Testing Newbie: Bad First Experience

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Livvy's Lady

Member Since 2017
Good morning ~

Livvy and I tried to do our first test with the Alpha Trak II this morning, not that the model of tester matters because I was unsuccessful. Livvy jumped every time I tried to use the lancet needle. (I'm not using a lancet device - just a needle. I tried a 28 gauge and a 32 gauge when I failed with the 28.)

Livvy's ears are black, so I was having a hard time seeing if any blood had come...except that I saw a tiny smear of it on my finger after one attempt. I couldn't use it, though. In testing example videos (Yong sent me some, plus I watched some on YouTube), the cat doesn't seem to react.

What could I be doing wrong...and is there a trick to seeing the bead of blood on black ears?

I'm so discouraged because on top of it all, Livvy's appetite isn't good. She only ate half of her portion this morning. I gave 2 units instead of her usual 3 per the vet's instructions when she doesn't eat well. We had the same issue last night. She actually seemed to feel better on the lower dose despite not eating much...but I need to test!

Any help will be much appreciated!

P.S. She usually hoovers all of her food plus some of our other cat's food, so this not eating much thing is worrisome, too. The stress of all of this is getting to me today. I want her to be ok so badly!
 
Boomer's ears are black but I don't have any trouble seeing the blood. Are you able to change the location you test in to get better light perhaps? Or is there someone else with you that could possibly hold a flashlight until you get more experience in testing?
Many of us use a rice sock to make it easier to draw blood. Take a sock, fill the foot of it with rice then tie a knot at the top and warm it in the microwave. I warm Boomer's for 20 seconds. Hold it on the ear for a few seconds. It really does help! I also use a lancet device although I know that some beans use just the needle.
 
My husband could hold a flashlight for me...or I could use a headlamp if he's not around. Good idea!

What about the jumping? The 32g needle is so thin that I was hoping that she wouldn't feel it, but clearly she did.

Would a lancet hurt less for some reason?

Thank you!
 
Headlamp should definitely help. My guy is pretty cooperative, but sometimes he won't bleed on the first try. If he won't give me the goods - I'll poke him 2-3 times in rapid succession (like a sewing machine needle) in a tiny area. That usually does the trick.

And yes - use lancets. The higher the number - the finer the needle.
 
Jen1218 said:
Headlamp should definitely help. My guy is pretty cooperative, but sometimes he won't bleed on the first try. If he won't give me the goods - I'll poke him 2-3 times in rapid succession (like a sewing machine needle) in a tiny area. That usually does the trick.

And yes - use lancets. The higher the number - the finer the needle.
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Thanks, Jen. Does Rudy react when you prick his ear? That surprised me when I tried on Livvy; other cats don't seem to react. I don't want to torture the poor thing. She's already feeling generally crappy.
 
Try warming the ear a bit. I use a warm washcloth (wrung out very well).

Are you testing on the inside of the ear? Someone here suggested scooping the blood drop into your fingernail and testing there.

These have helped me with dosing - they may help you with testing.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

61sQGdovTGL._SL1200_.jpg
 
Livvy's Lady said:
Thanks, Jen. Does Rudy react when you prick his ear? That surprised me when I tried on Livvy; other cats don't seem to react. I don't want to torture the poor thing. She's already feeling generally crappy.
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Sometimes he reacts. Not usually though. He lets me test him at will, so he's mostly not bothered by it. (It just interrupts his naps.) I have better luck with a 33g lancet vs. 29g with him, but every cat is different. I also freehand the lancet. I can't manage that pen thing they give you for it.
 
They do get more used to it as time goes on... some are more fiesty then others. Jack is black too and I find a headlamp works great for seeing the blood. Is he a food motivated cat, a petting motivated cat. Associating something good with the test helps. Jack knows he gets a chicken treat after the test and is happy to trade a quick poke for a tasty treat.

