New Diabetes mom, please help (home testing)

My cat Artemis will not eat his dinner tonight, it is likely due to his inflamed pancreas, he is probably feeling some nausea and has had a fever (103- 104 it keeps going up and down) from that. I am having so much trouble testing him. No matter what I do I can't seem to get enough blood for my Relion Prime meter. So I don't know what to do. I don't want to give him his 2.5 unit shot of vetsulin without him eating anything. For now I am deciding to skip it until I can get some smaller gauge lancets when the store is open in the morning. I really tried to poke him about six different times, with no luck. Any advice on getting enough blood? Have I made the right decision to go without the shot? He is hydrated, as I gave him some fluids and I tested his urine, negative for ketones. Not sure if that's entirely relevant, but I'm feeling so anxious and really can't afford to take him to the 24-7 hospital right now

 

Dear Artemis the cat - I am brand new here (as in last half hour) and I hope you get a reply from someone shortly.
In the past week I've had 2 cats I needed to start regular home testing on, and the woes of not being able to get enough blood from an ear to do more than mess up a test strip!
I have found that warming up my cats' ears is some help. It has also been proving some bit of help to me to have bright light behind the ear to see the little veins.
Are you you using a pen lancet with preset depths, or 'freehanding a lancet? I hate to do it by hand but have to sometimes to see the needle is going where I am it. My poor Sookie and Cotton, I feel like they are becoming pincushions.
I very much feel for your Artemis boy and you!!

 

"Better high for one day than too low for one minuet." I cannot give dosing advice but that one little phrase is our MANTRA.
GOOD LUCK TODAY
j

 

EXACTLY my feelings. Seems they can go high for much longer than too low. I have no clue jow long Cotton was running in 30's /500's with almost no symptoms but a hypo scares me too much to risk.

 

Unless you are armed with everything you need INCLUDING a WILLING cat...Just sayin

 

What size lancet are you using? Make sure it's a 26 or 28 gauge. It will be easier to get a sample.