I GOT IT! Blood glucose!

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monty_dweezil (GA)

monty_dweezil (GA)

Member Since 2014
I decided I had a funny feeling I may have success today, getting Dweezy's ear by myself, alone. Dweezil was relaxing on the dining table and in a good position. He was letting me stroke his ears, kind of massaging them, and I could clearly see that "magic vein".

I got the treats ready, and the other stuff. Came back to him...stroked his ears...he didn't like the cotton wool makeup remover pad being held in his ear but he remained lying down and I didn't have to use any other restraint except to gently hold his ear / head slightly to keep his ear in place. I poked gently...nothing. No reaction from Dweezil either. I poked again, harder. Reaction from Dweezil. He got up, started to scratch at his ear with his foot. I could see bits of blood flying everywhere as he did this and I shoved the glucometer strip at his poor bleeding ear.

TOO MUCH BLOOD THIS TIME! lol. I had to get a new strip because the original one had too much blood on it and didn't work!

I got a new strip, put it in. By now, Dweezil was on the floor, there were little blood droplets on the dining table and on his fur, as well as quite a lot on me. I STILL managed to get enough on the strip for a proper reading. YAY!!!

17.6 (316) which is 45 minutes before his insulin dose for tonight with dinner. So this should be the highest number.

So...yeah. I did TRY to hold the cotton wool to his ear so it would stop bleeding quicker and not bruise, but he wouldn't let me anywhere NEAR that ear!!

He then ate some treats. Played in the kitchen sink under the water (I managed to clean his ear off a bit), and is now relaxing again. I am shaken, but relieved.

But I can tell you...I honestly don't know if he will EVER let me near his ears again!! And certainly not in just a few hours!

Wow. Blood.
 
That is fantastic news. Well done. :):):)

Have you tried heating the ear with abit of rice in a sock?. You just to warm to in the microwave do it isn't too hot and then what I do is make a fuss on remi rubbing his chin the top of his head all the whole holding the rice sock near to and touching his ear.

Hopefully give him and hour or two and he won't remember. Then go for the other ear the next time.
 
Thank you! He's fine now, an hour later. He ate his dinner as normal and is now stretched out on the coffee table.

Uh...but when i gave him his insulin, he was very reactive. He's never been like that before. As soon as i touched his neck scruff area, he ducked down and started breathing heavily. I HAD to do it, so i stroked him firmly and reassuringly and then took the neck skin again and did the shot. But as i was doing it, he moved sharply to the side and swivelled his head around, making a slight hissing sound.

I always stroke the area and say what a good boy he is afterwards, and i also do this so i can make sure i didn't do a fur shot. Today i was pleased and a bit surprised to not smell or feel any insulin on my hand, but later i smelt some. Was it a fur shot? Will he never be easy to inject again? :(
 
Well done! :D The first time getting blood is the worst by far. It sounds as though Dweezil is similar to Rosa - I can get the test done easily enough if I just let her sit there while I do it. Restraining her is out - it makes her growl and fight. I think it reminds her of being at the vet. Was he maybe upset by how much he bled? It is easy to stop the bleeding if he'd just let you apply a little pressure to it. I use a piece of very soft kitchen towel with Rosa instead of cotton wool - for some reason she hates cotton wool anywhere near her, I have no idea why. It might be worth trying something like that - maybe he doesn't like cotton wool either.
 
It might - who knows what's really going on in a cat's head most of the time? I just know Rosa won't have the stuff anywhere near her for no reason that I can think of - it just made me wonder if he might be the same and that might have been his main problem with the whole thing.
 
Well done getting a blood sample from Dweezil :) :)

Sometimes when I do Squiggles especially if I've got no help & have to hold her still ,she reacts , turns her head round & glares at me, !
 
Oooh, the glare!!! Heheh.

I got two cat smiles from Dweezy just before, and he came to me for chin snuggles, so at least he doesn't hate me!
 
Cotton wool is fuzzy and has stray fibers which may tickle.
I use a folded up tissue - no stray fibers to tickle.
 
Yayyyyyyy! It does get easier. Keep up with the treats, they help tons. Now Hidey LOVES test time and honestly Hidey's diagnosis of diabetes has built a strong bond between us. Now he's even become a lap kitty which he's never been lol. I know it sounds cruel but sometimes I would check Hidey's bg when he was sleeping. He'd be curled up on the back of the couch napping and I'd get everything together and go check his bg. I wouldn't have to worry about warming the ear because it was already warm from him napping, and very easy to get blood.
 
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