Picking a consisitent test spot so the cat knows what to expect can help establish a routine. Some finicky cats work best by slowly introducing each step. Start by putting them in the spot, then rewarding them. Then in the spot, hold them and play with the ear a bit, then reward.... slowly work up to actually testing. Most of us use the free-hand method you are using, the device clicks which can startle some cats.

My best advice is keep at it, it gets easier as time goes on and as you test more the capillaries buildup in the ears making it easier to get some blood. It was hard for me at first and I have a very cooperative patient. Now I can test while talking to a client on the phone and not skip a beat.

If you shine a flashlight from the inside of the ear, you can see the veins in the ear when looking at the fuzzy side. You want to go inbetween the vein and the outside edge of the ear. Hitting the vein can be painful.
 
Livvy's Lady said:
My husband could hold a flashlight for me...or I could use a headlamp if he's not around. Good idea!

What about the jumping? The 32g needle is so thin that I was hoping that she wouldn't feel it, but clearly she did.

Would a lancet hurt less for some reason?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
For me the lancet device was much quicker than using the needle but I did try 3 or 4 different ones before finding one that I liked. And warming the ear with the rice sock will help dull the pain and make it quicker to bleed.
 
LizzieInTexas said:
Try warming the ear a bit. I use a warm washcloth (wrung out very well).

Are you testing on the inside of the ear? Someone here suggested scooping the blood drop into your fingernail and testing there.

These have helped me with dosing - they may help you with testing.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
Click to expand...
Using a headlamp seems like a great idea. Thanks for the link!

I used rice warmed in a sock to rub/warm her ear. She liked that part.

I was trying to test on the back of the ear. I'll try the inside of the ear next. That, along with the headlamp, would probably make things easier to see. Thanks!
 
Jen1218 said:
Sometimes he reacts. Not usually though. He lets me test him at will, so he's mostly not bothered by it. (It just interrupts his naps.) I have better luck with a 33g lancet vs. 29g with him, but every cat is different. I also freehand the lancet. I can't manage that pen thing they give you for it.
Click to expand...
I'm hoping to make the 32g lancet work. I may try a lancet device next since I'm now skittish about freehand. Hopefully this will get easier!
 
I'm surprised that no one mentioned using a very small dab of Neosporin Pain Relief ointment. It's an antibiotic ointment (don't get the cream) that gives the area a tiny bit of numbing and because it's oily, helps the blood to bead up. It's carried in most pharmacies and probably even some supermarkets.

 
saltycat said:
They do get more used to it as time goes on... some are more fiesty then others. Jack is black too and I find a headlamp works great for seeing the blood. Is he a food motivated cat, a petting motivated cat. Associating something good with the test helps. Jack knows he gets a chicken treat after the test and is happy to trade a quick poke for a tasty treat.

Picking a consisitent test spot so the cat knows what to expect can help establish a routine. Some finicky cats work best by slowly introducing each step. Start by putting them in the spot, then rewarding them. Then in the spot, hold them and play with the ear a bit, then reward.... slowly work up to actually testing. Most of us use the free-hand method you are using, the device clicks which can startle some cats.

My best advice is keep at it, it gets easier as time goes on and as you test more the capillaries buildup in the ears making it easier to get some blood. It was hard for me at first and I have a very cooperative patient. Now I can test while talking to a client on the phone and not skip a beat.

If you shine a flashlight from the inside of the ear, you can see the veins in the ear when looking at the fuzzy side. You want to go inbetween the vein and the outside edge of the ear. Hitting the vein can be painful.
Click to expand...

Lucky for us, Livvy is pretty docile. Reading your post, I think that I was probably hitting the vein. Poor Livvy!

She is food motivated most of the time, but we feed her on a really strict schedule. Maybe it's not necessary any more, but while she was in remission we developed the habit of feeding 2x/day, and limiting access to the food to three hours starting at each feeding time 12 hours apart. From what I've read, that was a good strategy to keep her body producing insulin. Is that still a good habit while she's on Lantus?

