Re: 1/18 Tubby +7 313
I have been using the 3/10 31ga short syringes from the start.
so, then it sounds like wwhat you need are the half unit marking ones, right?
What the vets assistant does is provide another set of hands. He pokes the inner edge of the ear by holding the cats head with the ear folded back over one finger, then I come in with the meter.
hmmmm...I wonder if you can trade places with vet tech a few times just to get comfortable on the other side of this process.
Also- the technique I use on my own sounds similiar to what the two of you do together...I wonder if you could adopt it and use it yourself!?
after I gather my sugarpea, I get on my knees on the floor and stuff him between them with his head facing out, tuck his tail under him and gently moosh/guide him into a laying positon.
This way he is unable to move side to side.
I lean over top of him when I do the draw.
This way he is unable to jump up or sit up.
I am right handed, so I reach my left hand in front of him- mostly he tucks his head under and my hand is there to keep him from jutting forward.
I massage the ear from up to down and below to up basically visualizing where I am going ot poke and "pushing" blood to that spot. Ear is pink in about 4 or 5 rubs and ready to poke.
Another way is to press ear between index finger and thumb right around area to be poked.
When I am working with ear, the elbow of my left arm is holding PK's face/head from moving forward.
My strip is in my meter already and my poker is already clicked back but I can also click it back with my teeth so I don't have to move my left arm from PK's face.
At first when you are getting used to doing this, you may want to slip strip just short of inseeting so that when you are ready you can take a quick second to push it the rest of the way in.
I fold Paul's ear back as you guys do with Tubby and poke the inside just above the part that would be our lobe where we pierce for earings. If you look, there is a seperation there where our lobe would be and just above the seperation where the ear is meaty. The meaty part is where I poke.
I do not put anything behind Paul's ear at all...I just fold it back against his head using left pointer finger to hold in place, set lancet over area I want to poke and poke...he has never complained about this.
My lancet pen is set on fourth to deepest ( twist cap) and works well for us that way.
My suggestion os for you to practice all this positioning at home without any meter or lancet or pressure to get blood. This may help you relax and in turn, with Tubby feeding off your energy, Tubby may relax, too.
Practice being in charge, anticipate Tubby's movements and flinch an arm or finger or hand to counter the movement. At some point Tubby is going to realize that you are the bossbean and what you say goes. period.
After a few times of day finding your groove patterns sans equipment, get the meter/lancet/strips involved...practice clicking device in Tubby's ears without intention- just to get him used to the click...toss a treat down with each click sound.
I have never offered PK a treat with his pokes and whatnot, but many here do and it works very well....while you are practicing, toss in the treats so that when the real deal comes, Tubby is more focused on the treats than on being held in place.
Once you get really good at this, you should be able to tuck Tubby under you while he eats, fold the ear back, poke, read and shoot all at once before he knows whats up!
I think I missed it in the other thread- what meter are you using?
Have you had an opportunity to find a low carb wet food form janet&Binky
s food chart for Tubby?
How did Tubby get his name? Have you had him since a kitten? How old is he now?
Keep up the good work!
