Getting Blood from the Ear

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Mikey’sDad

Mikey’sDad

Member Since 2021
My Mikey has diabetes, just diagnosed. Fructosomine 508 and his Glucose is about 226. I tried diet alone for 3 weeks and got his level from 298 to 226. Vet ssys to start with . 50 insulin 2x ( She is not nessarily a home testing advocate) but I think it should be done
I was getting his glucose numbers by ear prick before insulin just fine. Yesterday I had to start insulin and I haven’t been able to get blood. I am worried because I don’t want to harm my buddy. I have not tried the rice thing yet. He has had 2 doses and also I would like to see if my doses went in . I am frustrated Thoughts /Suggestions appreciated
 
Home testing is so important. I know it looks brutal poking holes in a cat you love but once you start collecting the data you'll feel so much more in control.
You're not alone in your frustration. I can do it in the dark now but I was tearing my hair out that first week, it will get easier.
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Noah & me (GA) said:
Home testing is so important. I know it looks brutal poking holes in a cat you love but once you start collecting the data you'll feel so much more in control.
You're not alone in your frustration. I can do it in the dark now but I was tearing my hair out that first week, it will get easier.
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I did it perfectly the first three times, but last night and today with insulin nada. How do you warm his ear? Do you use the rice and sock trick?
 
My first sugar cat was a dream come true, the second I could only get blood from one ear. I warmed his ear just by rubbing it which also calmed him down.
Never had to do the rice thing but for awhile I tried a folded over paper towel behind his ear to get it some weight so it had more of a feel. Otherwise it felt like going through single ply toilet paper hanging in thin air. Try anything that comes up as long as you get blood and it's clean, every cat is different.
 
Thomas said:
My Mikey has diabetes, just diagnosed. Fructosomine 508 and his Glucose is about 226. I tried diet alone for 3 weeks and got his level from 298 to 226. Vet ssys to start with . 50 insulin 2x ( She is not nessarily a home testing advocate) but I think it should be done
I was getting his glucose numbers by ear prick before insulin just fine. Yesterday I had to start insulin and I haven’t been able to get blood. I am worried because I don’t want to harm my buddy. I have not tried the rice thing yet. He has had 2 doses and also I would like to see if my doses went in . I am frustrated Thoughts /Suggestions appreciated
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It is plenty hot where I live so kitty's ears are often warm enough. But I massage the target ear a minute before starting. Seems to get the juices flowing.
That said, there are a few "dead spots" on Sister's ears where I never get blood.
 
I've never had a cat that liked surprises, I would lay everything out in front of Noah's basket so he knew what was coming. It sounds corny but he knew I wasn't trying to hurt him and he was beyond nervous. I did Nigel on the kitchen table with a towel spread out so he got better traction. I'd thump the table and he'd jump right up, he knew this might hurt but that was okay with him.
Trust doesn't come without intelligence, something cat haters like my family will never understand. That's their loss.
 
It's soooo much easier to draw blood with a warm ear. I warm my boys' ears with an empty pill bottle filled with hot water (but not hot enough to burn). They both seem to genuinely enjoy my wrapping their ears around that bottle for a bit. It causes purring! And as you poke more frequently, more capillaries will grow and the ears will bleed easier.
 
Daddy Jack's Mommy said:
It's soooo much easier to draw blood with a warm ear. I warm my boys' ears with an empty pill bottle filled with hot water (but not hot enough to burn). They both seem to genuinely enjoy my wrapping their ears around that bottle for a bit. It causes purring! And as you poke more frequently, more capillaries will grow and the ears will bleed easier.
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I should try that one. I'm lazy and reach for the 26g when the ear is cold.
 
Has anyone mentioned a lancet device? I have zero experience with them but the idea is, or should be, you can set to the millimeter how far the lancet punctures the ear. Some cat's don't react well to the clicking sound, for others it's a lifesaver.
Remember when those big fat ball point pens came out? The idea was people with arthritis or hand injuries could hold them better. I worked in steel fabrication and have broken all my fingers, some more than once, and mashed a thumb. BD makes a lancet that has a lot more heft than the teeny tiny ones. Because I was taught to free hand this made everything easier.
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I'm still new here too but found that a warm ear is crucial to getting any blood! I usually just rub it a bit to get things moving. I've never used anything other than my warm hand. But we've all been there where we've poked and poked and nothing comes out. Usually when that happens I give it a rest and try again in 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure his little pea brain forgot all about what just happened. It's more stressful for us I think.

Try using 26g or 28g lancets. They are much bigger and they don't notice the difference. Always put something behind his ear when you are poking. You WILL poke through on many occasions and you don't want your finger to be there.

It took probably a solid week of me doing 5 x per day glucose checks that I finally stopped shaking while doing it. Cats definitely pick up on our stress. Now that I'm not shaking anymore and have built up a little confidence it's getting easier. He still meows when I poke but I don't let it deter me from the task at hand.

The important thing to do is have a treat ready regardless of if you are successful. Sometimes when I've poked several times and didn't get any blood I still gave him a treat for being a good patient. It does get easier with time I promise.
 
Mocha's_mom said:
I'm still new here too but found that a warm ear is crucial to getting any blood! I usually just rub it a bit to get things moving. I've never used anything other than my warm hand. But we've all been there where we've poked and poked and nothing comes out. Usually when that happens I give it a rest and try again in 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure his little pea brain forgot all about what just happened. It's more stressful for us I think.

Try using 26g or 28g lancets. They are much bigger and they don't notice the difference. Always put something behind his ear when you are poking. You WILL poke through on many occasions and you don't want your finger to be there.

It took probably a solid week of me doing 5 x per day glucose checks that I finally stopped shaking while doing it. Cats definitely pick up on our stress. Now that I'm not shaking anymore and have built up a little confidence it's getting easier. He still meows when I poke but I don't let it deter me from the task at hand.

The important thing to do is have a treat ready regardless of if you are successful. Sometimes when I've poked several times and didn't get any blood I still gave him a treat for being a good patient. It does get easier with time I promise.
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I warmed the ear and put a tad of Vaseline on it and the blood popped out after I used the lancet
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
My first sugar cat was a dream come true, the second I could only get blood from one ear. I warmed his ear just by rubbing it which also calmed him down.
Never had to do the rice thing but for awhile I tried a folded over paper towel behind his ear to get it some weight so it had more of a feel. Otherwise it felt like going through single ply toilet paper hanging in thin air. Try anything that comes up as long as you get blood and it's clean, every cat is different.
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Thanks so much. I will use your suggestions
 
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