Any Paw Pad testers out there? May start this to give ears a break. R paw readings lower than ears?

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I found paw testing much easier than ear testing. They bleed much easier. If you google it, you'll find YouTube videos that'll show you how to do it. I'm very lucky in that Goof is so calm about it.
 
Mogmom and Goofus said:
I found paw testing much easier than ear testing. They bleed much easier. If you google it, you'll find YouTube videos that'll show you how to do it. I'm very lucky in that Goof is so calm about it.
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Do you feel that you get a large enough sample for it to be close to the ear reading?
 
Some people have better luck with the paw, but some people don't...it's not a magic bullet unfortunately :(

I do know that I've read that you may need to really warm the paw. I've never tried it because I'm too afraid of possibly picking up an infection in the litter box
 
If your kitty is pretty calm about it and you can use both hands, with thumbs and forefingers and gently "pump". If you can't use both hands, try kind of rolling and squeezing/pumping the site.
 
Chris & China said:
Some people have better luck with the paw, but some people don't...it's not a magic bullet unfortunately :(

I do know that I've read that you may need to really warm the paw. I've never tried it because I'm too afraid of possibly picking up an infection in the litter box
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I've never had to warm the paw, the blood has always come easily. As to infection worries, the hole closes so quickly that sometimes when I want to immediately retest, like when I get a wonky number, sometimes I have to repoke. In the nearly one and a half years since this journey began, we have never had an issue with infection due to paw testing.
 
Shoeskitty said:
since he's not used to the paw, did not want him to run off!
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Sorry but I had to laugh....I had this insane picture of Shoes running like crazy through the house with you chasing after him screaming "come back here! I just need a little drop!!"
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Squalliesmom said:
I have considered doing the same thing.


I think that is the right one?
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Yeah, I tried the freehand method like the one in this video about a month or so ago when the lancing device failed me miserably. Except that I went all gung-ho and channeled my inner nursing student and did a quick little "jab" in his foot with the needle and he screamed. I finally got a drop of blood but it's been well over a month and I still feel really bad about it.
 
We've pad tested Jenks since day one. We use the large center pad on his rear feet, particularly because they're not weight bearing so there shouldn't be any lasting discomfort beyond the initial prick. Thankfully, he's so mellow he doesn't even acknowledge that it's happening. On a few occasions, I've done it while he's slept without waking him up.

Warming certainly helps. But moreso the realization that the pad skin is just very thick. For Jenks, that necessitates both firmly pressing the cap of the lancing device against the skin as well as using its deepest setting. Then, using fingers on either site of the prick, we massage the bead of blood out. These days, we easily get a blood drop that's sizeable enough for two tests.
 
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AZJenks said:
We've pad tested Jenks since day one. We use the large center pad on his rear feet, particularly because they're not weight bearing so there shouldn't be any lasting discomfort beyond the initial prick. Thankfully, he's so mellow he doesn't even acknowledge that it's happening. On a few occasions, I've done it while he's slept without waking him up.

Warming certainly helps. But moreso the realization that the pad skin is just very thick. For Jenks, that necessitates both firmly pressing the cap of the lancing device against the skin as well as using its deepest setting. Then, using fingers on either site of the prick, we massage the bead of blood out. These days, we easily get a blood drop that's sizeable enough for two tests.
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Thank you for giving a much better description of the method! I'm just not very good at decribing things like that, but that's EXACTLY how I do it.
 
Shoeskitty said:
Any tips on getting more blood from the paw?
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I have been free-handing paw pad testing Gobbles for over a year. The trick I found which works like a charm is to use a 25 gauge lancet....or at best 26 gauge...though the 25 works best. I always test him sitting in my lap facing outward, grab his cuddly little foot on right side and test from there...at first, i had to milk the blood out, but after a week or so, his paw pad produced enough blood for two test....his pad has a callous where i test...i stick the lancet in the callous and instantly get blood...he does not even flinch...and i always put triple antibiotic w/pain relief on the test site. He had never got an infection. And of course, I cuddle him and give head scritchies before and after each test. I tried paw pad testing with 28 gauge lancets, and i had to put several holes i the pad to get enough blood. American Diabetes wholesale sells a "tech lite" lancet which is 25 gauge. Very inexpensive at only $4.61 for 200 lancets: http://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/arkray-techlite-sterile-lancets_4058.htm
 
Just tried again and got some blood but it registered 26 points lower than the ear. Is that normal or correct? I think I do need 25 gauge lancets for this.
 
The FDA allows a 20% variance for home meters. So if it's anything over say 120, that is within FDA guidelines for accuracy.
 
I had gals coming twice a day for Beauregard. He was an excellent little patient, but his patience wore thin after 4-5 tries on the ear, and it was killing me to watch, let alone try. My first attempt on his paw was magic. No flinching; apparently no pain. And with the ReliOn meter (sorry, no clue about the size of lancets), I got enough. My second try, no success, BUT he was gravely ill (didn't know it right then), and not sure if that paw had edema or it was just his entire physical condition, or just the luck of the draw. After that, unfortunately, I lost him (to other causes). Had he still been with me, I'm pretty sure we would have done the paw.

