Message Number: SG12154 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Pam Sessoms
Date: 2005-01-05 01:17:50 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Keto-Diastix reliability
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5c46b4a405010417177403a9cb@mail.gmail.com>

Jennifer,

> Does anyone else use these urine test strips for ketones and glucose? I am seriously doubting the effectiveness of the glucose. The keytones seem accurate. The glucose is always the highest it can go (2000+) even when her keytones is negative.

I've used those before, and I can "ditto" your experience. Someone,
although I don't remember who, even cautioned me not to panic about
the glucose readings on the urine test strips. The glucose readings
were nearly always off-scale (totally black color on the strip). I'm
not sure why this is, but it seems to be a standard thing.

> The pharmacies I have checked out don't carry Multistix or other brands of full test strips - I would love one with spec. gravity.
> Can these be ordered by a private individual?

Yes, private individuals can get these. A drugstore can order them,
or you can go through an online pharmacy like drugstore.com. They are
quite a bit more expensive than the keto diastix, of course, since
there are more tests on each strip. When I've had diabetic ferrets,
I've used the keto-diastix for routine testing to look for
sugar/ketones and then the multistix when checking out other things
like urine pH, blood, specific gravity. I think the Multistix 10 SG
would suit your purposes nicely.

Best wishes,

-Pam S.