Atticus' first home test!

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Monica and Atticus (GA)

Monica and Atticus (GA)

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It wasn't easy, but we got it!
This was 6 hours before and 6 hours after insulin (1u Lantus). He had eaten 2 hours previous, and was about to eat again (I wanted to test before he ate). The Relion had him at 63. I just texted the vet, and she said to test again before his next dose and not to dose him if it's that low.
I'm working on getting his spreadsheet together.
I'm not too sure about getting another test so soon. I had to go after him three times. I made the mistake of not tying the rice sock first, and now there is rice everywhere. But we did it.
 
YAY!!!! CONGRATS! :thumbup

I didn't believe it at first, but it really does get easier. So great that you actually got blood on the first time, and a reading too! We are just starting to get okay with it and its been over a week for us.
 
I'm crossing my fingers that he'll let me do it before dosing time this evening. It was not easy at all, but he got treats after, so hopefully I won't have to shase him around the house.
 
WOOHOO! Good kitty and momma bean! :RAHCAT

While you might have to chase Atticus for a few days, eventually he may come to you! Just remember the treats, for momma bean too!

And it does get easier. :-D
 
I guess I am reading correctly and the 63 was +6 after the shot right?

great momma for testing and I promise, it does get easier!

Funny you mentioned the rice... I left Beans out and civvie Gumpy chewed a hole in it while playing and momma woke up to rice alllll over the place too! lol.... I wasnt to happy then, Gumpy is (GA) now, sure wish she was here to chew another hole in that sock.... I would bring her a dozen if I had to.
 
I tried using both ears, but poor Beans right ear, no matter how much I warm, will not bleed. So we are stuck w/ just the left....dont know why this is so, but darn right ear! :roll:
 
I test on the left to encourage future fruitful tests, then get blood on the right ear every time I need it. I'm hoping to eventually be able to test opposite ears for each test (right in am, left in pm, etc.).
 
Test before food. If test is below 200, wait to feed and post for guidance. If 200 or over, feed then shot. If you have low carb treats, be sure to give one to Atticus for being such a good boy during pokey pokes. :-D
 
I know it can put you on edge, trying and not succeeding (been there and bought the t-shirt!).

You can try again after it's been long enough for you and Atticus to get some lovings and low carb treats. :-D

What is your routine in testing? Maybe a suggestion will come to mind. :smile:
 
I tried again, still can't get enough blood. Stuck him 3 times. He's being pretty good, considering. I just can't coax enough blood out. I'm warming his ear first. We've been dosing insulin at 6:30; it's 7 now.
 
You might try starting a new thread when issues come up so others will know to check. :smile:

Hubby came home so I was getting his dinner and couldn't be here. :cry:

And, I agree, that is so cool about your vet! :-D
 
What size lancets are you using? If you've got the 30-33g, it's really hard to get enough blood with those. 26-28g work much better.I only test bandit's left ear because his right will not bleed well for me.
 
get atticus' ear nice and warm before you poke! also, after you've poked if there's no blood, you can kinda try to open the poke gently. massage around the poked spot and try to work some blood towards the hole.

when i was desperate at the beginning, i poked the vein. just make certain you staunch it afterwards with a little pressure so it doesn't bruise. it's not ideal, but it can help in the situation you're in.

one ear often bleeds better than the other. no matter what you do, the ear will bleed better after you've been poking it for a couple of weeks. they grow more capillaries where they've been poked, so hang in there. your poking is not for nothing - you're encouraging the capillary growth. after a while you get gushers every time.

hang in there!! it gets easier.
 
I'm warming and massaging the heck out of his ear. I tried 3 times this morning, and still couldn't get enough. I do have the 30g lancets, though. I'll be heading to the store today for the bigger ones.
 
have you seen this diagram?

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the blood flow goes from the inside of the ear (nearest the other ear) out to the tip and down the outside of the ear towards the shoulder. sometimes i just put a small amount of pressure on the "downhill" side of the vein, just below the poke, to make a bit of a dam and cause the blood to back up.

also, i don't know why, but if you are using a lancet device it really helps to hold the device against the ear for maybe 5 seconds both before and after the poke. perhaps it's that dam effect - i don't know. but it does help.
 
Woo-hoo! We got it first try this time! I think using the 26 gauge lancets made all the difference, thank you so much, Julia, for that tip!
Julie, I hadn't seen that diagram before, either, and this time I aimed right there and got a nice drop first poke.

He didn't want his treats this time, which I thought was strange. Every other time he's gobbled them up. I told him what a good kitty he is.
So he was at 344. This was +11 after his am dose. He did have a snack an hour and a half before the test, is that long enough to know it's not a sugar spike? I could have waited longer to test, but he was all relaxed and lovey and I wanted to take advantage of the moment!
 
hurray for you both! stress gone and test done! you go!
I would think 1.5 hrs after eating would be ok.....
that number isnt all that bad either, did you miss a dose this am???
 
Madrigirl78 said:
Woo-hoo! We got it first try this time! I think using the 26 gauge lancets made all the difference, thank you so much, Julia, for that tip!
Julie, I hadn't seen that diagram before, either, and this time I aimed right there and got a nice drop first poke.

He didn't want his treats this time, which I thought was strange. Every other time he's gobbled them up. I told him what a good kitty he is.
So he was at 344. This was +11 after his am dose. He did have a snack an hour and a half before the test, is that long enough to know it's not a sugar spike? I could have waited longer to test, but he was all relaxed and lovey and I wanted to take advantage of the moment!
Click to expand...


Yup, bigger lancets and Neosporin + Pain Relief made all the difference in the world for me. I got the smallest lancets I could find at first because I thought smaller lancets=less pain=cat resisting less. But they actually turned out to be counter productive because it's not the pain that cats hate when getting the ear pokes in the beginning--it's being restrained to do this new thing that they aren't used to. Cats have a very high tolerance for pain and the pokes don't hurt them. So bigger lancets=less time & poke attempts=cat resisting less. :smile:
 
VERY NICE!!!

i used to have a manx named Atticus, but sometimes he was just called "you little Cuss" :lol:

congratulations on successful pokies!

celi & binks
 
We often call him 'Cus, or Atticat. He's the sweetest kitty I know. Even after all these pokes and shots, he sees me getting his supplies and still comes to me when I call him. I hope that lasts.
 
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