Grrrr....ears do not want to bleed for me!

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Tracy & Leo

Tracy & Leo

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Hey everyone,
I am having so much trouble getting blood from Leo's ears today. I got a +4 reading and just tried to take a +6. I swear i must have poked those little ears at least 10 times on each ear!!! My poor kitty just sits there and takes it but i know it can't be the nicest feeling. It's not just today either, its been everyday i try to do a curve on him....HELP!!!

I've got the sock with rice that i warm up in the microwave to heat up those ears, are there any other tips out there that i can try?
 
Hi Tracy! That was me last Sunday, when I first started home testing. Poor Basil's ear looked like vampires attacked him!

I've learned over the past week, to sit and cuddle with him first, gently stroking up and down his ear. Also, his vein is almost right on the edge of his ear-so if I poke too far in I don't get enough for a reading.
 
Yeah i make sure i've got the right side of the vein on his ear, i make him sit in the sun, or in the light so i can be 100% sure i've got the sweet spot. But still??? I just feel so bad for my baby.
 
Hi Tracy, and, of course, you too, sweet Leo,

How cute is he??? Of course, in a handsome manly way...

Have you tried the warming sock followed by gently massaging his ear followed by the warming sock followed by gently massaging his ear, etc.?

Warming promotes blood flow; massaging stimulates blood flow. Warming + massaging = that precious bead of blood!

Also, if after two, maybe three pokes tops, do break out a new lancet, okay?

Encouraging hugs for you both,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

PS: Please reward him with treats, even if there is no blood... He tried, therefore, he should be rewarded...

PPS: Please reward yourself with treats, even if there is no blood... You tried, therefore, you should be rewarded, too...
 
Are you getting his ear nice and warm? That was magic for us. What size lancet? At first, sometimes a 25-27 gauge will make a bigger hole and bleed better. And be sure to have something to poke against - the rice sack or folded kleenix. We used a small makeup sponge. Another good idea is to fill a pill bottle with hot water, use it to warm the ear and to poke against.

Don't give up. You will figure out what works for you and Leo.
 
Treat don't work on my kitty :( I've tried a couple different kinds of low carb treats, but he has never been a big treat fan. I've tried some raw ground beef as well and that worked good for the first day, now he just sniffs and walks away. But i tell him what a good, handsome kitty he is and lots of pets before and after trying to test, it seems to work, i can always get him purring and trying to hug me afterwards.

I bought some 28 gauge lancets, and tried just doing a hand hold with it......but that didn't last too long, he really flinched and cried when i did that, it obviously hurt him alot, plus it would gush blood for a few minutes so i figured it wasn't the nicest way to test. On him and me.....i'd start crying after i testing as well.

So for now i've just got the multiclix aviva lancet and yes at least once a day i use a new lancet and its a 30 gauge. I've tried a few different Shoppers Drug Marts and Walmart looking for a 25-26 gauge lancets but have had no luck, in fact the smallest gauge out of any brand i can find was the 28. i usually just use my nail under his ear to poke against, i've tried paper towel, cotton balls, etc.

So i guess i will try rubbing his ears while warming at the same time. In awhile, i don't want to totally stress him out today. I guess i'll have to try tomorrow to get a curve.

I'll let you all know how it goes when i try later to test him.
 
Tracy & Leo said:
So for now i've just got the multiclix aviva lancet and yes at least once a day i use a new lancet and its a 30 gauge.
Click to expand...


The MultiClix didn't work so well for me. The SoftClix worked much better. You can try nother lancet device to see if that helps. If you call AccuChek customer service, you can ask if you could try the SoftClixk since the MultiClix isn't working well enough. Do not tell them that you are using it on a cat. Or just go to the pharmacy and pick up a lancet device and lancets to go with it.

The rice sock needs to be really really warm but not so hot that it burns your cat's ear. If you can comfortably hold it in your hand for 10 seconds, then it's warm enoug. Apply the warm rice sock to your cat's ear for a minute if you can so the blood really gets flowing. Then hold the rice sock under the ear for support and firmly press the other side with the lancet device (or lancet if you are freehanding) and prick. Try a higher lancet evice depth setting until you find the magic setting that will give you a good blood drop. If you get a gusher, no worries :smile: Get some blood onto the test strip and hold a tissue to the ear to help stop the bleeding.