I was told to NOT use the wipe on him before, but only after. I don't THINK that tiny little prick would/cause infection, but we'll never know. I just think (as a diabetic myself) it's important to test (my doctor disagreed, but so what) before giving insulin, and however you do it the easiest for you, and less trauma for the sugarbaby, that's the way to go

BTW, I held Beau in my lap, on the sofa, with everything sitting on the table beside me. He was kinda on his back, but getting tummy rubbed, and getting kissed, and he didn't associate that with something happening. The kitchen counter was too much like the doctor's office, and it was also high up. I was afraid he would jump down and hurt himself, and so *I* was less stressed with the paw, and I think they know when you are stressed
 
Ferndoc said:
The FDA allows a 20% variance for home meters. So if it's anything over say 120, that is within FDA guidelines for accuracy.
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I know that but it just seems to me that all test sites should register the same. Not a scientist of doctor so what do I know. It's just common sense for me.
 
pat121 said:
I had gals coming twice a day for Beauregard. He was an excellent little patient, but his patience wore thin after 4-5 tries on the ear, and it was killing me to watch, let alone try. My first attempt on his paw was magic. No flinching; apparently no pain. And with the ReliOn meter (sorry, no clue about the size of lancets), I got enough. My second try, no success, BUT he was gravely ill (didn't know it right then), and not sure if that paw had edema or it was just his entire physical condition, or just the luck of the draw. After that, unfortunately, I lost him (to other causes). Had he still been with me, I'm pretty sure we would have done the paw.

I was told to NOT use the wipe on him before, but only after. I don't THINK that tiny little prick would/cause infection, but we'll never know. I just think (as a diabetic myself) it's important to test (my doctor disagreed, but so what) before giving insulin, and however you do it the easiest for you, and less trauma for the sugarbaby, that's the way to go

BTW, I held Beau in my lap, on the sofa, with everything sitting on the table beside me. He was kinda on his back, but getting tummy rubbed, and getting kissed, and he didn't associate that with something happening. The kitchen counter was too much like the doctor's office, and it was also high up. I was afraid he would jump down and hurt himself, and so *I* was less stressed with the paw, and I think they know when you are stressed
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Am so very sorry that you lost Beau but I know that you gave him a gift to relieve his body of suffering and pain.
 
I've said this, but I"m diabetic. Because of my age, I got a free tester/strips from Arriva, and my doctor hated it. It registered 20 off from the one in doctor's office every time. He wanted it tossed. IT WAS FREE AND SO WERE THE STRIPS. Better solution: test at home or there with my tester; test at his office with his; crunch the numbers and shut up!!! lol
 
AZJenks said:
We've pad tested Jenks since day one. We use the large center pad on his rear feet, particularly because they're not weight bearing so there shouldn't be any lasting discomfort beyond the initial prick. Thankfully, he's so mellow he doesn't even acknowledge that it's happening. On a few occasions, I've done it while he's slept without waking him up.

Warming certainly helps. But moreso the realization that the pad skin is just very thick. For Jenks, that necessitates both firmly pressing the cap of the lancing device against the skin as well as using its deepest setting. Then, using fingers on either site of the prick, we massage the bead of blood out. These days, we easily get a blood drop that's sizeable enough for two tests.
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This is how I have been testing my sugar baby also. I couldn't get enough blood from his ears and he was harder to test with the ear. I lay him down and massage his leg and paw and he relaxes and let's me test him. Much easier and I get a nice drop of blood quickly. After I get the blood I massage his paw gently and he's ready to go! I've done it mostly with no warming but just gentle massage. This method is what a trained Technician at our vets office showed me. She has a diabetic cat and dog and she said this is what works best for her. Hubby and I tried it and it's been the best for us too.
 
Shoeskitty said:
I know that but it just seems to me that all test sites should register the same. Not a scientist of doctor so what do I know. It's just common sense for me.
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Unfortunately, sometimes common sense gets thrown out the window in the sugardance.....due to that 20% variance that's allowed, even if you had two identical meters loaded with 2 strips and tested the exact same drop of blood at the same time (no matter where it came from), one meter could tell you one thing and the other could be as much as 20% different

I think they're working on requiring home meters to be a little better though...by allowing only a 10% variance....we can only wait and hope!
 
Success with the paw test! Found 26 gauge Relion lancets for less than $2 box for 100 at good old Wally World! They work fine in the Alpha Trak lancet device as well. I like this one better than the Relion because it is smaller and less sound. Warmed pad up a little longer and wrapped him up in bath sheet and cuddled him like a baby and he did fine! So glad because his little ears are getting sore!
 
ja9390 said:
Yeah, I tried the freehand method like the one in this video about a month or so ago when the lancing device failed me miserably. Except that I went all gung-ho and channeled my inner nursing student and did a quick little "jab" in his foot with the needle and he screamed. I finally got a drop of blood but it's been well over a month and I still feel really bad about it.
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Hey! I have been testing in the paw for a month, lily is absolutely fine about it. I also channelled my inner nursing student and she also screamed the first time I did it, but I think it was just a shock. She soon came to learn that she got a reward and is now okay :)
 
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