Can't get blood from this cat.

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Matt in AR

Matt in AR

Member Since 2016
I've watched the videos and I tried the ear last night. I finally got 1 minuscule drop of blood, which he promptly wiped off with his paw. I got lots of blood from my fingers but that's not what we need. I tried again this morning. Four ear sticks and not a bit of blood despite the warm washcloth prior or plenty of massaging. BTW he hates having his ears touched.
Took a break and tried again an hour later on his back foot pad. Twice. I used
the warm cloth, massaging for a while and got nothing but a ticked off cat. He now won't let me touch his feet.
I had a hell of a time giving him his shot after the ear pokes even though he got treats throughout the whole process. He usually isn't a problem for his shots.
How long is this going to take?
 
Two things helped me. A warm cloth may not be enough in the beginning to get the blood moving in the capillaries. A rice sack (thinnish sock filled with raw rice and warmed in the microwave until very warm) or pill bottle filled with very warm water might work better. We really had to spend some time getting his ear warm enough. Also, 25-27 gauge lancets sometimes work better at first. The 30/31 gauge ones humans use may be too thin.
 
Thanks I'll try the pill bottle with warm water. No microwave. I'll have to wait to get the lancets. The roads are flooded right now.
 
Some caretakers clean their finger nails and then try to get the bllod the the fingernail and then let go of the cat and sip up the blood from the fingernail
 
If you smear a little Vaseline over the test area on the ear it helps the blood sample to bead up better.
 
How is your technique? If you are sticking all the way through to your own fingers I would guess that you are coming at the ear with the needle from a perpendicular angle and you need to be almost parallel to the ear...about a 40-45 degree angle. If you've ever watched a nurse take blood from your arm, it's that exact angle you want to aim for. Put the point of that needle facing down so that it's the first thing to slide into the skin. Apply a bit of pressure and you'll puncture the skin. Using this technique you can get a good little amount of blood unless the cat is dehydrated or something. Sometimes there are other factors like if the ear isn't warm enough or you just poked a less-vascular area but in general, this technique always works for me.
 
It wasn't the angle it was the last second head jerk that got my fingers the first times, I didn't go through his ear I missed it entirely. That said I'll take your advice to come in at a better angle to his ear. The Vaseline will have to wait, I have none on hand.
 
He wiggles, headbutts, rubs and squirms. He never just sits on me its all this complicated dance, then he hops off. He's my mom's ca.t he sits on her, but she's not here right now.
 
Try getting him to sit calmly in your lap. If he can do that for even a few seconds without any erratic dancing around, give a treat (no carb treat). Condition him to behave the way that you want. Diego will willingly sit in my lap for his tests now because he knows that A) he is going to get loved on and petted before I test him and B) he gets his little treat right after. Sometimes he doesn't even want the treat.
 
I wrote this for another member a few days ago. There may be something of help to you. (Gripping the ear gently really helps when head movement is a problem.)

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Try folding a sheet of kitchen paper in four lengthwise and cutting it up into 1" strips. Put a thin film of Vaseline onto the edge of the ear to help the blood sample bead up instead of wicking into the fur. Once you have the ear warmed put the strip round your index finger then place finger under the ear you're testing. Use your thumb and middle finger to lightly grip the ear and paper strip in place so that the edge of the ear is taut but not overstretched; the little bit of tension will make it easier for the lancet to break the skin surface (and it helps to keep kitty's head from moving around too much). When it comes to poking, make sure you have the bevelled edge of the lancet face up. Try using the lancet freehand at a slight angle. When it comes to the actual poke think about how you'd quickly prick a balloon with the tip of a needle to make it pop. (Hope that makes sense. o_O )


Mogs
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Right now, Foxy's ears are not yet primed to give a blood sample because there are currently very few capillaries (the tiny blood vessels from which we get our test samples) in the space you're trying to poke. Over time, more will grow in response to repeated poking (even if unsuccessful) and this will make getting a blood sample much easier. This is what people refer to as the ears "learning to bleed". It's a marathon, not a sprint, so patience and routine is the key. Keep it up, you're doing great!

If Foxy will let you mess with her feet, you can also test the large center rear pads. Many have success using that as an alternate testing site, myself included.

If Foxy won't stay still for ear testing, I know there are lots of suggestions for how to calm them down, from making a kitty burrito by rolling them in a blanket to using a large binder clip on the scruff. There are lots of things for you to try if you need to.
 
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