Glucose testing fails - And other Questions

[Chelsea]

Hi guys,
Kitty and I successfully managed to test his glucose three times over a 36 hr period. But the struggle is real. And we're both getting used to this.
How do I start to get him comfortable with testing? I know we need to test before mealtime, but this guy is ravenous by meal time (should I increase food? We're doing 7oz 12 hr apart right now, he is underweight...) What are the first good baby-steps I should do? I can't get him to hold still! He's not too upset about me getting near his ears but as soon as I try to put the towel/cotton ball to the back of his ear he's all head shakes and ear twitches.
Last night and this morning we've been completely unsuccessful with getting a test done. His ears won't bleed! The first 3 times, no problem, plenty of blood. But nothing now!?
Right now I'm freehanding the lancelets, I didn't realize the meter didn't come with a pen. The lancelets are 26 gauge.

 

[Phoebes (GA)]

We're doing 7oz 12 hr apart right now, he is underweight

Hi Chelsea, I give phoebe 6 mini meals a day, that helps. She knows after test she's eating, so by 12 hours he is starving. Might hold still better if not so hungry. It just gets easier with time and practise. Have you tried giving him a favorite treat after testing. If you get a drop and he is twitching or shaking his head, you can get the drop of blood on your fingernail and test from that. You have to work up and down his ear to find the sweet spot. Sometimes further down ear works, it will learn to bleed as you test. You are doing a great job testing him at home, good for you, safe for furbaby. Some times rubbing the ear gently will help.

 

[carmen830]

Chelsea, sometimes if the ear is cold it won't bleed right away. I tend to rub Tigger's ear gently if it feels cold as @Phoebes suggests. Also, the sweet spots tend to be along the rim of the ear. If you hold a small light under the ear, you will a small vein running along that rim. You can poke right above it. I personally do not use a pen, I just use the lancet because it makes it easier to do.

 

[Squeakycats]

I'm the opposite of @carmen830 -- I find the lancet really hard to use by itself and always use the device! At first I had to warm my cat's ears up all the time with the "rice sock" trick, but they really do start bleeding much more easily after a while--I can't think of the last time I had to do anything special. I hold the base of his ear pretty firmly, and he has learned to wait to shake his head until I get the sample--it's become routine for both of us. I praise him while he's getting tested and offer a treat afterwards, but at this point, I think it's just really not a big deal to him.

If Kitty is both underweight and ravenously hungry, I'd say yeah, go ahead and feed a bit more! If you could do one or two more small feedings instead of a couple of big ones, that might help. I think most of us here do multiple small feedings or let them graze on their wet food until 2 hours before the test/shot; some people use an automatic feeder that has different compartments to accomplish this (you can set it so that at two hours before, it rotates to an empty compartment). Or you could experiment with just increasing the amount you give at the two meals...

 

[Wesley and Spicoli]

f Kitty is both underweight and ravenously hungry, I'd say yeah, go ahead and feed a bit more!

I second this. Ours is currently underweight and gets what he wants whenever he wants, except 2hrs before shot time.

With the testing, maybe give him a treat or go ahead and put his meal down so he's distracted while you try to poke. This worked well for us in the beginning, and now he just lays down after a head scratch and waits for me to poke because he knows his meal isn't far behind.

I free hand poke too, but if you're having a hard time you can always try using the lancet device It might work better for you.

That sweet spot it what you're aiming for. If his ears are cold you can try the warm rice sock or rubbing them with your fingers a little.
Hope this helps a little

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Some people have had success with their ravenous uncooperative kitty by feeding a teaspoon or two of their regular food immediately before testing. It calms the kitty and the food doesn't have time to get to the bloodstream to affect BG. Something to try?

 

[Chelsea]

Some people have had success with their ravenous uncooperative kitty by feeding a teaspoon or two of their regular food immediately before testing. It calms the kitty and the food doesn't have time to get to the bloodstream to affect BG. Something to try?

I actually did this last night, along with some warm rice in a sock and the poor guy bled like stuck pig! But he was much calmer! I need to find some treats he really goes for. I was thinking about some plain roasted chicken pieces.

 

[carmen830]

Yes, my Tigger bleeds alot too sometimes but I've now learned that all it takes (if you hold the lancet without using the pen) is for you to poke him gently at an angle with the tip of the lancet and it won't hurt him so much. Some parts of Tigger's ears bleed alot more than others. I feel so bad sometimes.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I actually did this last night, along with some warm rice in a sock and the poor guy bled like stuck pig! But he was much calmer! I need to find some treats he really goes for. I was thinking about some plain roasted chicken pieces.

Plain roasted chicken pieces would work well. Many of us buy freeze dried meat/fish treats at the pet food store. One brand is Pure Bites. The brand I buy for Teasel is Orijen.