*Before I start this post I must say I’m not responsible for any damage or malfunctions or any thing that happens to your testing equipment. If you try what I talk about in the post, do it at your own risk.
On the Diabetic Dog Owners Facebook page I belong to Sharon, a fellow diabetic dog owner suggested that you could use Freestyle Lite test strips (Human) instead of Alpha Track test strips (Dog/Cat) in an Alpha track meter. Both test strips are made by Abbott. And leave the testing code at 7.
Which if the Freestyle lite test strips do work and are accurate then its a good way to save money. I currently pay about $46 for 50 count of Alpha Track test strips. The Freestyle lite test strips I’ve seen for as low as $19 plus shipping for a 50 count.
Here is my first round of testing.
8:45am | Shot | Ate
Aphla: 55
Free: 73
11:45am
Aphla: 158
Free: 175
3:15pm
Aphla: 103
Free: 114
6:15 | Ate
Aphla: 81
Free: 74
7:15 | Shot
10:15pm
Aphla: 72
Free: 89
A few things to note here. Very much adjusted Bender’s insulin shot. Any thing below 100 is a bit too low. Which is also why he didn’t get a shot right after he ate at 6:15, like he normally should have. This is a reminder as to why you should test your dog on a regular basis.
The difference between Aphla and Freestyle is very good. About 10-15 difference but does that really matter? If Bender is 150 compared to 160 is that bad? No. If I would test him again in ten minutes he could be 140 compared to 150. Now if it was 50 points off it would have been bad. That is not an accuracy level I’m comfortable with.
I would say FreeStyle lite test strips are pretty comparable to the Aphla track test strips. I’m going to suggest if you are going to switch to Freestyle lite, check your meter with the Freestyle lite strips versus your Vet’s testing meters. I would do this any way even if you didn’t switch over just because you want to make sure your meter is correct.
I would like to know if any one else has tried Freestyle lite test strips or other test strips and what the results are.
Note -I’ve found each bottle of FreeStyle Lites will read slightly different. My first bottle was 10-15 points off but my section bottle was 20-30 points off. Either test several strips from each new bottle against your Vet’s glucose machine or keep a bottle of Alpha Trak strips around to test against so you know how much each bottle will be off.
where do you buy your alpha trak test strips for $46? I currently pay $70
I get that price for the test strips through my vet. They were nice enough to give them to me at cost or close to it.
Amazon is about the cheapest I’ve seen at $65. That’s why I tried Freestyle Lite test strips. $20-30 a box.
Hi Jeff,
I think your comparison numbers are very good, ones that I would be pleased with.
I’ve been using the Freestyle Lite strips in my AlphaTrak for quite a while now with hugh success! I do keep a container of the AT strips on hand just in case of any strange numbers. Point in case, about a month ago, my dog registered 86 using the Freestyle Lite strip. I quickly took her blood again with the AlphaTrak strip and it read 90. A very acceptable 4 point difference.
I too have been using the Freestyle LITE strips in my Alpha Trak with great success!
Americandiabeteswholesale sells AT strips for about $55.00 for a vial of 50.
Have you used the Freestyle on your dog? I have a cat and bought a Freestyle meter for her but the vet told me I should have bought the Alpha Trak. Do you have both meter?
Shirley,
I do have the Freestyle Lite Meter and the AlphaTrak Meter. In this article I start to review other meters vs the AlphaTrak – http://www.diabeticdogblog.com/?p=197
In general I have found that human meters either don’t read the glucose levels in canine blood or the results are skewed enough that you can’t trust the results.
So yes, you should have bought the AlphaTrak meter for your cat (I recommend it over all other meters, including the iPet). But whether you can use the FreeStyle lite test strips in the AlphaTrak meter and get good results when testing feline blood, I don’t know.
It is worth a try. Do comparisons like I’ve done. And if you do, let me know the results.
I have an alpha trak and got a free freestyle so I used both meters with their respective strips .. Alpha showed 349 and freestyle showed 164.. I then used a freestyle strip in the alpha track and it showed 314. So you cannot use the freestyle tester on a dog but you could use the test strips possibly..although a 30 point difference is quite a bit especially on a brittle diabetic.
I use the AlphaTrak 2 meter with the FreeStyle Lite (FSL) strips. I keep a bottle of AlphaTrak 2 strips on hand to compare them to.
The meter is what has the electronics to correctly read animal blood (the concentration of red blood cells in animals is different than in humans)
This is how I code the FSL strips. I use the control solution for alphatrak 2 meter. I test an alphatrax 2 (AT) strip with the code on the bottle and use that reading to compare with the FSL strip. I then use the same control solution on a FSL strip, using the same code as on the AT strip bottle. If the results are close I leave that code in the meter, but usually the FSL strip reads higher, so then I adjust the meter code up by one number (say from 5 to 6) until the results are the same, or reasonably close. So far an adjustment up by just one number from what is on the AT bottle has given me a reading on the FSL strips that is within 1 to 5 points of the AT strips. I also do one test on my dog with both strips to see if the results hold.
It is good to keep some AT strips on hand just in case you need to double check blood glucose results.
