I test my cat’s blood glucose readings several times a day, and my Freestyle meter consistently produces much lower readings than my Bayer Elite XL for higher blood glucose values. The difference can be 100-200 points. Other pet owners have observed similar low readings from the Freestyle meter. Are there any reliable comparison studies on glucose meter accuracy?

There are quite a few comparison studies of glucose monitors. The FreeStyle monitor has performed very well in these studies and has the advantage of using tiny amounts of blood for testing. A few possibilities about discrepancies between your Freestyle and your Bayer Elite XL:

The Elite may be reading incorrectly.
You may have some temporary changes with your pet that are affecting readings.
Reviewing the operating instructions may reveal a need to change your procedure with the Freestyle.
Your particular meter may have been mishandled prior to your ownership, causing inaccurate readings.

The best way to make sure your individual meter is accurate is to compare it to an actual serum glucose obtained at your veterinarian’s office. The vet can draw a venous blood sample at the same time you get a capillary sample for your meter. The results should be quite close if your meter is accurate.

For some more information, go to Blood Glucose Meters and Feline Diabetes.

RP