Help getting blood

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Sootyca

Sootyca

Member Since 2016
As the title says, Sky is clinging to her blood and we just cannot get any from her without really hurting her.

She is recently diagnosed as diabetic and when I went to the vet to learn how to get the blood from her the nurse couldn't get any out of her ear despite trying 9 or 10 times - she wasn't trying the marginal vein though.

After a couple of days I tried both with and without the lancet (on different settings, with and without the protector, having warmed the ear up) and only managed it through luck using the lancet as a normal needle but made her yowl in the process. On Friday night (the night we had to get her to emergency vet), as harsh as it sounds, I was so worried that I didn't even try the lancet and really messed her ear up through getting the blood. The vet struggled getting blood from her as well through her jugular vein and said she may just be difficult to get blood out of.

Tonight I tried getting it out of her paw pad - she yowled (she is generally good with pain and not crying so it must have been unpleasant) and I still got no blood.

The vet has said not to keep trying but I do worry that I will give her insulin when levels are low. I have no idea how we will know if the insulin levels are right if we don't test but at the moment this is causing her so much stress and making her wary of me that I don't want to keep trying.

Anyone any suggestions, preferably that one person could do without assistance but I do have help if needed!

Karen
 
Sootyca said:
The vet has said not to keep trying
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Ironically that's one thing that usually helps make testing easier. As you keep doing the pokes it encourages more capillaries to form at the test zones and normally it makes it much more likely to get samples.

When I first started testing I was really surprised at just how warm I had to get the ear in order to be successful in getting a blood droplet to test. I heat water in a microwave till it's very warm and then draw some up into the bulb of a plastic pipette. (I use a food bag clip to seal off the pipette tube.) A lot of people here recommend using a rice sock. Both testing aids hold heat long enough to warm the ear properly.

Are you supporting the underside of the ear with some folded tissue or cotton pad?

Are you putting a thin smear of Vaseline on the edge of the ear to help any droplet to bead up ready for sampling?

What gauge lancet are you using?


Mogs
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I have never been able to get a good blood drop from the ear so use the paw pads exclusively - and I do it single handed. It is surprising how long you have to warm the pads for to get a good blood drop, but is it a great time for cuddles. How to is in my signature. Lots of vaseline helps get and keep the pads soft. With a fractious kitty you need to make a kitty burrito but mine is happy to lie there for me and now comes to her test spot to be tested. Always have a designated test spot and give a treat with each attempt - they soon learn.
 
I'm having a very similar issue and that's why I came onto the board this morning to post asking for help poking. My Emmy is still pre-insulin but I'm doing a curve today as requested by the vet to see her normal numbers. However, every two hours have been a total nightmare. I'm having to poke 7-9 times before either getting blood or getting a big enough drop to test. Im using relion micro. My cats ears are PAPER THIN. Her brothers ears are about twice as thick by comparison. and one of my pokes actually went thru her ear and "pierced it" she is completely traumatized (so am I) she won't even come to my voice anymore because she's hiding under the bed.

I could use any tips you can offer? I haven't had any luck trying the vein on the outer rim of the ear, and I think when I basically fold her ear back it hurts her?

How long do you recommend holding the rice sock to warm the ear? Are there any other test sites? How deep are u getting in the ear? Is it bad to test the same exact spot multiple times? I've been trying to move around since she's starting to get bruises ... I didn't know this could feel so bad but I feel completely terrible hurting her emotional trust in me. I wish I could make this process less scary on her.
 
I think I poked through Sky's ear on Friday night - I know it will heal but it made a real mess. I'm glad it's not just me struggling with the blood @Brittney . I thought the worse thing would be injections but the blood is by far the worse.

She's been sat in front of the fire whenever I have tried testing her ears and they have been really warm to touch - she loves heat so is always in front of the fire if it is on. I haven't tried vaseline but I will do - it will surely help if I ever get blood out of her! I really don't want to do her paws - she likes her ears being fussed and tickled (even if I do prod at them) but doesn't like paws being touched. If I had got blood out of her paw tonight I would have continued but I hurt her and got no blood so would rather keep with her ears - she was in front of the fire again so was toasty warm!

I think the more I try and the more I can't do it the more stressed I get which then transmits to her. My vet has suggested applying a cream which heats the ear which I will pick up this week - I'm happy to give anything a go but just want something to work without hurting her. Everything online shows it to be really easy and relatively pain free! My only consolation is that the vet struggled as well so it's not just me!
 
Is there anything wrong with using the marginal veins? I have been drawing some from the sides of it, haven't had a lot of blood flow coming from it, just the tiny little drop enough to do the test, so thats worked for me, but Im not sure if it's wrong?
 
I totally get it and I do agree the testing is far worse and harder than the shooting.

I've been able to get some samples but certainly not as I should

In the mean time I 'm able to do it, what I've done is I got some strips to test glucose and also ketones of course in the urine and I'm testing Babu several times during the day. I know is not ideal and and a little risky but I at least get an idea (Babu-Chiri is still having a little high numbers so he is still registering on urine Strips)
 
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