Home Testing with Jada

[Tiff Millenbine]

I tried to get a blood sample from Jada several times tonight but to no avail. I am a bit frustrated and so is she so I am going to give it a rest for tonight. I am now doing a 12 hour schedule. I can only hope for the best and I will try again to obtain some blood from her tomorrow.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Tell us what went wrong so we can help. No blood or he won't stay still? We all have tips that helped us. We can help you figure this out.

 

[Tiff Millenbine]

I guess I was either poking in the wrong spot or not hard enough. I watched the video and I got what to do but putting the motions into action by myself was a little more difficult. Any suggestions on getting her to be more still? She is a pretty chill kitty but....Also she has had fluid in one ear before so it is crinkled now, will testing in this ear be okay? I am going to try again tonight so any advice is welcomed.

 

[tuckers mom]

Did you use the warm rice sock? You can add catnip to the rice sock and create an aroma therapy that is soothing also. Are you using a lancet device? You can test in the crinkled ear or the other, whichever is easiest for you.

When I first start testing a new FD that I've adopted I start my pokes towards the bottom of the ear, right above the triangle flap. I find that bleeds the easiest at first.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

When you poke the ear make sure you firmly backup the opposite side of the ear. If you do not the lancet point will deflect the ear instead of the point penetrating the ear.

 

[stan_disuko]

do you use a bit of vaseline on the area to be pricked? i find this makes it way easier to apply the prick and pool up the blood so it doesn't get absorbed in the fur.

eddie has been getting more and more impatient with me, but i'm starting to get the hang of doing the pricks. i use a warm rice sock, vaseline, 25G lancets. I also wait about 10 seconds after the prick to make sure i've got enough blood pooled up before dabbing the test strip.

for keeping him still, i kneel down and back him up between my knees. that way i keep him from backing out and i can easily hold him from moving forward. he's not too happy about it, but food-time comes after the prick so he puts up with the process.