Questions about getting blood samples from paws

Status
Not open for further replies.
ErikAndHarvey

ErikAndHarvey

Member Since 2015
My cat, Harvey, was only recently diagnosed and my test strips are in the mail (for a Contour Next EZ). He's fussy about having his ears played with, but not his paws, so I expect that will be an easier way to get blood from him. However, most of the information I can find here and online is about drawing blood from the ears.

Are the front or back paws better than the other? Aside from Harvey's comfort level, do I need to switch paws often? Do I need to warm up paws like ears? Are there are common struggles with drawing blood from paws that I should be aware of?

Any wisdom that you can impart would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much in advance.
 
Hi Erik & Harvey!

Welcome to FDMB. We were/are paw testers, so I can share a few tips about what worked for us. We tested on Jersey's back paws. We did warm up her paw first; it made a huge difference for us. We just filled a sock with some rice and microwaved it for about 15 seconds to warm it. After heating the paw, we put a little bit of Neosporin (the pain-relief version) on it, which also helped tremendously. It allowed the blood to bead up so we could get a good sample. When we were testing heavily, we tried to alternate paws and even sites on the paw to prevent any soreness, although she never acted like it bothered her. We did use bigger lancets (26 gauge) for paw testing. We couldn't get blood with the smaller lancets, probably because of the thickness of the paw pad. After you poke, you may have to "milk" the paw pad just a bit to get the blood to well up.

Jersey is now in remission, but we still test her every couple of weeks or so. We've gotten to the point where we no longer have to warm her paw unless it's really cold in the house.

Testing can be frustrating when you first start out. We actually had several failed attempts in the beginning, and it required both my husband and I to test Jersey. Now, we can both test her by ourselves. I just sit down at the table and put Jersey ("upside down") in my lap. I heat her paw, put a dab of Neosporin on it, put the strip in the meter, poke her paw, and then grab the meter to get the blood sample. I then hold a cotton ball firmly against the paw to stem the blood and then put another dab of Neosporin on it. My husband does the process in the same way. (Of course, we always follow the test with treats.)

I hope this helps. It's absolutely fantastic that you're going to be testing Harvey's blood sugar at home. That's the best way to keep him safe!
Shelly
 
I have been having the same issue with my Moby and paw testing. Hard to get a bead out big enough for the glucometer. My supplies were handed down from a friend, so I think I will go back and see how big the lancets are. We will try warming his paws and using the Neosporin on it tomorrow!
 
If you're using a lancing device on their paws, it helps to have one with the larger opening, that they make for people with more caloused fingers. Some lancers have two caps, one for "regular" and one with the larger opening. That way the lance goes in a touch deeper, making it easier to get a blood sample. I can get a sample from Tonka using even the ultrafine lancets as long as the opening on the device is large enough to let it go through his pad calouses.

My vet recommended only using the hind feet for pad testing.
 
Marciegee said:
so I think I will go back and see how big the lancets are. We will try warming his paws and using the Neosporin on it tomorrow!
Click to expand...

Let us know how it goes, Marcie!

Jordi - that's a good suggestion on the caps. I didn't even think about how the caps might affect the process.
 
Two tries now, but no success yet. Harvey's been... moderately accepting... of me jabbing him in the paw, but last night I didn't get enough blood and tonight there was none and eventually Harvey made it clear that we were done for the night.

I've already abandoned the spring-loaded lancet device in favor of using the needle manually. Going forward I'll have to try a rice sock and Neosporin. Do you use the ointment or the cream?
 
Ointment please. Other members have reported that the cream causes the blood to spread out and soak into the fur. The opposite of what we want to happen, a nice round bead of blood.

Manually holding the lancet, hold it at about a 45 degree angle. There is actually a beveled side, so it should be bevel side up if you can manage it.
 
Holding it at an angle will hit more capillaries before poking through the ear.
 
May not matter as much on a paw, other than being less deep if you go in at an angle, rather than straight in.
 
@BJM Thanks for answering Erik's question. My computer froze up last night and I had problems getting on today to answer the angle question he had.

Bevel up reason - think of this as using the sharp side of the knife or the dull side of a knife. Dull side doesn't cut as well. Sharp side cuts better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top