Blood Sample from Ear Vein

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Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

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Hi all,
I tried this morning to get a blood sample from kitty's ear on that outer vein of her ear, and she flinched every time I tried (3 tries), so I gave up for now and will try later. She was really cooperating, too! I did have a lesson and watched that U-Tube video three times. I was using the lancet itself instead of the pen. I think possibly the ear wasn't warm enough. I think hitting that narrow vein is challenging. Is there another place I could get a blood sample? The Vet Tech said the bottom of paw is sensitive to the cat!
 
Good morning. You aren't trying to hit the vein, but rather close to it, so that give alot of leeway. Are you using a rice sock to warm up the ear?

(Take old sock, fill the toe with uncooked real rice, tie off the top, and put in microwave at 15 second intervals until warm against your wrist. Hold against Maggie's ear to warm up the blood flow. You can also use it as a "backstop" for the prick.)

I've done paw pricks (not on my cat) and didn't see any pain reaction. My cat doesn't like his feet touched.
 
Hi Maggie-welcome to FDMB :mrgreen:

I'm afraid I'm at work so don't have all my lovely links on this computer.

If you scroll down the list here in health and look for titles that ask for help with hometesting you will find various links.
One that I think would help you right now is one that is called 'sweetspot' on cats ear. It's a photo of kittys ear with the area where it is best to prick.

All sorts of other helpful hints too.

Good luck
 
Thank you Venita and the Boyz. Yes, I was aiming right for that vein and pricking my finger instead! That does give me more leeway. She's hiding under the bed right now. I had her to the Vet this past Saturday, and she seemed to get really stressed. It was a busy morning at the clinic. She thinks I am taking her to the Vet, which I am not, so I will try later or tomorrow when I am going to try a curve.

Thanks Kate and Lucky,
I will scroll to the links. I was thinking, too, one of the insulin syringes might be easier, as it's then like a pen. Have you tried a syringe instead of the Lancet itself. I think the Insulin pen where you can get that pop would scare her! I know it's more expensive, but I think I can always buy them or get a script from the Vet.
 
I have never freehanded and have no desire to...why not try the lancet pen? Perhaps that will make all the difference. And make sure you are warming the ear, that you have something behind it to provide support, that you have a thin sheen of vaseline on the ear to help the blood bead, etc.
 
That so called "sweet spot" was never a location that worked well for me. I had much more success on the other edge of the ear. The veins and capillaries run all along the edge so experiment to see which side works better for you.
 
Ditto to Deanie; we prick about 1/2way down the thicker edge of the ear. I don't think I've ever looked for the vein or capillaries, just point and shoot near the edge.
 
It would get really expensive to use syringes instead of lancets, and the syringe needles are hollow, so they are very fragile. One use and the tip is starting to get dull. The Lancets are more like a pin - solid metal, so they stay sharp for a few pokes.
 
you can leave the lancet in the pen and just take off the bottom part and use that to free hand. do not poke straight in. I go in at an angle and have never poked myself. i go anywhere on the outer edge of ear.
 
I would think anywhere on the outer edge all the way around ear. I test all my cats on left ear and use the side closest to head. just easier for me . now if I decide to use right ear. I would test on outer edge away from head. all just less awkward for me
 
Oh my gosh, thank you all so much. This is the best message board for help. and I can't tell all of you how much your support means to me. Thanks for the info about the syringes. Yes, you are right. It would get expensive, and I wasn't aware how fast the syring point gets dull. No wonder I could not get a sample after the first try failed. Using the pen with the lancet is a good idea. Thanks for the links and all the helpful hints. Yesterday I did get a sample, and her glucose was 187, not bad, considering it was 406 this past Saturday when I took her to the Vet. Maggie is a mellow cat, but she was so stressed at the Vet. I am going to do a curve as soon as I get more familiar with taking a sample. I was going to do the curve today but had a couple misses this morning, and Maggie was getting impatient with me and wanted to eat. I think I need to get more comfortable with just getting a sample.
 
Maggie11 said:
Oh my gosh, thank you all so much. This is the best message board for help. and I can't tell all of you how much your support means to me. Thanks for the info about the syringes. Yes, you are right. It would get expensive, and I wasn't aware how fast the syring point gets dull. No wonder I could not get a sample after the first try failed. Using the pen with the lancet is a good idea. Thanks for the links and all the helpful hints. Yesterday I did get a sample, and her glucose was 187, not bad, considering it was 406 this past Saturday when I took her to the Vet. Maggie is a mellow cat, but she was so stressed at the Vet. I am going to do a curve as soon as I get more familiar with taking a sample. I was going to do the curve today but had a couple misses this morning, and Maggie was getting impatient with me and wanted to eat. I think I need to get more comfortable with just getting a sample.
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If you got it once, you wil be able to do it again. Just takes practice and getting comfortable. Don't get discouraged, the begining is the hardest, and eventually it will be a piece of cake! You just have to find out what works for you. I have always freehanded with the lancet, going at a 45% degree angle into the edge of the ear. I use a medicine vial filled with hot water to warm her ear and as a support to poke against (the curve fits well inside her ear). I usually poke 2 times and then milk the area. I also use vaseline because it helps the blood bead up so you can see it. Good luck.
 
"If you got it once, you wil be able to do it again. Just takes practice and getting comfortable. Don't get discouraged, the begining is the hardest, and eventually it will be a piece of cake! You just have to find out what works for you. I have always freehanded with the lancet, going at a 45% degree angle into the edge of the ear. I use a medicine vial filled with hot water to warm her ear and as a support to poke against (the curve fits well inside her ear). I usually poke 2 times and then milk the area. I also use vaseline because it helps the blood bead up so you can see it. Good luck"
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the encouragement; it really helps and means a lot as I was disappointed with myself this morning. She just got diagnosed early January, and it was caught early. Oh how neat! The medicine vial with warm water sounds like a good tool! I'll remember the vaseline next time, too. I may have been going in too straight. I'll keep everyone posted and thanks again.
 
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