How to Check Cat and Dog Blood Sugar Levels at Home

An important aspect of managing diabetes in dogs and cats is regularly checking blood sugar (glucose) to ensure levels are neither too high nor too low. In the past, we had to rely on using urine strips or human blood sugar monitoring systems, both of which provide less accurate and timely information than is ideal. Fortunately, modern-day veterinary medicine has evolved to provide easier and more precise ways to monitor your pet’s blood sugar levels at home. 

Keep reading to find out why it’s important to monitor the blood sugar levels of diabetic dogs and cats. We’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to check your pet’s blood sugar levels at home, plus a list of the supplies you’ll need.

Why You Should Monitor Blood Sugar Levels of Diabetic Dogs and Cats

Both the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) recommend regularly monitoring blood sugar levels of diabetic pets (1, 2).

Diabetes is a disease that results from the body’s inability to regulate cat or dog blood sugar levels, resulting in abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood. Normal blood sugar levels for dogs range between 80-120 mg/dl. Normal blood sugar levels for cats range between 60-160 mg/dl. Pets with blood sugar levels that are chronically elevated above these ranges are diagnosed as having diabetes. Blood sugar levels vary depending on whether a pet has eaten recently. Cats can have temporary elevated blood sugar levels due to stress. 

In dogs and cats, diabetes causes increased thirst and urination as well as an increased appetite coupled with weight loss. Diabetic pets with chronically elevated blood sugar are at increased risk for skin and urinary infections, cataracts, neurological disorders, kidney disease, high blood pressure, pancreatitis, and more. If cat or dog blood sugar levels drop too low, which can happen to pets who are receiving too much insulin or insulin that is improperly timed, then it can cause seizures, coma, and fainting. Therefore, if your pet has diabetes, it is critical to check your pet’s blood sugar levels regularly to minimize their risk of developing severe symptoms. 

Benefits of Using a Pet Glucose Meter

Historically, pet parents had to have their pet’s blood sugar levels checked at the veterinary office, or they had to rely on urine glucose test strips or human blood sugar monitors. Unfortunately, these testing methods have drawbacks, including inconvenience and a lack of accuracy. Nowadays, there are portable pet glucose meters (glucometers) that allow pet parents to monitor their pet’s blood sugar at home. Home monitoring with a pet glucometer has several advantages, including:

• Differentiating transient high blood sugar (from stress) from clinical diabetes in cats
• Improving prognosis for diabetes treatment by enabling better blood sugar control and identifying low blood sugar more quickly
• Lowering stress for diabetic cats, making it more likely that they eat normally during testing
• More convenient for pet parents
• Can quickly identify spontaneous remission of diabetes

Monitoring cat and dog blood sugar levels at home with a pet glucose monitor does not replace veterinary testing, such as fructosamine testing or imaging. But it can be a powerful complement to stay on top of your cat or dog’s blood sugar levels and help you sleep better at night.

Supplies You’ll Need for Monitoring Pet Glucose Levels

• Glucometer
• Test strips compatible with your glucometer
• Lancets or small needles for pricking the skin
• Sharps container to dispose of used needles/lancets
• Alcohol wipes
• Cotton ball or gauze squares

A glucometer is the device that will measure your cat or dog’s blood sugar. Preferably buy one designed for pets or a human one approved by your vet. Products available include: 

• AlphaTrak3 Blood Glucose Monitoring System
• VQ Pet H Blood Glucose Monitoring
• VetMate Diabetes Monitoring
• Vet GlucoGauge Blood Glucose Monitoring System
• CentriVet GK Blood Glucose and Ketone Monitoring System

Supplies Cost

Glucose monitors run $20-$100 (one-time cost), depending on features, brand, and added accessories. To ensure accuracy, periodic calibration with a control solution is recommended. Control solutions cost $25-$30. Replacement test strips are an ongoing cost. You can expect a 50-count box to cost $30-$50. Lancets for pet glucometers typically cost around $10-$25 for a pack of 100 (or more depending on the brand) and are an ongoing cost. A sharps container costs around $5-$15.

How to Check Your Pet’s Blood Sugar at Home: Step by Step

Checking your pet’s blood sugar at home can help manage diabetes. Here’s a straightforward guide to do it safely and accurately.

Get your veterinarian’s approval and guidance first. Your veterinarian is your most powerful partner and ally in combatting diabetes in your pet. It is important that you have an open line of communication with them and their approval on home monitoring before you start. Ask your vet to approve the brand of glucometer and test strips. They can also give you a demonstration on how to check your pet’s blood sugar at home, and provide details on when to test your pet and the conditions of testing. For example: test your pet 1 hour after they eat their regular breakfast meal.

Prepare your supplies. Have everything ready to avoid stress for you or your pet.

Choose a testing site. Common spots to get a small blood sample from dogs and cats include:

• Edge of the ear flap (common)
• Inner thigh
• Paw pad (dogs)
• Lip or gum (less common)
• Shaved area on the back of the neck

Clean the testing site. Use an alcohol wipe and let the skin dry completely, as alcohol can interfere with sugar readings.