At any rate, luckily she likes petting a lot, and loves hugs. Since she's been sick, she loves it when I hold her - she rests her head on my throat and purrs while laying on me like a rag doll. It's sweet but also sad to see her with her energy so low. Regardless of this, I can reward here with extra hugs and kisses!

I'm also fortunate that she loves having her ears stroked, right up to the tips. I've done that with her for years, so having her ears handled isn't an issue. Poking a vein - that's an issue. I'm hoping that was the problem this morning. If at first you don't succeed, try try again, as they say!

It's heartening to know that you struggled at first but now can do this easily. That gives me hope. Thanks!
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
I'm surprised that no one mentioned using a very small dab of Neosporin Pain Relief ointment. It's an antibiotic ointment (don't get the cream) that gives the area a tiny bit of numbing and because it's oily, helps the blood to bead up. It's carried in most pharmacies and probably even some supermarkets.
Click to expand...

That makes perfect sense and sounds like an excellent idea. I'll pick some up on my way home from work. Thanks!
 
Jen1218 said:
It does get easier. Lots of great info and people on here to help us through too. :)
Click to expand...

So glad to hear that! It's terrific to have this forum as a resource. My husband and I feel like we're really high maintenance with our vet - we have soooo many questions - and it's great to have such a knowledgeable community to assist.
 
Jones ears are dark grey and I sometimes lose the drops. I started off with my DH holding the flashlight too. Eventually I got to a point I knew what I was seeing so to speak without the flashlight.

I was using 31 gauge lancets and recently moved to 28 gauge. I prefer the 28 gauge - way easier to get a drop from as the hole seems to be just the right size to get a quick drop.. I find if when he gets irritated (which still happens some days) I pick up the drop in my thumb nail and let him go. I can then test from there. Heck the other day he twitched his head and I lost the drop on the table just as I was putting the meter to it - I just stuck the meter in the drop and got my reading.

It takes awhile for their ears to "learn" to bleed. The Neosporin is great - I put it on Jones ears each night when I am done testing for the day.
 
Tracey&Jones said:
Jones ears are dark grey and I sometimes lose the drops. I started off with my DH holding the flashlight too. Eventually I got to a point I knew what I was seeing so to speak without the flashlight.

I was using 31 gauge lancets and recently moved to 28 gauge. I prefer the 28 gauge - way easier to get a drop from as the hole seems to be just the right size to get a quick drop.. I find if when he gets irritated (which still happens some days) I pick up the drop in my thumb nail and let him go. I can then test from there. Heck the other day he twitched his head and I lost the drop on the table just as I was putting the meter to it - I just stuck the meter in the drop and got my reading.

It takes awhile for their ears to "learn" to bleed. The Neosporin is great - I put it on Jones ears each night when I am done testing for the day.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Tracey. Now for tonight I can be armed with a few tools that I didn't have this morning (Neosporin Pain Relief being at the top of the list). I have a headlamp, flashlight and 28g lancets at home. Hopefully I'll have better luck tonight than this morning. Thanks again!
 
Gordy has furry, dark ears too. And I had so much trouble seeing the blood too.

It definitely gets easier (as others have said) and your kitty's ear will bleed "easier" for you too.

:bighug:
 
Some people get a strip of their cats ears shaved. I seem to be the only one using an Aviva Accucheck ( a human meter), the reason I got it was because Consumers Digest said it was very accurate and it takes an incredibly small amount of blood to function. Most people here use the Relion meter (Walmart) which I believe has a setting for cats and dogs. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong. I use Accuchek 28 gauge lancets because they're very short and won't go right through Noah's ear. In Canada they always push a Bayer meter on you even though they're free. They need a huge blob of blood. It's painful getting those constant error messages. It will get easier, I just thump Noah's basket now and even though he knows what's coming he jumps right in.
 
