07/31 Mami Cat | AMPS 181, +2 61, +3 78 - Questions about lancing device

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

Previous post

Hi everyone

I'm finally back here again to ask for some help - and, of course, to thank you all once again.


Connie, your condo and all the comments there gave me a lot to think about. I found myself reflecting on them all week. I thought about them, cried, and realized (once again) that ever since I started caring for Mami Cat after FD, I haven't been able to balance my time with other parts of my life. I devote so much of myself to her. I'm currently not working because of that. It's such a delicate balancing act, as you all know so well. Thank you all for sharing those thoughts and experiences. These days, dozens of times a day, I wonder whether pausing the drop dose for now is really the right decision. But given where my mental health / tiredness was, I honestly feel it's the best choice for me until I can verify the Libre's low readings with the handheld meter, especially since she's been stable. I'm 100% aware that this isn't the ideal situation. Countless scenarios run through my mind, but I'm choosing to keep moving forward with faith.

Going back to today's topic now...
As some of you know, I use the Libre, and I need to verify its low readings with a handheld meter so I can see if they're accurate enough to make informed decisions about what to do next.

The handheld one I got is the FreeStyle Optium Neo (Abbott), and I first tried using the lancing device that came with it. I am a total beginner. I tried to prick Mami Cat's ear about five times on the weekend, but I couldn't get a single drop of blood. So I decided to buy what I thought might be a better lancing device: the Accu-Chek Softclix. It arrived, and after overcoming my own fears and mental block, I finally gave it another try yesterday. Yes, working through my own hesitation took some time. I've been overthinking the whole process, but I'm doing better now.

Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the second lancing device. I prick her ear, but no blood comes out at all. I tried about five times. I comforted her, gave her some Churu, talked to her the whole time... She seemed to be ok with what was happening. Only once did I get what was barely a tiny smear of blood - almost nothing, like the faintest scratch.

So my questions are:

- What could I be doing wrong? Do you have any suggestions?

- Do you also use a lancing device, or do you prick the ear freehand with a single-use lancet? Could the problem be that the gauge of my lancet is too high? Should I try a thicker gauge? Am I not warming her ear enough beforehand (I think this is one of the issues...)? Am I aiming for the wrong spot? Am I holding or pressing the lancing device incorrectly? Maybe I need to increase the depth setting on the lancing device, which I did, but it still didn't work.

I've watched several videos, carefully read through the information and photos Marje kindly sent me, and searched for even more videos online.

The positive side is that I'm much less afraid of pricking her ear now. Mami Cat seems to have accepted the clicking sound of the device reasonably well. The only problem is that I still haven't been able to get any blood.

One last option: the vet I trust (who likes Mami Cat a lot) makes house calls, so I asked if she could come to my home and show me how to do the ear prick with the lancet I'm currently using. She'll be back in town next Wednesday, so hopefully she can teach me the proper technique.


Marje said:

Did you get a Libre 1 again or a Libre 3? I am not surprised to hear of the discrepancy between the vet’s meter and the Libre.

It’s ok to be anxious about ear testing. All of us have been. And once their ears learn to bleed, which they do, you can go to a smaller lancet like a 31g. I barely had to touch Gracie’s ears and they bled well after a bit of time. Just be sure you poke along the edge at the capillaries and not the big vein that is just inside the edge.

How did she do with the vet poking her ear? Unfortunately, they often use huge 18g needles

You got this! And once you learn, you can still use the Libre but just check the lows.

Hi Marje, I got her the Libre 1. Here in Brazil there is no Libre 3.
Only Libre 1 and Libre 2 Plus.
And there are 2 aspects that I prefer on Libre 1.

Thank you for your encouragement and tips. They were very useful, I was studying them and finding some calmness and strength inside me.
I do hope I can learn it soon.

The vet used a 26-gauge needle. I took a picture of it. She was gentle and very precise. She has a lot of experience with this, so Mami Cat didn't seem uncomfortable this time, thankfully. However, she pricked an area of the ear that I probably wouldn't have chosen myself.

I was analyzing Trixie's SS too. Thank you! Wow. I found it to be great, I mean, the progress itself. Do you know why she stopped insulin at 182?

I really wouldn’t get too caught up in the ME vs not ME values.

And you mentioned that one in another post as well.
Marje, I'm sorry for bringing this up again, but all the food charts I found show carbs as %ME, so I still have these doubts.