Collect the blood sample. Using the lancet or a small needle, gently prick the skin to get a small drop of blood. You just need one tiny drop! You may have to gently squeeze the surrounding skin, but avoid excessive pressure, as that can interfere with blood sugar readings.

Test the blood. Insert the test strip into the glucometer and then apply the blood drop as instructed. Follow all instructions for your pet glucometer exactly. If you are confused, reach out to your vet. 

Record the result. The glucometer will display your pet’s blood sugar level almost immediately. Record the date, time, and blood sugar reading in a journal, as well as any other important notes. 

Reward your pet. Make this experience positive for your pet! Reward them with a special (diabetic-friendly) treat that they only get after blood tests, or whatever motivates them (praise, pets, playtime, etc.). Whatever you do, make sure it is a positive experience so your pet will be trained to think of blood sugar testing as a good thing.  

Contact your vet if you get an abnormal reading. If your pet’s blood sugar reads too high or too low or you get an otherwise abnormal result, call your vet as soon as possible (same day) to let them know and ask what to do.

Blood Glucose Test for Dogs and Cats: Other Tips and Advice

Once you’ve mastered the basics, these extra tips and tricks can make checking your pet’s blood sugar at home faster, easier, and less stressful for both of you:

Have a routine. Test your pet at the same time and location every day. This is not only important for accurate test results, but also helps your pet feel less stressed because they know what to expect. Choose a well-lit, quiet area of your home, and try to test the same part of your pet’s body unless it is irritated or you are having difficulty with the testing site. Don’t forget the reward!

Increase blood flow. Gently rubbing or massaging the testing area of your pet’s body will increase blood flow. You can gently squeeze the area or apply a warm, wet washcloth to the testing area to increase blood flow. Make sure your pet is calm to avoid narrowing (vasoconstriction) of the blood vessels. Use a lancet with an appropriate depth setting to get a blood droplet to form (if you aren’t sure, ask your vet!). 

Don’t use petroleum jelly. Some online sources recommend using petroleum jelly to get a blood droplet to form, but this practice should be avoided. Petroleum jelly can contaminate the blood sample and interfere with the accuracy of test results. It can also clog the lancet or cause blood to smear.

Don’t adjust your pet’s insulin without first speaking to your vet. It may be tempting to adjust your pet’s insulin levels if you are noticing their blood sugar is too high or too low, but avoid doing this at all costs. Calculating the correct insulin dose is based on several factors that your veterinarian is trained to evaluate. If not done correctly, adjusting insulin levels can lead to serious fluctuations in blood sugar. If you notice an abnormal reading or your pet is acting sick in any way, note it in your journal and call the vet the same day for advice. 

Dispose of needles and lancets in a sharps container. Used needles and lancets are considered biological hazardous material, so you must properly dispose of them. Don’t throw them in the trash — you don’t want them in a landfill. Instead, purchase a sharps container from your vet or an online retailer and follow the instructions on how to dispose of lancets and needles in the container properly. Once the sharps container is full:

• Seal it tightly.
• Check local regulations for disposal, or ask your vet how to dispose. 
• Never throw used needles or lancets directly into the trash or recycling. 

Don’t force your pet. If your dog or cat is resisting having their blood sugar checked, don’t force them. You don’t want to create conflict in your relationship with your pet, and you don’t want to build negative associations with blood sugar checks. Instead, call your veterinarian and ask for advice on how to test your pet without it becoming a wrestling match. 

Consider other monitoring options. Besides traditional monitoring with a glucometer for pets, there are other options for monitoring glucose levels in pets at home, such as continuous glucose monitoring and urine testing. 

Urine testing is easy and inexpensive; however, this method of testing is considered to have low accuracy because it only reflects cat or dog blood sugar levels while the bladder is filling. The 2018 American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats recommends against relying solely on urine glucose measurements.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), such as the FreeStyle Libre, is gaining popularity, especially among cat parents, because it avoids having to poke your pet with a needle every day. CGM systems provide continuous, real-time tracking of cat or dog blood sugar levels by measuring sugar in fluid under the skin — no need for pricks. A small sensor is applied to the pet’s skin, continually measures blood sugar levels, and stores data, which you can scan using a reader or a smartphone app. 

• Pros: CGM is considered less stressful than frequent blood draws, helps catch glucose fluctuations that may be missed with a spot test, provides detailed information for accurate glucose curves, and is convenient for monitoring blood sugar at home. 
• Cons: Pets may try to scratch off the sensor, the sensor only lasts two weeks and costs $70-$100 to replace, and sugar readings are generally accurate but may lag slightly behind blood sugar.

Your veterinarian will advise you on which method of monitoring blood sugar will be best for your pet.

References:

1. Behrend E, Holford A, Lathan P, Rucinsky R, Schulman R. 2018 AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2018;54(1):1-21. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6822
2. Sparkes AH, Cannon M, Church D, et al. ISFM consensus guidelines on the practical management of diabetes mellitus in cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2015; 17(3):235-250. doi:10.1177/1098612X15571880