Abbott has launched AlphaTRAK, the first complete hand-held blood glucose monitoring system designed specifically for diabetic cats and dogs.

AlphaTRAK allows veterinarians and pet owners to test pets' blood sugar rapidly, conveniently and accurately with a very small blood sample, without relying on blood glucose meters designed for humans, which can produce widely variable and inaccurate results in pets. In head-to-head clinical evaluation, human glucose meter use in diabetic cats and dogs resulted in measurements that were off by as much as 39 per cent compared to lab testing and the AlphaTRAK meter, claims an Abbott release.

"This is an important step forward for blood glucose testing of diabetic dogs and cats," said Dr. Susan Sallee, a veterinarian at Grayslake Animal Hospital in Grayslake, Illinois, one of the participating AlphaTRAK clinical trial sites.

"While some larger veterinary clinics do have onsite general chemistry instruments for blood analysis, many do not, and using human meters to test pets is often one of the only options many vets and pet owners have for immediate results. But those results can be deceptive, and it's critical that we be as accurate as possible to avoid hypoglycaemia and other dangerous blood glucose complications," she added.

The AlphaTRAK will be available to veterinarians beginning in March, and available to pet owners for in-home use through their veterinarians.

In a head-to-head clinical evaluation, the AlphaTRAK was compared to two human glucose meters as well as against the Antech Laboratories reference laboratory test, which is considered the "gold standard" for animal blood glucose testing. Blood samples were taken from 452 diabetic and non-diabetic dogs and cats. These samples were tested with AlphaTRAK, the two human glucose monitors, and the Antech lab test.

"Hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, is one of the biggest health risks facing diabetic pets. Determining your diabetic pets' blood glucose profile is a common way to gauge the effects of insulin treatment, diet, and exercise. However, these factors are constantly fluctuating in a pet, making accurate blood glucose monitoring absolutely essential," said Dr. Sallee.