alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

[maggiegirl]

I wrote a few days ago about comparing the alpha trak and pet test advocate meters
Alpha trak. Pet test
1/7.11:06p. 398 399
1/8. 10:35a.125. 138
10:40p.194. 214
1/9.10:30 a.173. 238
10:22p.216. 240
1/10.11:16a.209. 209
11:01p.263. 182
1/14.10:50p.265. 295
1/15.10:59a.250. 471 ?
10:49p.143. 452 ?
I rechecked the pet test machine with the coding solution and it had been in range
When I first started but now it is over 200 higher than the high number. I just ran out
Of intro test strips so I don't think I am going to make the switch after these last 2 big
Differences. Is there any reason this should happen? Could they have had 2 different
Batches of strips in the vial? They don't code so why would that make a difference?
If you are using this as your only test machine please be careful if the number seems
Odd.

[tonyr]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

Looking on Amazon.com the reviews are pretty poor .
Here are the review figures :-

3.2 out of 5 stars
5 star = 48%
4 star = 8%
3 star = 8%
2 star = 13%
1 star = 23%

Why use this meter and not the AlphaTrack with the Lite strips for everday use and the AlphaTrack strips for those questionable moments or for curves.
I would not risk my dog having a Hypo for the sake of saving a few bucks.
I can buy the Lite strips dirt cheap on ebay anyway so for me it's a no brainer, and I have the best of both worlds.
I think it is made in Taiwan where things are made cheap and cheerful.
Anyhow you are not the first to question its reliability thats for sure.

[MomofGus]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

I have been using the pettester since July and have not had that much discrepancy in my readings. I do still check periodically with my alphatrak, especially if I have unusually low or high readings. Perhaps you had a bad batch, I don't know. For me, it works fine and I hope it continues to do so, but if it doesn't, I still have Alphatrak on hand.

As for the ratings, in looking at Amazon right now in the U.S., the ratings are 4.2 out of 5 stars for the strips. So,I'm not sure where Tony sees the lower ratings - perhaps in the UK Amazon?

78% - 5 star
10 - 4 star
10- 3 star
3 - 2 star
3- 1 star

Who knows, it may be that I will have to switch back to Alphatrak, but for now, we are not having a problem and hoping it stays that way. I recently ordered 3 month supply of the pettest strips.

[tonyr]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

I have been using the pettester since July and have not had that much discrepancy in my readings. I do still check periodically with my alphatrak, especially if I have unusually low or high readings. Perhaps you had a bad batch, I don't know. For me, it works fine and I hope it continues to do so, but if it doesn't, I still have Alphatrak on hand.

As for the ratings, in looking at Amazon right now in the U.S., the ratings are 4.2 out of 5 stars for the strips. So,I'm not sure where Tony sees the lower ratings - perhaps in the UK Amazon?

78% - 5 star
10 - 4 star
10- 3 star
3 - 2 star
3- 1 star

Who knows, it may be that I will have to switch back to Alphatrak, but for now, we are not having a problem and hoping it stays that way. I recently ordered 3 month supply of the pettest strips.

Here is the link you seek :-
https://www.amazon.com/Advocate-Gluc...pet+test+meter
I did not say it was for the strips.
We are talking about the METER

[MomofGus]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

Okay, Tony. I'm sorry - I was thinking strips. I know some have not had the best of luck with their meters. So far, we have been good. It doesn't not hurt to be aware that there could be some issues.

[jesse girl]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

yes for me and how i manage jesses insulin needs that last comparison could be a problem because i tend to give more insulin if she is higher

now the 143 is the lowest number posted .the thing when doing comparisons with handhelds we dont know absolutely that any number is correct

i have seen on meters that dont post errors if you dont get enough blood you get a false low . i also got hints of to much blood that may get a false high but for that i am far from positive

so there is some human error that shows up from time to time even heard dehydration can affect accuracy

another factor i have seen a weak battery in the meter can have an affect

now the accuracy seemed to decline on the last 2 test which before seemed to be pretty good . what went wrong ? i would have done another back to back test with both meters especially with that last test and dont take for granted the alpha trak is correct

i have had the feeling from time to time that meters maybe reading allot higher than the actual numbers from peoples posting and numbers seeming much higher than you might expect especially without a return of diabetic symptoms

well with anything if you loose confidence in a devise especially one that is so important its hard to get that confidence back

as far as using lite strips in the alpha trak i feel you are using a product outside of its listing yes it may appear to work but you just dont know what the manufacture might do in the future to eliminate that possibility as it will affect profits . If you are using this method you would need to do constant comparisons with each new batch of strips . the way i look at it is you now have turned your pet meter into a human meter using human strips which i dont have a problem using a human meter but you have to call it for what its is

Now jesse does use a human meter and i am good with it . I take things with a grain of salt as far as accuracy but at lower levels i respect those numbers and i put on my cautious hat on what to do next

[CraigM]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

Just adding my comparison between the AlphaTrK-2 and the PetTest I just did a minute ago.

AlphaTrak-2 104
PetTest 127

Now for the disclaimers. The AlphaTrK-2 test strip container was opened last July, and the PetTest strips were opened around last Christmas. I'm not sure if the strips "age" well? Also, who knows which ones are closer to "true"?

I will try to compare every month or two and as long as they don't vary too much, I'll use the PestTest for routine testing.

Craig

[maggiegirl]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

I talked to the pet test people and they are sending me a new control solution and some test strips and then call them back. I will see what happens then. Maybe the starter strips were from different batches(I don't know if that is possible? There weren't that many but who knows. Mistakes happen. I hope it works out but I do have the alpha trak and I would continue to use that to check any time numbers seemed off anyway. I saw a couple of other meters for dogs on Amazon. Has anyone tried them? There are a lot of
Nice features to the pet test so fingers crossed. someone mentioned a low battery but no
Indication of that.

[MomofGus]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

They seem to be willing to send replacements for those that I've read that have had trouble. As long as you have alphatrak to fall back on, I don't think you can go too wrong, especially if you kind of know your dogs glucose pattern. As a note about low battery, my unit did not show low battery when it wouldn't work one day, but once I put in a new battery, I was back in business. I've since ordered another meter to have as a spare in case my first one goes out.

[CraigM]

Re: alpha trak versus Pet Test meters please be careful!

They seem to be willing to send replacements for those that I've read that have had trouble. As long as you have alphatrak to fall back on, I don't think you can go too wrong, especially if you kind of know your dogs glucose pattern. As a note about low battery, my unit did not show low battery when it wouldn't work one day, but once I put in a new battery, I was back in business. I've since ordered another meter to have as a spare in case my first one goes out.

If you have two PetTest meters, it would be interesting to see how they compare

Craig