I'm not sure what you mean by this. The thing used to get a blood drop that comes with your meter is a lancet. It fits into a holder with a spring trigger mechanism. You can actually free hand the poke with the lancet and not bother with the trigger if the noise upsets Molly.
Again, not sure what you mean. A Lantus "pen" actually looks like a plastic pen that has a removable cap. The pen has its own special needles that can be attached to the end and insulin is dispensed from there. Many people have a 10 mL vial of Lantus that they use with special insulin syringes. The syringe needle is poked into the rubber seal end of the vial to withdraw insulin.
If you could clarify those two things above it'll be easier for me to help.
Warming the ear definitely helps, especially in cold weather. A warm washcloth is one thing to try. Many of us make what we call a "rice sock": take an old, clean sock, put a 1/4 cup or so of dry uncooked rice in the toe, tie it off and warm it in the microwave until it's quite warm to the touch (but not too hot!). Hold that on Molly's ear for 15 to 30 seconds and it should do the trick.
Re the vet: what dose did you give last night and this AM? The numbers aren't on your spreadsheet yet. If you dropped back to 4 u just tell the vet you were worried about the size of the dose. We've all been through the worry of doing something different from what the vet advised but, ultimately, Molly is your kitty and you need to do what's best
for her.
Some other thoughts:
Believe me, I know how totally overwhelming and confusing this all is. So much too learn in a very short time, many changes to your routine, worry about overdosing your kitty or doing anything to hurt her, struggling with reading stuff here that's different from what your vet has said. It's very understandable.
Many have arrived here in the same state as you. They were told to do one thing by the vet and it was at odds with advice given here. They were very conflicted about listening to people on the internet and some had to face their vet's outrage over that. Some switched vets. Some smile and nod when the vet tells them what to do and they go home and do what they've learned works for their kitty. Some (like me) are very lucky to have a vet who is willing to work collaboratively and admit when they don't know everything about treating feline diabetes. You'll have to give this some thought.
What I CAN guarantee is that the combined level of expertise in treating feline diabetes among members of this forum is huge. It outstrips that of any general practice vet for sure - and even some vet specialists. Any advice given here is public in the forum and can be seen by others. People with little experience will admit they can't help with dosing. People who have experience will look carefully at the data on your spreadsheet (this is why we're so relentless in wanting to see it!) and keep safety of your kitty at the forefront when suggesting anything.
Learning as much as you can about Molly's insulin, how it works and how it's used best is what you absolutely have to do. Coming here for help is really important but you'll feel so much better if you've done some homework. The yellow stickies on the Lantus forum are a wonderful source of information. Yes, it's a lot to take in but baby steps and ask a lot of questions.
We're here to help. You're not alone.
Just hang in there.
