First test failed, try again later?

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Bree & Misty

Bree & Misty

Member Since 2021
Quick question, I'm sorry in advance if this gets asked a lot!
Misty's supplies came in today, and I thought I'd make a first attempt at test/feed/shoot. She didn't love being held between my knees for the test, but didn't seem too distressed about it. I got a drop of blood into the meter but it wasn't enough, so I gave her a treat anyway and decided not to stress her out by trying again right away. I want to associate testing with good things, so I gave up and got her dinner. No shot tonight since I can't get a reading, of course.
Next time, should I try again right away if the test doesn't work? Also, should I give her a token dose tonight? Or just wait until morning? I'm a little hesitant since she's never had ketones, and when she tested 509 at the vet's she was on dry food, I've since switched her to all low carb canned. Thoughts?
 
If you’re willing to give testing her blood sugar another try, throw a washcloth in the dryer, warm it up a bit. Start giving her some back and head pets with it, then move the warm cloth to her ear gently and lightly rub her ear. Is she doesn’t mind that too much, it will help produce a larger drop when you use the lancet.
 
Hi Bree. If you"ve switched from dry to low carb canned, her BG could be significantly lower just from changing the food. You were wise for holding off on the insulin until you can get a BG reading. As far as trying again, right away, to see if you can get enough blood - Go for it, especially if she's cooperative. Just love her up and give her those treats!
My sugar babies love their ears heated with an empty pill bottle filled with hot water (but not so hot that it could burn). I never would have believed how much they actually enjoy it.
 
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Bree & Misty said:
She didn't love being held between my knees for the test, but didn't seem too distressed about it.
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Can I ask why you held her between your knees? She may eventually come to dislike being restrained during testing. Try doing it without restraining her and let her associate testing with all good things - attention, warmth, petting, soft words, singing to her, love, treats, etc!
 
The recommended starting dose is 1 unit twice a day. You would be absolutely correct to not start at 2.
 
smorgasbord said:
If you’re willing to give testing her blood sugar another try, throw a washcloth in the dryer, warm it up a bit. Start giving her some back and head pets with it, then move the warm cloth to her ear gently and lightly rub her ear. Is she doesn’t mind that too much, it will help produce a larger drop when you use the lancet.
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Thank you, that was helpful and I was able to get a reading
 
Daddy Jack's Mommy said:
Can I ask why you held her between your knees? She may eventually come to dislike being restrained during testing. Try doing it without restraining her and let her associate testing with all good things - attention, warmth, petting, soft words, singing to her, love, treats, etc!
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She wouldn't stay still enough for me to test without me holding her in some way. If you have other tips for getting her to stay in place I'd love to hear them, as I don't like the idea of restraining her either
 
Daddy Jack's Mommy said:
Hi Bree. If you"ve switched from dry to low carb canned, her BG could be significantly lower just from changing the food. You were wise for holding off on the insulin until you can get a BG reading. As far as trying again, right away, to see if you can get enough blood - Go for it, especially if she's cooperative. Just love her up and give her those treats!
My sugar babies love their ears heated with an empty pill bottle filled with hot water (but not so hot that it could burn). I never would have believed how much they actually enjoy it.
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You were correct. It went from 509 to 308. I'll try the pill bottle too, thanks!
 
Bree & Misty said:
She wouldn't stay still enough for me to test without me holding her in some way. If you have other tips for getting her to stay in place I'd love to hear them, as I don't like the idea of restraining her either
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I wish I had some good tips for you. This may be a silly question, but did you try not restraining her? When I first started testing Jack, I never imagined that he'd allow me to do it. In fact, he really didn't in the very beginning. He did keep walking away quite a few times, but I would gently pull him back and I kept telling him how fabulous he was. And in the end, it turned out to be well worth the freeze dried shrimp. Had I restrained him, he would not have allowed it. He's way too nervous for that. And when I recently started testing Marley (now I have two!), I just never restrained him and I lucked out a second time. He's not food motivated, and even if he were, he has stomatitis and his mouth has open ulcers right now. But it turns out that he LOVES the warmth of the bottle and all the attention. It still amazes me that both of my boys let me do this. And they usually purr while I'm doing it. I never would have believed it.
 
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