Although the FSL strips are less expensive than the AT strips, they are still relatively expensive. My last purchase of FSL strips was $37 for 50ct vs. AT strips at $55 for 50 ct.
American Diabetes Wholesale seems to have the best prices on supplies, (although the cost of the AT strips just went up by about $9/box). There are some FSL strips on Amazon that are cheaper but they are usually very close to the expiration date.
Roxy, your advise on bumping up the code on the FSL strips when using them on the AT was right on. Thank you. My tip for you is to get your strips on eBay. I just got 100 for 40$.
I am very grateful to have the information shared here as I bought an alphatrak 2 meter on ebay after using a relion meter on my cat for a few months. The alphatrak 2 came with 2 vials of test strips: l alphatrak (that had only a couple test strips in it) and 1 freestyle lite (almost full). No explanation came with these items, other than the freestyle vial having a felt pen message to use code 7. Now that I have a better understanding, I will get another vial of alphatrak 2 strips for comparison purposes.
I know this is an old thread but i want to say thank you so much for this info.
Hello everyone, I’m new to diabetes in dogs but I have a lot of experience with diabetes in humans, and I wanted to leave a little info that may be helpful.
So the big question is is freestyle lite test strips comparable to alpha strips. So I see that most everyone has tested and compared bs(blood sugar)#’s and their is anywhere from 10-30 point difference. My vet has stressed how similar diabetes in dogs are to ours so knowing that information I would say that the freestyle lite and alpha results are very comparable. Why I say this is I have several patients that have diabetes and I have educated myself extensively on diabetes to give my patients the best care possible. In my studies I learned that I could test my patients bs back to back with the same meter same finger different finger and every I mean every single time it will be different and I’ve had ranges from 10-75 with the same person same machine back to back. I’ve even tested myself and I’m not a diabetic usual bs around 110 but I’ve checked myself several times in a row and got ranges from 80-120. So you see there’s a 40point difference. So after my studies I was instructed to go by my first number UNLESS I have a bs that is unusually strange for that patient meaning if that patient doesn’t normally have very low bs or insanely high I should recheck and if my recheck shows to be a similarly within range bs than that patient bs is very likely what the machine says. If I get a completely different/range than somethings not calibrating properly with the machine and it’s probably not the patient so you should not trust the machine at that point.
Sorry lots of info hope it’s helpful…😊
And please no this is just my personal Experiences and studies.
Hi, please, if you have used the FreeStyle strips on the AlphaTrak for a CAT, let me know if you such skewed results….I don;t fully trust AlphaTrak, but the vets assure me this is the BEST device for pets-I have a diabetic cat for 4 years now and she always runs a bit high-she is 14 years old. I’m afraid to use the FreeStyle, but I’m getting tired of paying so much for the Alpha strips and I do test her about 2-8 times per week.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!!!!
CatLady,
I don’t have any experience with diabetes in cats. I also have not tested the FreeStyle lite stripes in the AlphaTrak 2.
As for the AlphaTrak meter, it is a good meter. There are very few meters on the market for cats and dogs, the two best are the AlphaTrak 2 and the Advocate Pet Test meter. Both are similarly priced.
-Jeff
I have used the Free Style strips in the AlphaTrack for my cat. Usually there is difference of less then 50. Once I got a test that was over 100. When I retested, there was only 10 points difference.So if you get an odd number, be sure to retest, no matter what meter or strips you use.
Also everyone should know that the FDA allows a 20%difference in all meters.
I just discovered this while searching for cheaper test strips. I use freestyle lite for a while but now the cost is comparable, and since my bet strongly recommends alphatrak2 AND since the cost of their meter keeps decreasing, I staid with alpha trak2.
My dog was diagnosed with diabetes in 2013 so she’s had it–or I’ve known about it for 3+ years.
It was very hard and scary at first, trying to absorb the new material and I felt racked with guilt over a number of aspects, including sticking her with a needle when she already felt lousy.
Now I’m much more practical and sober about it all and she knows that the extra pokes and prods are helping her. Sometimes she reminds ME to get her insulin.
So I just want to encourage other pet owners who are starting the diabetes treatment journey. It gets better and some wonderful times are still ahead for you and your pet-friend!
I have a 10 yr.old lab just came down with 500mil diabetes and now down to 102mil this am. Have you used One Touch Ultra test strips?
Where can I buy more reasonable test strips for the AlphaTrak Starter? Is the Alpha Track 2 better? Thanks in advance for your advice.Lastly, have you found any test strips that work in alpha track Starter or 2?
Dr. Smith,
I have not used On Touch Ultra test strips. From the meters I’ve tested, this was years ago when the Alpha Trak was $150, human meters won’t give accurate results.
The Alpha Trak 2 test strips are about $1 a strip. Depending on the day you can get a box of 50 for $48-58 : http://amzn.to/2fdXwih
I have not found any better price than that. And I would only use AlphaTrak 2 Strips with it.
You might want to check out Advocate’s PetTest meter: http://amzn.to/2eYWYYG
Strips are much cheaper.
-Jeff
Check out ADW for cheapest prices on dog diabetic supplies.
