it's reliable.

Someone just tell me what to do!

There might be an advantage getting a "kit" like the human One Touch Ultra because it comes with the meter, a few starter test strips (order more right away), lancets and lancing device. https://www.amazon.com/One-Touch-Ult...+touch+ultra+2 Although this is a human meter, the readings using dog blood is fairly close in the normal range.

For a pure inexpensive meter, the Walmart ReliOn PRIME is about $18 (I think), but the test strips are really inexpensive at $9 for 50 strips. This meter reads dog blood lower than true, but that isn't a terrible thing.

The AlphaTrak kit is great, but the test strips are over $1 each and can get expensive if used multiple times every day. https://www.amazon.com/AlphaTRAK-Blo...ds=alphatrak+2 Note: when I bought my AlphaTrak-2 years ago the MSRP was $150, and I thought I was getting a steal paying ONLY $125

For years, I used both the cheap Walmart ReliOn PRIME and the AlphaTrak. The PRIME for routine testing, and the AlphaTrak occasionally to confirm what I think the Prime was telling me.

[Daisydog10]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

After $1700 in vet bills, I went ahead with the AlphaTrak2 because I had no clue what I was doing and wanted some accuracy- but I was a freakazoid and totally neurotic with her diagnosis.

As we became more informed, curves became further apart, numbers started to make sense and I got comfortable using cheaper meters. I use the AT2 now when I question very low numbers so the cost has gone down drastically.

[MikeMurphy]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

I started out with the AlphaTrak2 meter, but now have switched over exclusively to the Walmart ReliOn Prime. Like everyone else has said, you just have to realize that most human meters will read lower than the AlphaTrak.

This is not really a problem, because I am looking for trends in BG when using a meter. Also... the real danger when using injected insulin is with BG going too low. The ReliOn Prime gives me a bit of a safety buffer in that regard. For example, I know from doing comparisons of the two meters that a 70 reading on the ReliOn Prime equates to around 100 on the AT2.

One more thing... If I run out test strips or lancets, I can go to our local Walmart. They always seem to be in stock.

[jesse girl]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

we have exclusively used a human meter for the jesses the entire 7 years jesse has been diabetic

we have not seen a hypoglycemic (low sugar) event or a return to hyperglycemia ( high sugar ) symptoms ( drinking more water and urinating )

numbers in the higher range ( 300 and higher ) can loose some accuracy but it will still give the trends your looking for as you get closer to what looks like normal sugar or lower it becomes more accurate

now all handhelds have there limitations on accuracy including the pet ones so dont get caught up in a single number . it will drive you a bit nutty

as you become accustomed to your dogs trends your testing will greatly reduce but in the beginning you should be testing as much as you can and doing curves once a week

now i haven't done a full curve on jesse for years but i do test her 3 times a day before she receives insulin . if she is running a bit off i will test her more

in the end you want to be the foremost expert on your dogs diabetes . i consider me that way for jesse as no one including the professionals have a better grasp because jesse and me put the work into it everyday

[FrodosFam]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

and of course we got out for a few hours for a bbq and the dumb dog gets into the garbage and then pees on the carpet. sigh.

[CraigM]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

and of course we got out for a few hours for a bbq and the dumb dog gets into the garbage and then pees on the carpet. sigh.

Our previous elderly dog (not diabetic) had pee & poop problems for the last few months of his life. "Accidents" several times a day, every day . Linda was going out of her mind with carpet cleaning. Ended up removing carpets from everywhere except the bedrooms, and replacing with laminate flooring.

Oh, there was another reason we replaced the flooring: the great flood! We had a 75 gallon marine aquarium and I spilled about 50 gallons of dirty water. It soaked the carpeted family room!

Annie has the occasional accident, but I'm sure it's age related and not her diabetes.

[FrodosFam]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

We just bought this house. It has brand new carpet.

[jesse girl]

Re: Frodo, the Schnauzer

with a newly diagnosed dog their appetites can be voracious because the high sugar doesnt let the food metabolize very well and it feels like they need more food basically starving even with being fed . the urination is another way for the body to remove that excess sugar the reason for thirst and urinating problems

my jesse went from a free feeder which she never ate all her food at one time to a vacuum cleaner sucked up everything and she still has that mentality but not as extreme and normal for most beagles

its going to be frustrating and your going to get upset i did at jesse at times we are only human but remember the disease is the culprit and they never asked for it just showed up one day