If one ear just won't bleed, try the other ear. You can also try a paw pad.
 
If you see a tiny bead, but not enough for a test, you can try milking the ear - run your fingers towards the bead and often you can encourage a bit more blood to emerge. Also, when you approach the blood with the test strip, run with the hair, not against it. This will scoop up any blood that has seeped out into the fur.

The main tricks seem to be warming, massaging, milking and a big enough lancet. The smaller numbers are the bigger lancets and make a little bigger hole.
 
Thanks for the info Squeem3, i think i will try calling aviva to get a new lancet device.

And BTW, no luck tonight so i just gave him his shot blindly. Not a good idea i know but i tried the multiclix lancet device and the 28 gauge lancet and still nothing......i'm starting to get frustrated. I warmed and massaged both ears for more than a few minutes and still nothing, all i got was a tiny drop and it wasn't enough for my meter. I even tried it on my finger and it worked fine. I wonder if me not being able to get blood out of his ears is because of the polysporin i'm using?? Its a triple action with pain relief and i've been using it since Friday. I'm reaching here i know, but i just don't know why i can't get any blood.
 
Hi Tracy & Leo,

The ear never worked for me. Poor Junior was a feline pin cushion. I got no readings and he too was stuffed with treats to cooperate. Out of desperation, I went back to the vet for suggestions and now I have no problems. I take it from the hind paw and find it's so much easier than the ear.

I'm right handed so I sit on the couch and lay my cat across my lap. His head is to my left. My vet recommended that I sit near the left side of the couch so Junior has no place to run, but Junior never runs.

Give your cat a couple of rubs so he's nice and relaxed and when you're ready put your left elbow over his body in case you need to restrain him. Use your left hand to hold his his right hind leg and then prick the paw with your right. Oh, and use your right arm to block the tail from wagging so it doesn't brush up against the droplet.

I don't use the lancets, just the little pin, nice and quick, and then a tissue to stop the bleeding. My vet recommended that you alternate paws (right and left) as well as the different pads on their feet (big pad and the 4 little ones).

The first time I was stressed out and Junior was not happy but now he doesn't seem to mind. I read that the paws may get infected from being in and out of the litter box but we've been lucky that this hasn't happened.

Know that the pin really doesn't hurt. I know because I missed one time and stabbed myself. Doh!
 
I had a much easier time going to a bigger gauge lancet...I could never free hand the lancet and had to use the device. Even though I have the Aviva meter, I use the Relion lancet device (found at Walmart), with the Relion 26g lancets). I could never use the Aviva lancet device, it just didn't work for me. I know my Walmart has the 26g Relion lancets and if yours is all out you can ask them to order some at the pharmacy. I've done that before when they've run out.
 
I would love to use a relion meter, from what i've read you don't need much blood to test on it......but i'm in Canada and we don't have relion meters here :(. It's an american thing i suppose.

But the last few times i've tried to get a bg, its worked! I have to poke him at least a few times but i get it eventually and hopefully it'll just keep getting easier and easier.

I've tried a few times to take blood from Leo's paw pads, never with any luck though, he usually ends up kicking me and smearing blood all over the place, or not enough blood. I'm just a big wimp and think that me taking blood from him hurts, and end up giving up.......I will get the hang of it eventually.

I need to try some new lancets and lancet device.

Thanks everyone for the advice.
 
My cat was just diagnosed on April 1 & I just started testing myself this past Friday. I'm having the same problem. I have ended up getting blood everytime but she is really mad at me! I have the Relion meter & it just takes a tiny drop but I could NOT get anything with the lancet device that came with it, and I have the 26 gage Lancets. I'm wondering if I was missing altogether since it's such a narrow spot on the edge of the ear. I couldn't really tell where I was aiming. I have started to just use the lancets free hand but I know I'm poking her too hard & she fusses at me. I was wondering about trying a different type of lancet device. This has been the hardest part! She doesn't even realize I'm giving her the shot! She got so mad at me Sat. night she drew blood from me! LOL!
 
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