Cat with no sweet spot?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Lily Phoenix

Lily Phoenix

Member Since 2016
My Mamacita and I just succeeded in her first blood test (diagnosed and in hospital last week), and I learned from YouTube videos to visualize the vein in her ear first by holding a flashlight behind the ear. And also to make the rice/sock bag and nuke that and warm her ear with it which she absolutely adored. I've tried 6 times before and was able to get nothing at all with various gauge lancets, not even a sign that the ear'd been punctured. Looking at the actual vein, I learned that her vein, on both ears, runs exactly on the outer edge of the ear--there's no gap whatever between it and the edge, not even at the top of the ear. This might explain why the vet tech from the hospital who did her 10 draws there, which I'd assumed had been from ear draws, in the end did them with leg vein draws because only 2 out of ten tries on the ear had produced anything at all. So there's a bit of a physical anomaly there. I did poke the vein directly and got a good amount of blood right away, took a while to make it stop. I'm wondering if anyone else has this with their cat and if it's possible to poke on the inner side of the vein, since there's nowhere to poke on the outer side. One video on YT did have them poke the vein directly always but the others always talked about the sweet spot.
 
Lily Phoenix said:
My Mamacita and I just succeeded in her first blood test (diagnosed and in hospital last week), and I learned from YouTube videos to visualize the vein in her ear first by holding a flashlight behind the ear. And also to make the rice/sock bag and nuke that and warm her ear with it which she absolutely adored. I've tried 6 times before and was able to get nothing at all with various gauge lancets, not even a sign that the ear'd been punctured. Looking at the actual vein, I learned that her vein, on both ears, runs exactly on the outer edge of the ear--there's no gap whatever between it and the edge, not even at the top of the ear. This might explain why the vet tech from the hospital who did her 10 draws there, which I'd assumed had been from ear draws, in the end did them with leg vein draws because only 2 out of ten tries on the ear had produced anything at all. So there's a bit of a physical anomaly there. I did poke the vein directly and got a good amount of blood right away, took a while to make it stop. I'm wondering if anyone else has this with their cat and if it's possible to poke on the inner side of the vein, since there's nowhere to poke on the outer side. One video on YT did have them poke the vein directly always but the others always talked about the sweet spot.
Click to expand...
When we were first testing our cat we had to poke alot before we were able to successfully get just a little blood for the meter to read. You are in the right place to get lots and lots of support and tips as you learn to take care of a diabetic cat. I know there's a page that has collected all the great info you will need to get started. I'll be right back with the link...
 
Here's the link.
Let us know if you need more assistance and we'll be delighted to help. This site has saved our sanity over the years many many times. Congratulations on deciding to home test as we've found with experience that it's the only way to really know what is going on inside the cat so the very best care can be provided. Because it's a holiday in the US there won't be as many people on the boards right now so please don't get discouraged. Someone will come along to provide assistance when you need it. :):cat: We are glad you and your kitty found us.
 
I found that the more I tested the "better" the ear bled. In the beginning even with a warm ear it would sometimes take 2 or 3 or even 4 pokes to get a decent size of blood. Now one poke and it bleeds well. :cat:
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Are you using a lancet device? or are you free-handing? It could be that the lancet just isn't penetrating deep enough.
Click to expand...
I'm freehanding and am done with the lancing device for sure! No problem with penetration now because I know where the vein is--the problem is that the vein is on the extreme outer edge of the ear all the way, even at the top. There's no gap area whatever between it and the outer edge of the ear--so, no sweet spot. Which makes it seem I have no choice but to poke the vein itself?
 
You can poke just to the inside of the vein.....it really doesn't matter where you poke as long as you get blood.

Poking directly on the vein can hurt more, as well as if your cat happens to shake their head, your walls are going to look like a crime scene from NCIS...and as you've already noticed, it takes longer to get it to stop bleeding.

The good news? The more you poke (anywhere other than the vein), the more new capillaries will grow into that area...eventually making it easier and easier to get blood
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top