Can't get enough blood for at home testing!

[MeatballMaMa]

My cat is really sweet and patient but whenever I try to test him at home he gets frustrated and antsy, the local vet has been very good about prices when I let them use the meter I have.. which is a wonderful help but I go to school and work full time which really makes finding the time to bring him in regularly enough, during their office hours, difficult. I have read everything and attempted massaging his ear for long amounts of time, keeping it warm... I don't know if my lancets are too small or what but I cannot stand trying repeatedly because I feel like I am torturing him. I really want to change his diet but I am afraid to do it until I am able to at home test easily and frequently. The vet does it free handed and that is really hard for me, I have not yet attempted from the back of his ear which I recently read may be a better way of doing it. Any advice would be appreciated.

-Brea & Pluff Daddy

 

[KPassa]

Welcome, Brea and Pluff Daddy! (Love the name, btw!) You have definitely come to the right place. A couple of questions people will ask are: what insulin and what dose are you using and what foods you're feeding him?

Here are some links for ear testing that you might find helpful:

• How to home test
• Top ear testing tips
• Ear testing environment

You might also want to look into buying some lancets for "alternate testing sites," which are a larger gauge than the normal lancets. This is really helpful when first starting out before their ears "learn to bleed."

 

[Rachel]

Hi Brea!! The alternate sites lancets will help since they're larger. Your kitty's ears will also learn to bleed. They really do get better as you do the testing. If you try and fail to get blood three times in a row, quit for awhile and try again later. And treat each time whether you get blood or not. Also...treat yourself!

Honestly your cat may come running to remind you to test soon enough!

 

[BJM]

Alternate site lancets are 26-28 gauge.

And, if you.must.get.blood, aim for the vein directly. Be prepared to snag the droplet on a clean fingernail for the test and blot quickly and firmly, as poking the vein usually results in a liberal blood flow. If you don't blot fast enough, the cat will shake it all over the room and you!

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Make sure you firmly backup the ear otherwise the lancet will deflect the ear vice penetrating the ear. I use a cotton cosmetic d between my finger and the back of the ear.