Livvy's Lady said:
Thanks, Jen. Does Rudy react when you prick his ear? That surprised me when I tried on Livvy; other cats don't seem to react. I don't want to torture the poor thing. She's already feeling generally crappy.
Click to expand...
You might be hitting the vein. The flashlight under her ear will help. Phoebe has black ears too.
20170412_075546.jpg

You don't aim for the vein but the section between the vein and outside edge. Hugs you'll be a pro in no time. Remember to breathe. :)
 
Noah & me said:
Some people get a strip of their cats ears shaved. I seem to be the only one using an Aviva Accucheck ( a human meter), the reason I got it was because Consumers Digest said it was very accurate and it takes an incredibly small amount of blood to function. Most people here use the Relion meter (Walmart) which I believe has a setting for cats and dogs. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong. I use Accuchek 28 gauge lancets because they're very short and won't go right through Noah's ear. In Canada they always push a Bayer meter on you even though they're free. They need a huge blob of blood. It's painful getting those constant error messages. It will get easier, I just thump Noah's basket now and even though he knows what's coming he jumps right in.
Click to expand...

It's encouraging to know that Noah has gotten so used to it. We bought the Alpha Trak II which was recommended to us by a friend and by our vet...I understand that it, too, needs very little blood - but now I also know that the strips are really costly. So, we may come to regret that purchas. We're learning new things daily. Thanks for your input!
 
Phoebes said:
You might be hitting the vein. The flashlight under her ear will help. Phoebe has black ears too.View attachment 28386
You don't aim for the vein but the section between the vein and outside edge. Hugs you'll be a pro in no time. Remember to breathe. :)
Click to expand...

Such a tiny area that I have to aim for! Thanks for the encouragement and advice. Good to know that this can be managed on the ear of a black-eared cat. Yes, I think that I was probably hitting her vein.
 
This is great! Yong sent me links to a couple of videos which were really helpful, but the details on the page that you linked me to will be really helpful. I'm going to study the details and watch the additional videos now. Thanks!
 
You are getting so much great advice. It is hard at first, but I use the lancet device and warm a small piece of a wash cloth in the microwave and put it in a small plastic snack baggie and apply to her ear. Neosporin is also a great suggestion. I use a little towel on my kitchen counter so she is reachable. The lancet worked better for me and the outside of the ear really does not seem to bother my kitty. I give her a small treat...roast beef is her choice. She now sits in my kitchen and meows at testing time...ready to go...she actually purrs through it all. Never thought in a million years did I think I could do this...but it really does get easier. Hang in there!!!
 
Jadi & Tiffany said:
You are getting so much great advice. It is hard at first, but I use the lancet device and warm a small piece of a wash cloth in the microwave and put it in a small plastic snack baggie and apply to her ear. Neosporin is also a great suggestion. I use a little towel on my kitchen counter so she is reachable. The lancet worked better for me and the outside of the ear really does not seem to bother my kitty. I give her a small treat...roast beef is her choice. She now sits in my kitchen and meows at testing time...she actually purrs through it all. Never thought in a million years I could do this...but it really does get easier. Hang in there!!!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the success story. It helps to hear these for sure!
 
It does get easier, after maybe one or two months. Bwahaha! It will get easier. The best news I got when I started was that they develop new capillaries and bleed more easily. I see someone wrote about that above---it should give you hope. I don't aim for the tiny rim of the ear: I go to the inside near the vein. That works too. Yum will never come to me for a proffered treat when she thinks it means I want something. However, I think consistency with the treat POST test has made a difference---as people on the board told me over and over again before I listened.
 
MJW said:
I think consistency with the treat POST test has made a difference-
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Good point. 99% of the time I test Gizmo in one spot. He now knows when I take him there he is getting tested. I shoot in a (different) specific spot also. He is such a good boy about it, though he does ***** about it on the way to the spots. Lol. But I think a routine and consistancy (what ever that is for you) will help also.
 
