How to Avoid Sore Ears

[Little Bit’s Mom]

Is there a way to avoid making the ears sore from testing? I am using 30 gauge lancets and neosporin ointment with pain relief. I worry about hurting his little ears.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

You arent hurting his ears. Look at ferals their ears are the first to get torn up (way worse than pricks that heal quickly.
Torn up ears barely affect feral cats.

 

[Judy and Freckles]

Just pricking the ears for the blood droplet is not going to hurt him. There are cats on here who have had their ears pricked thousands of times and are just fine - no sore ears. Just alternate ears and location between tests.

 

[Little Bit’s Mom]

Thank you both! That makes me feel much better.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

I alternate between the right and left, inner and outer edges. (Right Outer, Left Outer, Right Inner, Left Inner...)
Some people also use paw pads but my Bandit has yet to complain about painful/sore ears.

I also read that you should avoid the marginal vein since that causes some bruising (and a lot more bleeding).

 

[JanetNJ]

Do what your doing and just avoid the vein. Give the ears a gentle squeeze after a reading so the bleeding stops. No need for neosporin every time unless it's bruised. Move around to different spots and sides along the edge. I've been testing several times a day for 4 years and her ears are fine.

 

[Little Bit’s Mom]

I’ve been staying in the “sweet spot”—will I be able to draw a sample from other places? As long as I stay away from the vein.

 

[Judy and Freckles]

I use to always stay within the "sweet spot" but now I can prick anywhere in about the upper 1/3 of the ear (I use the lancet now) and get ample supply. Also, some glucometers only require a small amount of blood droplet while other require more. Here is some information about the different types of monitors:

http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/2017/2017-cg-blood-glucose-meters.pdf