How good is the CERA-PET Blood Glucose Meter?
The CERA-PET Blood Glucose Meter has been specifically calibrated for testing the blood glucose of cats and dogs and gives results in just 5 seconds. This meter also achieves very high standards in terms of accuracy and precision – compared to the YSI 2300 Plus Biometric Glucose Analyzer, the CERA-PET meter recorded an accuracy level of greater than 98.5%.
Not only is the CERA-PET Meter highly accurate, it is also very convenient due it its small size (54mm x 94mm x 14 mm), light weight (just 39g with battery) and it comes with a free carry case so that you can take your CERA-PET Meter with you anywhere. The carry case is compact and lightweight but still has compartments for everything you need – Meter, Lancing Device, Lancets, Code Keys and Test Strips.
Click on the highlighted text to buy additional test strips, control solution or lancets
Can I just use a Human Blood Glucose Meter?
This is not recommended because the distribution of glucose in the blood of humans and animals is different. There is also a definite variation between the size of the red blood cells between humans and animals. For these two reasons alone, the results from a human blood glucose monitoring machine and one made specifically for animals are going to vary. It is important to have the most accurate blood glucose reading as possible.
Human meters are calibrated for human plasma in order to provide the most accurate results because 58% of the glucose is located in plasma and 42% is located in the red blood cells.
For dogs, 87.5% of glucose is located in the plasma and 93% for cats. That is a significantly large difference in where glucose is stored in the blood between humans and animals. So to obtain the most accurate results, you must use a machine that is calibrated specifically for cats and dogs. If you use a human testing device, then the results may be significantly lower than what they actually are.
What unit of measurement are the results displayed in?
This Monitor will display the results in either mmol/L or mg/dL – the unit of measurement is quickly and easily interchangeable.
Importance of testing your Pet’s Blood Glucose Levels
Monitoring your pet’s blood glucose concentration at home has many benefits and is increasingly recommended by veterinarians, especially those who specialize in diabetes. If you have a diabetic pet, it can be a very dangerous illness if not properly controlled. Being able to quickly check your pet’s blood glucose level at home makes it much easier to see how well you are managing their diabetes.
It is also suggested that home-testing may be more accurate than the tests performed at the Vets, particularly in cats, because blood glucose levels are affected by stress hyperglycaemia. Another advantage is that the pet can be tested frequently which enables frequent generation of blood glucose curves, which can help to achieve better glycaemic control.
In addition, testing at home can save a lot of money since it reduces the number of tests performed at the vet clinic, thus lowering the cost of treating diabetes. At under £20 for the starter pack (meter with 25 tests) and then just 32p per replacement strip thereafter, it should work out significantly cheaper than the cost of taking a pet to a vet clinic to generate the necessary number of diabetic curves.
How do I get a blood drop?
The most common test sites are the ear or paw pad. For dogs you can also use the lip. There are many helpful resources on the web with instruction videos showing how to successfully obtain a blood drop from cats and dogs. You should also ask your vet for advice.
How do I perform the test?
Full instructions are included with the meter which you should read through before use. Here is a quick guide:
– Insert the supplied code key for either cats or dogs as required.
– Remove the code key and insert a test strip into the slot on the meter.
– Use the lancet and lancing device to obtain a blood drop from the ear, lip (dogs only) or paw pad. You only need a small drop of blood – just 5μl.
– Apply your blood to the absorbent hole of the test strip until the confirmation window is full of blood. The test meter will begin to count down from 5 seconds and a result will be displayed. This result is then automatically stored in the test meter’s memory.
Where can I buy extra strips and/or lancets from?
You can buy them at very low prices from our shop:
- Strips
- Lancets
- Lancing Device
mojca.hudales verified purchase –
The glucose monitor is great! It’s easy to use, works well and is accurate (we took it to our vet and it gave the same result as the vet’s monitor), the test strips are very easy to insert. The monitor comes with everything you need to start. It is also *far* cheaper than the only monitor that is available in my country, which costs 70€ for the monitor alone, plus another 70€ for the test strips (ridiculous!).
The coding for different animals works well and you don’t have to code the monitor before each use. You have to be careful to pick the correct coding key though, since they’re both the same colour (I painted mine with a marker). All in all, this is a great monitor for home use and I would gladly buy it again.