I also read this one: Calculating % Calories from Carbohydrates

If I may ask, why do you recommend that we look at the as-fed values instead? Why do you think that's the better approach?
When I use %ME, I can compare different foods directly using the charts.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts or clarification on this.
I'm currently looking for a new wet food for Mami Cat because she got tired of her usual ones.

Thank you all so much, once again!

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

Here's a photo of my little lynx, taken in May.

She was focused on some potential prey climbing the wall...

 

[tiffmaxee]

My vet taught me to test using a needle and freehand. I never used a lancing device and drew blood from the first stick. I used 25 gauge.

 

[squeem3]

I used the SoftClix device. It worked well.

Definitely get the ear toasty warm with the rice sock. Try adding another second or two to the microwave time to warm it up more. Firmly wrap the sock around the edge of the ear and hold or a good minute if possible Then make a sandwich: rice sock inside the ear to protect your fingers and provide a firm surface to press the lancet device against, the ear, the device firmly pressed against the furry side of the ear along the edge. Poke. No blood? Move the device a little further away from the edge and try again. Sometimes the hole where the lancet pokes out of is just off the edge so you're just hitting air. Try a higher depth setting. Leroy only needed the 1 setting.

The area above that little weird skin curl at the base of the ear usually works. But try anywhere along the ear. Also try the other ear. Some cats just have one ear that will give blood.

Get blood but not enough? Try squeezing on either side of the ear to bead the blood up more.

Use a new lancet each time. Dull lancets won't work well.

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

My vet taught me to test using a needle and freehand. I never used a lancing device and drew blood from the first stick. I used 25 gauge.

Hi Elise, thank you! I’ll talk about it with her vet. I think I would be a little afraid to use the needle that way, but if it happens to be easier, maybe I should give it a try.

I used the SoftClix device. It worked well.

Definitely get the ear toasty warm with the rice sock. Try adding another second or two to the microwave time to warm it up more. Firmly wrap the sock around the edge of the ear and hold or a good minute if possible Then make a sandwich: rice sock inside the ear to protect your fingers and provide a firm surface to press the lancet device against, the ear, the device firmly pressed against the furry side of the ear along the edge. Poke. No blood? Move the device a little further away from the ear and try again. Sometimes the hole where the lancet pokes out of is just off the edge so you're just hitting air. Try a higher depth setting. Leroy only needed the 1 setting.

The area above that little weird skin curl at the base of the ear usually works. But try anywhere along the ear. Also try the other ear. Some cats just have one ear that will give blood.

Get blood but not enough? Try squeezing on either side of the ear to bead the blood up more.

Use a new lancet each time. Dull lancets won't work well.

Hi Squeem, wow, thank you so much for all the advice. Did you use setting 1 from the very beginning?

Reading your message, I realize that I need to practice these details first and get her used to the process (touching her ears and so on) so I can build confidence and get a better feel for the technique before actually doing the poke.

I’ll follow your tips and try again. Thanks a lot!

 

[Connie & Parker & Moonie]

Everyone’s stories and advice on my condo were so helpful for me and I’m glad it helped you too

You’ve got some really good advice here, so I won’t add much more.

I never used the Softclix but I imagine the lightest setting is going to be way too light for Mami Cat until her ear learns to bleed better. You might want to ask Squeem what she suggests for a cat beginning to home test.

But when I first started out, my biggest mistakes were generally - I didn’t warm the ear enough, I wasn’t using a big enough gauge and had to go to 26g, and I was using the wrong ear (one ear still is much easier to draw blood than the other for whatever reason).

Sending you and Mami Cat lots of love!

 

[squeem3]

ECID - every cat is different. You'll have to try all the depth settings to see what works for your cat. Cat ears are pretty thin so you won't need to use 4 or 5.

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

But when I first started out, my biggest mistakes were generally - I didn’t warm the ear enough, I wasn’t using a big enough gauge and had to go to 26g, and I was using the wrong ear (one ear still is much easier to draw blood than the other for whatever reason).

Thanks a lot, Connnie!!

I remember you told me about the single-use lancet that you hold in your finger and use directly. I'm not sure what it's called, but I was thinking about looking into that one for myself in case I really can't get the hang of the lancing device.

I'll warm up her little ear a bit more and keep practicing!

Thank you so much

Everyone’s stories and advice on my condo were so helpful for me and I’m glad it helped you too

Yes!

 

[Connie & Parker & Moonie]

Thanks a lot, Connnie!!