When using Freestyle Lite test strips for the Alphatrak 2 meter, are you using the code found on the Freestyle Lite test strips? If not, what code is being used? I just ordered some Freestyle Lite strips and the code is 16. However, the Alphatrak 2 has codes 15 and 17, but no 16.
I saw people mention bumping up the code 1 from a calibrated Alphatrak test strip, but I do not have those test strips around. When I did, I had code 6 on them, but that’s way below the number on the Freestyle Lite strips.
Luke,
I haven’t tried Freestyle lite test strips in the Alphatrak 2 meter. From the prices I’ve been seeing the AlphaTrak test strips are about the same price so it is best to use the correct strips.
-Jeff
Hi! My dog, Ginger, was recently diagnosed with DM (on Friday; ~ 4 days ago). I have an aphatrack2 meter and a Freestyle Lite meter (had a huge difference in readings; ~ 230 different!). I’m planning to take my dog to the vet this week and check there BG readings vs my alphatrack2. She is currently on Hills W/D, but after reading your posts and reviewing the ingredients, I am without a doubt switching to Wellness grain free reduced fat as she has a hx of pancreatitis and now DM. Anyways, I’m looking for a low glycemic index dog treat that won’t spike her BG. Do you have any recommendations? I want to get her on the right track as quickly as I can if possible.
Brooke,
We give our dogs, Zuke’s Mini Naturals Dog Treats: http://amzn.to/2nAQ01u
While these aren’t low glycemic treats, our dogs love them. But in general unless your dog is getting a bunch of treats one or two treats a day isn’t going to affect glucose levels much as long as the treats are appropriate size for your dog.
-Jeff
I got my test strips for around $35 through website “jet”
What is the difference between freestyle lite strips and the freestyle precision neo blood strips?
I spend $400+ each month and use both FS lite and AlphaTrak Strips ..now on my dog (2 years ago on my cat)..I have not fooled with codes BUT note often that if freading are below 300, they are within a very few points of each other. Howevr, when BG high, FS is much higher. I would like to try the coding listed above since i have 3 AlphaTrak 2 meters..Below is my present chart that shows both FS and AT readings. If only one number is listed..it means only AT was used. Further info would be appreciated. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O1YNDHz-t4REns_tbAN6D_M3AYT6_kgqbHE7JWo6kSM/edit#gid=0
I haven’t tried them yet but I found test strips that are compatible with the alphatrak and alphatrak 2. They are called PetSure from Full Circle Diabetes LLC, The price is $12.95/30ct.
Has anyone tried petsure test strips? I see from the web they claim to be accurate for the alpha track monitor.
Petsure are terrible. Takes a LOT of blood and effort to get a reading. I threw mine away.
What code do I use with Freestyle strips in my Alphatrack?
I used 91(alpha strip code) and dogs glucose reading is 600! Please help.
Tony I’ve just ordered some freestyle strips and would like to understand the coding better also.
We are very confused, are vets sold us a alpha track2 meter that doesn’t work that well, I have FreeStyle Lite test strips, I notice after my dog eats that f SL is about 120 points higher this morning, now, if my dog if my dog does not eat 20 points higher, and if my dog does eat it’s a hundred and twenty points lower, compared to this morning oh, I’m going to get another alphatrak 2 meter to use with FreeStyle Lite strips what should I set can you meet her at? Is it 7? To use FSL? I got a mixed up reading this morning! Please help! I really appreciate all these comments you guys are very thorough, my alphatrak 2 meter is set at 5 and the alphatrak 2 strips have the number 5 on them, so this morning when my dog ate the alphatrak 2 said 212, and the Freestyle Lite set 353! And like I said when he will eat the FreeStyle Lite is 120 points lower then what the alpha track is, and this morning it was much higher what am I doing wrong? I really need help, to get this all situated oh, thank you so very much! This is so much appreciated! God bless you all in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Pastor Corrine
Before the Alpha Trak was invented, I used one of the first generation Freestyle meters with diabetic pets. You ignored the code on the bottle of test strips and used 7 for dogs.
Freestyle strips are identical to Alpha Trak strips. Use code 7 for dogs and ferrets. With the old strips, you used 5 as the code for cats. I have not had to use the newer strips with a cat so I cannot say for sure just use code 5, but since the dog code is still 7, I would imagine the cat code is still 5.
You can find good deals on Freestyle strips on eBay.
If you are new to diabetic pets and using glucometers, and you find all this talk of codes very confusing, then do yourself a favor and just stick with using Alpha Trak test strips with your Alpha Trak device. Yes the strips cost more but you will save yourself aggravation and worry. No guesswork.
JS Fay,CVT
I have a question, I’m not new to diabetic dogs, we are going on year 4. Since having the rest of her bad teeth pulled I’ve dropped her insulin 2u. But we are still getting lower numbers, with that being said-I’m testing all the time and the Alphatrak 2 strips are ridiculously priced-killing my bank account. She’s my more expensive than a LV rescue pup. lol
I wanted to make sure I’m understanding you correctly. If I use freestyle strips and code 7 in my AT2, I should be good to go? Right now my alphatrak bottle is coded at 35.
Kena, I have the same, 35 on Alpha, using 7 on Free style strips