AlyMcF
Member Since 2014
The first time I used the lancet that came with the AlphaTrak 2, I had no trouble getting a good blood drop from Sketch's ear. In fact it didn't want to stop bleeding for a minute!
Now a week later I must have tried seven times and only once could I even get a tiny drop of blood, and it wasn't enough. I'm always using setting 1 on the lancet, which is the most shallow setting. It worked the first time last week, but not today. Sketch was remarkable patient and only tried to run away once. But I finally gave up.
So I have two questions:
1. Other than rubbing the ears and having a friend shine a light on the back of the ear so I can see a vein, what tips do you have for getting a proper prick and some blood flow? I actually wondered if some of the time I was either not close enough to the ear, or if the ear was folding up on me or otherwise moving out of the way of the prick.
2. Is it ok to use the Lancet more than once if you have simply not gotten and blood at all and might have missed? I found I could remove the lancet and push it back in and then I could use it again, but I wasn't sure if that was a smart idea or not. The one time I did get blood but it wasn't enough, I did swop out for a fresh lancet for the next attempt.
Backstory:
Sketch was diagnosed recently and after switching to low carb canned food, a week of 1U of Lantus and a week of 1/2 U of Lantus, his numbers looked good enough on the vet's day long blood glucose curve she gave me the ok to take him off insulin and see how he does. His last shot was more than 48 hours ago and the water drinking / peeing symptoms have not returned, so I'm not too concerned about him. Still, I need to get a reading one of these days so I can see if he's in remission or not.
Now a week later I must have tried seven times and only once could I even get a tiny drop of blood, and it wasn't enough. I'm always using setting 1 on the lancet, which is the most shallow setting. It worked the first time last week, but not today. Sketch was remarkable patient and only tried to run away once. But I finally gave up.
So I have two questions:
1. Other than rubbing the ears and having a friend shine a light on the back of the ear so I can see a vein, what tips do you have for getting a proper prick and some blood flow? I actually wondered if some of the time I was either not close enough to the ear, or if the ear was folding up on me or otherwise moving out of the way of the prick.
2. Is it ok to use the Lancet more than once if you have simply not gotten and blood at all and might have missed? I found I could remove the lancet and push it back in and then I could use it again, but I wasn't sure if that was a smart idea or not. The one time I did get blood but it wasn't enough, I did swop out for a fresh lancet for the next attempt.
Backstory:
Sketch was diagnosed recently and after switching to low carb canned food, a week of 1U of Lantus and a week of 1/2 U of Lantus, his numbers looked good enough on the vet's day long blood glucose curve she gave me the ok to take him off insulin and see how he does. His last shot was more than 48 hours ago and the water drinking / peeing symptoms have not returned, so I'm not too concerned about him. Still, I need to get a reading one of these days so I can see if he's in remission or not.
. While doing this I kind of pull down on his front legs, pulling blood into his paws and give a little rub on each paw as well. I have to lay him on his side and hold him with my forearm, but I can rub his head with that hand so it keeps him calm.
