Home Glucuse testing

[kitty_queen]

grr_red

My husband and I have been trying for weeks to get a good glucose read at home on our Hawthorne. We've watched the videos, talked to our vet, friends, read through the message board, even been on the phone with the monitor hot line looking for assistance. Between Hawthorne's "cooperation", the monitor, and our likely incompetence we just can't get it done. I need to get a curve reading done on him soon or he's spending a day at the vets which I do not want to happen if I can prevent it. At this point, I'm not feeling as if there is another option. At this point "keep trying", and "just watch the videos" just isn't cutting it. The videos are great but they're by humans who've been doing this for a while and with cats who are obviously accustomed to successful attempts. Hawthorne and I don't fall into that category. I'm frustrated, Hawthorne's little ears and toes are look like he's got a heroine problem, and my husband is just stressed. HELP!

Is there anyone in the Providence area willing/able to make a house call and help us?

Heather, aka Hawthorne's Mom/"tormentor"
Smithfield, RI

 

[Arienna]

If poor Hawthorne's ears have been repeatedly perforated... are you just having troubles getting the blood on the strip?

 

[BJM]

1) If you absolutely must get blood, aim for the vein. It is likely to bleed profusely, so snag a droplet on a clean fingernail and blot quickly, or he'll shake his head and it'll spatter everywhere (been ther, cleaned that)

2) see my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for some other assessments you can make to evaluate progress. There is an older, slower protocol using water consumed, and urine glucose and ketone testing to monitor progress and slowly adjust insulin dose.
- Ketones show up with not enough insulin, usually if infection is present.
- Glucose shows up in the urine if the level is above the renal threshold; again, suggests not enough insulin.

 

[KPassa]

Here are some more Home Testing Tips that you might find helpful.

 

[Jen&Eddie]

Are you getting any blood? Not enough blood to register on the meter? Meter error problems? Cat cooperation problems? Can you describe where in the process you are encountering difficulties?

 

[Deb & Wink]

Please you go back and edit your very first post, by clicking on the little Edit box to the right of your subject line.

Change the subject line to include "help needed Smithfield RI", you may get more responses.

 

[Shawna & Davidson (GA)]

what gauge lancet are you using.........the higher the number the thinner the needle so maybe use 28