Question
What is a fructosamine test?
Sunny, owner notes“I wish my dog lived as long as I do.”Updated
I'm an owner, not a vet. This is not veterinary advice, so check anything medical with your own vet.
Short answer
Fructosamine is a blood test that shows how your dog's sugar has been over the past few weeks. It tells your vet something different from a single reading, but it doesn't replace how he's doing at home. Ask why they want it and what they'll do with the answer. Never change his insulin because of the result.
I never give insulin amounts here. Yours comes from your vet's written plan.
What to know at home
It helps the vet see past one reading, but it can't tell you when a low happened or explain every up and down. Take your notebook and any readings they asked for to the same appointment.
What to write down
- Recent appetite, thirst, weight and energy
- Current monitoring records
- The question the vet wants the test to answer
What to ask next
Ask what the result adds, what it can't tell you about your dog, and what happens next. If he shows signs of a low, act straight away, whatever an earlier blood test said.
Sources
- Is one glucose number enough?Why one number is not enough
- What is a glucose curve, and can I do it at home?What a glucose curve is
- Can I judge control by thirst and energy?Judging control by signs at home
- What should I write in a notebook for my diabetic dog?Notes to take to the appointment
- Emergency or low blood sugar: call your vet nowWhat to do if he shows signs of a low
Every outside source I used is listed on the Sources page.
Related
Q&A
My meter readings jump around. Is the meter wrong?
It's unsettling when the meter gives a number that doesn't fit how your dog seems.
Q&A
How do I check my diabetic dog's glucose at home?
Most owners get the hang of home testing. Let your vet pick the meter and show you how.
Q&A
Is one glucose number enough?
One reading only shows that moment. Write it down with the time and how he seemed, and let your vet look at it.
Urgent help
Emergency or low blood sugar
Call a vet now if your dog is weak, collapsed or having a seizure.