Ear pokie advice for Smokey

[SmokeyD]

Good morning all. I've been bg testing using Smokey's ears for almost 1.5 months. It certainly got easier about 3-4 weeks in but we seem to have regressed a bit. I warm Smokey's ear with a rice sock and use a 28g lancet freehand. He just isn't bleeding as well. It has gotten colder here and his ears are colder but I do warm them. The other thing I've changed is that I'm using some antibiotic pain relief ointment at night. Has any one else experienced less bleeding after a period of time or upon use of an antibiotic?
Advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm having to poke him several times at this point and he is starting to get squirmy!

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Is the ointment an oil base (like vaseline) or the cream kind? I've discovered the cream kind messes with KT's hair and makes the blood soak INTO the hair rather than beading. Since I changed back to the oil base one, I don't have a problem.

I'm wondering about this same thing when it gets colder...KTs ears stay cold all winter long.

 

[SmokeyD]

I use the ointment (vasaline based). Maybe it is just the cold. Even though I'm warming his ears, they don't seem to get as warm as they were... I just feel bad that I'm having to poke so many times- then he gets squirmy...

 

[squeem3]

I've just warmed the ear up really well with a really really warm not quite uncomfortably hot rice sock. Try applying the rice sock to the ear longer and/or warming it in the microwave for a few more seconds.

 

[Jen & Squeak]

my suggestions

1. try a lancet device
2. poke the thicker/inner edge of the ear, about 2/3 of the way down. Works great for us!
3. apply pressure afterwards to stop the bleeding and antibiotic cream is not necessary