I have a Ascencia Contour meter for my diabetic cat, and I noticed that they have come out with a new model with a faster read time. Has anyone here switcher from the older to the newer model? Do they sacrifice any accuracy for the speed? I'm not in love with the one I have as far as accuracy goes (it is a bit off from lab values, but not alarmingly so), but the small sample size really makes a difference in ease of getting enough blood to test, so I stick with it (bad pun, I know ).

BP

Whenever I've switched metres. I've really only noticed a change in the timing not in the accuracy. Personally I chose mine for the smallness of the sample and used the same machine for both myself and my diabetic cat.

I have personally only ever used two types of meters. I have the Freestyle Flash/mini now, and would only ever trade it for a continuous monitoring system. My current model offers a fast enough read time, I can check it in the car right after I pay for my food at a drive thru, and have my number before the food gets to me. I'm pretty patient as they come with regards to waiting for my sugar levels...they're always so high, and therefore it takes the meter longer to calculate X___x

I know amongst diabetic cat owners, the Freestyle Flash is very popular because it's considered to be more consistently accurate and it supposedly reads slightly better at very low levels (cat run lower than people), but the small sample size is my biggest reason for sticking with the Contour. My cat's ears just don't bleed well, and I need something that takes a tiny tiny drop. And his ears are forgetting how to bleed even the little bit they did because I only test him every other day now (he's on a diet controlled honeymoon).

I do like the idea of the faster read though. I've trained my cat to hold still until the beep, while I put pressure on his ear, but he doesn't need all that much time to stop bleeding - it'd be easier for him if it's a faster process.

I think I'll get one of the new ones to check it out. I have a coupon for one with the purchase of a box of strips, and I'm pretty sure they'll take the same strips (I'd better check on that first though...).

BP

Each metre (well, each manufacturer's metres, anyway) will definitely only work with their own brand of strips. At least, as far as I know.

Oh yeah - I know . I meant using the strips for the old Ascensia Contour on the new Ascensia Contour. I just checked their website and it says the same strips are used for both the old and the new one. So I guess I'll give it a try and compare it to the old one. Kitty will be happy if he doesn't have to wait around as long!

BP