AlphaTrak 3 Pet Blood Glucose Monitoring Kit - 8 Piece All-in-One Solution for Diabetic Cats, Dogs & Horses | Accurate Digital Results for Home & Veterinary Clinic Use | Essential for Diabetes Management & Pet Health Care

After a month of learning all the in’s and outs after our senior cat said “No more Libre” as it was OK to get a baseline but overall is expensive, lasts only 2 weeks, not for cat (humans) and not supported for animals.So our wonderful vet next told us about the alpha track. It’s easy in principle but execution and use in another thing. Also, Alpha Track does not provide much info on actual lancing for depth, tips or videos. We found our cat would not allow lancing other paw so we were left with her ear option. We later found through research that lancing the is hurtful and stressful.Key take aways.>create a testing station my wife comforts and holds the flashlight while I lance and collect blood Drin test strip. This allows me to focus on getting a good test with fewer pokes.> Look at your cats ear with a flashlight to see vein to pierce with the stick. It is a ring and some parts run right on the edge of ear and some 1/16 to 1/4 inch. The lance springs from the pen stick is difficult to be precise to hit the vein.> Set the depth to higher to start 5 or 6 to start to ensure depth and can always reduce, however if you go from the outer side of the ear, to penetrate through the hair, I use at 5 for best results. I know some say to use the inner side. We prefer the outer side.>Make sure the pen stick is firm against the ear and cotton pad on the other side is firm. I find that helps in the lance springing cleanly to have better success.> Be patient and try again but DO NOTbe like me at first and lose your mind. Your cat feels your stress so better to stay calm and take a break if a few tries don’t get a blood drop. Also, I have had times where I have been too impatient and after the prick, a few seconds later the blood drop starts. I have found through research that blood flows better after more testing.> Be sure to warm the ear. My wife’s hands are always freezing and mine are always warm. I hold a light rubbing and hold for a minute which really helps.> Bruising or what looks like damaged vein is not what is seems. There will show what looks like damage but is not imlacting looking at the vein. Also, cats have very few nerves in their ear and are not impacted. Recovery of what is seen gets faster and faster as the cats system adjusts. ** Remember you are not hurting your cat, on the contrary, you are proving it love and care. The test is not harmful from the poke.> Arnica and Calendula Cream are safe to use on the ear for even faster recovery. Do not use neosprin ever. It is not pet friendly.> Patience again. Keep patient and kind to yourself and the situation. It sucks when you do everything and come up dry. Don’t give up or blame the device or process. Animals feel your emotions.>Have your phone on and ready to sync with the phone app.> If you are struggling and testing multiple times, be sure to reset the test strip so it doesn’t time out and device shut off.> If you doubt the result or it’s been a while, test the device with the test fluid provided. This is the easiest of all things to do. Just place drop on a test strip and then look at the results to see if you are in range with what is shown on the test strip for cats.>Alpha Trac actually has live, supportive call assistance.I don’t normally do a review and this is not as much of a review as it is helping others. I do like the Alpha Track. Is it perfect? Not at all. Is it a huge deal and benefit to help provide a way for us to care and extend the life of our treasured kitty ? 100%.We all need to take responsibility and quit blaming the tool. It sucks more isn’t provided but the hard work to learn, research and get better has been. All worth it, especially compared to the Libre Freedom cost and frustration. It is a cheap and great solution.