I remember you told me about the single-use lancet that you hold in your finger and use directly. I'm not sure what it's called, but I was thinking about looking into that one for myself in case I really can't get the hang of the lancing device.

I'll warm up her little ear a bit more and keep practicing!

Thank you so much



Yes!

Yeah! I use the safety lancets mostly because I just needed to keep things simple for my own sanity and I was too scared to freehand.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AAW9DF0?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Sorry if it’s been mentioned before, I haven’t had a chance to go back to previous posts, but I would also suggest getting some type of head lamp, I found that made a huge difference in actually being able to see the blood drop, more so if she has darker coloured fur at the edges of her ears where you are poking. Once I started using a head lamp, I discovered pretty quickly that I was actually getting a blood drop, I just couldn’t see it well. The head lamp works too because you keep both hands free. Just a thought.

As for the lancet, you could try if you haven’t already to place a cotton ball underneath and press the edge of the ear against the curve of it, then hold with your left hand and poke with your right. I found keeping the lancet in the device helped me keep a better feeling to the poke, since the lancet is quite small and harder to hold in between my fingers. I think it was mentioned before, but you want the bevel edge facing upward, that makes the poke more smooth.

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

Christie, thank you so much for your comments.

I see. I’m going to buy a headlamp. It sounds like a really good idea.
Yes, exactly, she has dark fur around her ears.

I used a thick tissue to provide support, but I think a cotton ball will probably be easier. I still haven’t been able to coordinate everything perfectly, and she doesn’t stay completely still, you know? She doesn’t just lie there calmly. So I think I need to press the lancet/device more firmly against her ear.

I also think I should use the lancing device, or maybe the type of safety lancet Connie mentioned. (I will probably check these options with the vet.)

And regarding the bevel position, I’ll need to pay close attention to that.

I really hope I can get it right!

Thank you so much.

 

[Seth&Bell]

Mami Cat under in umbrella in paradise! You got this, Clarice!

For what its worth, I'm still not the best at poking Bell. Sometimes I have to poke her 3 or 4 times, especially if she's under the bed .

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AAW9DF0?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

Many thanks, Connie!!
That one, yes.

I will find a way and see what works best!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

My girl's black ears always hid the blood. I found that a very fine smear of Vaseline on the poke spot helped to trap the blood instead of it diving into the fur. Use the larger lancets to start 26-28, many lancing devices come with the thinner lancets (30-31). I free hand used just the lancet. I tried the lancing device, but no joy and Neko wasn't fond of the noise.

I used a flat make up remover gauze underneath, on top of a small flashlight that provided support and light.

Instead of a rice sock, Neko not a fan, I used either an empty pill bottle with warm water in it, or an old film canister with warm water.

Can you get any of the foods used in here: MEXICO AND ARGENTINA FOOD CHARTS Sorry it's in Spanish instead of Portuguese.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hang in there, Clarice, you’re doing great and Mami will get with the program. Especially if she’s a cooperative girl.

I have tried the lancing device, but found half the time I was poking off the edge of her ear and I couldn’t really get a good spot.

So, I just use the lancet myself and make sure I go in at a 45° angle, not a 90° angle, bevel side up
As everyone always says, warming the ear, it seems to be the best trick available
That said, many times it takes me three or four pokes to get blood also, which of course pisses Ivy off to no end and she’s trying to squirm and bite me. Happened just this morning

I use an empty pill bottle with warm water or a rice sock (40 seconds in microwave) or both, and always have something behind the other side of the ear to poke into (like a folded gauze pad or cotton ball or makeup remove remover pad).

Ivy’s ears have dark fur, so I poke on the inside of the ear where I can see her skin and find that to be easier for me. I have poked on the outside as well but I do find the blood tends to dissipate into her fur.
Wendy’s tip of a little bit of petroleum jelly is helpful to stop that from happening.

And yesssss to the headlamps!! I couldn’t do it without one!
I use it for cutting her nails too, just makes the job so much easier when you want to see exactly what you’re doing.
So yes, definitely try that for poking. It really illuminates and makes you able to see so much better. Great tip from Christie!!

So you could try either side of the ear to see what works better for you and Mami

You’ve got this, Clarice!!
Belly rubs to beautiful Mami

 

[squeem3]

I just use the rice sock instead of a cotton ball. One less thing to mess with.

There's also this device: illumavein home - product for diabetic felines and canines

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

Mami Cat under in umbrella in paradise! You got this, Clarice!

