Monitoring diabetes in dogs and cats using the Freestyle Libre continuous glucose sensor

Continuous glucose monitors that measure interstitial glucose

Are less accurate than blood glucose measurements and so are not reliable clinically.

Are less accurate than blood glucose measurements, but are reliable clinically.

Are more accurate than blood glucose measurements.

Can accurately track rapidly changing blood glucose concentrations.

The Freestyle Libre® glucose monitoring system

Is inexpensive,

Can be scanned with a free phone App,

Is easy to use,

All of the above.

What is NOT an appropriate reason to use the Freestyle Libre® glucose monitoring system:

To rapidly improve diabetic control

To routinely check current diabetic control

To understand a specific problem

The owner wants to use it

The Freestyle Libre® sensor

Cannot be scanned through bandaging or other covering.

If first initialised with the LibreLink® phone App, can then also be used with the Freestyle Libre® Reader.

If first initialised with the Freestyle Libre® Reader, can then also be used with the LibreLink® phone App.

All of the above.

What information can NOT be obtained from the continuous glucose data provided by the Freestyle Libre® glucose monitoring system?

How well the animal’s clinical signs are currently controlled.

Day to day glycaemic variability.

Daily average interstitial glucose.

Range of glucose excursions.

The Freestyle Libre® glucose monitoring system can

Provide alarms for high and low glucose.

Be relied upon for all treatment decisions in sick, hospitalised diabetic patients.

Improve patient comfort and reduce staff workload in the hospital.

Allow several animals to be monitored using the one Freestyle Libre® Reader.