Here's another tip: blood flows from the tip of the ear down. So, after you warm the ear and put a little Neosporin or vaseline on it (to get the blood to bead up), put some pressure on a spot below where you are going to do the prick. This will help create a dam and the blood drop will form easily. I hold a small gauze pad under the ear (on the inside of the ear), prick the ear, get the blood onto the strip, and then fold the gauze pad over the ear and hold it with a little pressure so that the bleeding stops. This pressure at the end of the prick keeps the ear from bruising. Put a little Neosporin with Pain Relief on the ear when you are finished.

It will all become second nature very soon!

p.s. I use a camping headlamp.

p.p.s. treats are a must!
 
Just imagine me chasing Nigel down the hall with a syringe hanging off his back. We all make it sound so easy. My first lesson I had a tech hovering over me looking at her watch, "It's Friday, I want to go home, just do it!" I did everything with Nigel on a bath towel on the kitchen table. Traction for him, good lighting for me.
 
MJW said:
It does get easier, after maybe one or two months. Bwahaha! It will get easier. The best news I got when I started was that they develop new capillaries and bleed more easily. I see someone wrote about that above---it should give you hope. I don't aim for the tiny rim of the ear: I go to the inside near the vein. That works too. Yum will never come to me for a proffered treat when she thinks it means I want something. However, I think consistency with the treat POST test has made a difference---as people on the board told me over and over again before I listened.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to reward after. We have Livvy on such a strict feeding schedule, though...we really have no experience with giving any treats in her regimen. Maybe we should? It's been ingrained in us that she should feed twice a day at regular intervals with access to food only during the planned feeding time. No snacks. But maybe that was just to help her maintain remission while she was in it? That's over now.
 
LizzieInTexas said:
Good point. 99% of the time I test Gizmo in one spot. He now knows when I take him there he is getting tested. I shoot in a (different) specific spot also. He is such a good boy about it, though he does ***** about it on the way to the spots. Lol. But I think a routine and consistancy (what ever that is for you) will help also.
Click to expand...

I have to figure out about whether some sort of treat is ok for her at this point. It seems like lots of the sugar kitties here do fine with occasional treats.
 
I did it! First successful at-home blood glucose test tonight. Result was 89 in the Alpha Trak II (set to the cat code) at +4. (We gave 2.5u at her dinner time instead of 3u as usual because she wasn't all that inspired to eat...but she did end up finishing her full portion of food.) I tested with control solution first, and that was in the acceptable range. Then, I used the rice in a sock method to warm her ear and a 28g lancet in the device that came with the tester. I used the Neosporin with pain reliever and tested her in an area with plenty of light. I wore reading glasses and used a flashlight to find her vein, and aimed the lancet needle between that and the perimeter of her ear. Voila! It may not always be so easy, but at least now I know that I can do it! Thank you all so much for your help throughout the day. Truly.
 
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Noah & me said:
Just imagine me chasing Nigel down the hall with a syringe hanging off his back. We all make it sound so easy. My first lesson I had a tech hovering over me looking at her watch, "It's Friday, I want to go home, just do it!" I did everything with Nigel on a bath towel on the kitchen table. Traction for him, good lighting for me.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's quite an image! Ha! I'm so glad that it gets easier.
 
YAY!!! I have just been reading through all the posts and didn't have any info to add because all the bases seemed to be covered.
That's awesome, congratulations:bighug::bighug::bighug:
I think for me the ear warming was the best advice I got to help getting a successful tests in for Uncle.
I've been testing him since Oct 2016. You know what's crazy? When I gently shake the container that holds the strips, he runs over to his ottoman, climbs up and waits for me to test him. I NEVER thought I'd see anything like that!
 
Oh yeah, wanted to mention you might want to check Livvy again at +6 to make sure she stays above 68 on the AlphaTrak. If it were my cat I would get another test around +6 since it's the first test she's had and you can't know how fast (of if) her BG is dropping from her pre-shot.
Just a thought.
 
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