For what its worth, I'm still not the best at poking Bell. Sometimes I have to poke her 3 or 4 times, especially if she's under the bed .

Hi Seth! Haha! That garden is indeed her little paradise... her "no-stress" place where she can relax and recover. Thank you!

Ah... I can imagine. I really hope I'll be able to make it work with Mami Cat. But I'm sure you've already found your own ways! Bell loves to hide there, doesn't she? It's probably where she feels the safest.

Maybe try getting her a little cat cave or some kind of cozy hideout - she might love it! You can make one yourself or buy one online. My cats absolutely love places where they can hide while still being able to keep an eye on everything around them

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

My girl's black ears always hid the blood. I found that a very fine smear of Vaseline on the poke spot helped to trap the blood instead of it diving into the fur. Use the larger lancets to start 26-28, many lancing devices come with the thinner lancets (30-31). I free hand used just the lancet. I tried the lancing device, but no joy and Neko wasn't fond of the noise.

I used a flat make up remover gauze underneath, on top of a small flashlight that provided support and light.

Instead of a rice sock, Neko not a fan, I used either an empty pill bottle with warm water in it, or an old film canister with warm water.

Can you get any of the foods used in here: MEXICO AND ARGENTINA FOOD CHARTS Sorry it's in Spanish instead of Portuguese.

Wendy, thank you so much for all the tips, ideas and suggestions.
I will use the pill bottle to see how it goes for her, and I’ll practice first (free hand or lancing device)...

For the moment, I'm taking care of Mami Cat's mouth. She seems to have some discomfort, and I think it may be her gums. I started her on the same medication she had before, and I'll be taking her to the vet this week.

I've received so many thoughtful comments here that I'll have to go back and read through all of them again carefully to see what works best for Mami Cat.

And thank you so much for the chart. I'm still trying to understand the reasoning behind it, but for now I’m still using CARB %ME to compare one food with another.

I'd really like to understand why the as-fed values are preferred, but for now I'm following what the chart recommends.

I really appreciate it all. Thank you

I have tried the lancing device, but found half the time I was poking off the edge of her ear and I couldn’t really get a good spot.

So, I just use the lancet myself and make sure I go in at a 45° angle, not a 90° angle, bevel side up
As everyone always says, warming the ear, it seems to be the best trick available
That said, many times it takes me three or four pokes to get blood also, which of course pisses Ivy off to no end and she’s trying to squirm and bite me. Happened just this morning

I use an empty pill bottle with warm water or a rice sock (40 seconds in microwave) or both, and always have something behind the other side of the ear to poke into (like a folded gauze pad or cotton ball or makeup remove remover pad).

Ivy’s ears have dark fur, so I poke on the inside of the ear where I can see her skin and find that to be easier for me. I have poked on the outside as well but I do find the blood tends to dissipate into her fur.
Wendy’s tip of a little bit of petroleum jelly is helpful to stop that from happening.

And yesssss to the headlamps!! I couldn’t do it without one!

Staci, huge thanks for all the comments! As I said before, I really appreciate receiving all these useful suggestions.

I’ll see what works best for Mami Cat this week. And I will have to be courageus too - to continue with it.
And yes... I will use some vaseline too

For the moment, I’m taking care of her mouth again... She seems to be having a little issue with it.

Many many thanks for all the details you mentioned

I just use the rice sock instead of a cotton ball. One less thing to mess with.

There's also this device: illumavein home - product for diabetic felines and canines

Squeem, thanks a lot, again!
I’ll have to decide which one to use, indeed. Or maybe try both and see which one she likes better.
I’ve never seen this device before! I’m going to look it up and see how it works.
A big thank you for all your help

 

[Clarice & Mami Cat]

Dear all, thanks a million for all the comments and suggestions. They were simply amazing. So helpful.

I hope to be back at some point with some progress to share with you all.

For now, I’m taking care of Mami Cat’s mouth. She was in pain, but hopefully she’ll be feeling better soon.

A big hug to all of you - and have a wonderful and blessed weekend !

...

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Dear all, thanks a million for all the comments and suggestions. They were simply amazing. So helpful.

I hope to be back at some point with some progress to share with you all.

For now, I’m taking care of Mami Cat’s mouth. She was in pain, but hopefully she’ll be feeling better soon.

A big hug to all of you - and have a wonderful and blessed weekend !

...

I hope Mami is feeling better. Sending many healing vines