Impossible to Test at Home

[laylamk1]

Hi All,

Some of you may remember me from my story of almost losing my cat Annabelle last week. We've finally got her somewhat stable, but that means a new set of problems. Annabelle is a very feisty cat, and with the return of her strength and feistiness comes problems with testing. I believe one of the reasons she had such a severe crash is that I wasn't testing regularly and couldn't tell when there were signs of trouble with her BG, so I know I need to get this working but it seems completely impossible right now.

Now that she's getting better and we're more or less out of the woods, I really want to start testing regularly and also do a BG curve at home, but it's pretty much impossible to get Annabelle to agree to this. I'll maybe get one good sample, and then after that she knows what's coming and is impossible to test on. She growls, spits, strikes, and twitches when I even touch her with the lancet, and I can't even get a good enough pierce on the ear to get the sample. I wrapped her in a towel tonight to try to do it, but the jerking away of her head was just as bad without her paws going nuts.

I'm literally in tears right now because I want her to be healthy and I know regular testing is an integral part of that, but I've been trying for over two hours, now the curve is jacked up because I'm way past my first two hour increment, and when I tested before her shot the one good sample I got read her at 451mg/dL. Since that's such a critical reading, I've decided to take her to the vet tomorrow and do the full 12-hour curve under their care - she's left me no choice, really - but I still have to be able to test her regularly after that, right? I can't just be stabbing insulin into her back without knowing if it's the right amount.
I would love some tips or a tutorial of some kind that doesn't make it seem so easy because with Annabelle it's not. Are there any other sites I can try other than her ear or paw? Please bear in mind that I do not have anyone who can help me and hold her - I'm operating completely on my own. Thanks in advance for any help - it's so frustrating!

 

[Larry and Kitties]

How are you positioning Annabelle to test her? What I start with uis to sit cross-legged on the floor and the put the cat in my lap. That way I can my elbows to help restrain the cat during testing.

 

[housecats4]

Hi just jumping in here when Trey was first Dx my DH was doing the testing and I was a basket case ....hate needles . He was always telling Trey how sorry he was he had to do this and was stressed himself..lucky for me and Trey he got called away for a few days. Well cried and pulled up my big girl panties ..took lots of deep breaths and never say you are sorry. They feel your mood...you are stressed and sorry then they feel it is wrong and they don`t want it done. You have to be very calm and surround yourself with beautiful white peaceful light. wrap kitty in a towel and say we are going to help you feel better will only be a small pick...do it let her go treat done!!!!! 1st time I tried took 5-6 pokes most never touch the ear was so scared did the above and sap done Trey never felt a thing...shortly after that he became my cat. even today he got up on the table laid on his towel and waited for me...I just throw his towel over his shoulder a comfort thing I guess. Its all about your mood...if you can remain calm and then so will try it what do you have to lose....Hugs and peaceful white light and healing green light surround all you furry one and peeps. Hugss Kath cat(2)_steam Breath breath

 

[SweetAngel]

I'm on my own too, and new to this. Only been testing a few days and lucky that Angel is so good natured, but even so I'm still not great at it.
Kath's advice is great, they do pick up on our moods.
Would it be possible to test her when she's eating, give her something she really loves, then she would associate being tested with getting a treat? That's what I do with Angel if he's being un co operative. Also massage her ears throughout the day so she doesn't think that every time she gets an ear massage she gets a blood sample done too. The other thing I did was to take my glucometer into the vets and get him to walk me through how to test.
I honestly thought I'd never do it but it didn't take long, please don't get discouraged, most people say it takes a week or so before you can get a decent sample and reading. Angel's ears look like I've used them for target practice but he doesn't even feel it.
Good luck x

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

Does Annabelle have a favorite treat? Hopefully low carb. Every time you test reward her with her favorite treat. Freeze dried chicken is one that a lot of cats love. Do not give her the treat except at testing time, even if you are not successful. Soon she will associate testing with getting treats and that will make it easier.

 

[KPassa]

I feel for you! I had such a hard time testing Michelangelo when I first started out because he was NOT cooperative and when he wasn't squirming or wriggling, he was crying or biting. Here's something I wrote up on testing difficult cats that might be of help.

ETA: One more thing I wrote up that might also help is making sure to take your time.