If your aiming for the "sweet spot", there aren't many nerve endings there so you're not hurting kitty...most problems come out of them just not wanting anybody fooling with their ears period. To get them used to it, pick one place in your home that will be your "testing site"...put your supplies there, take the cat to this place and just rub their ears..even if it's only for a split second, they get a yummy reward (like boiled chicken or freeze dried chicken if they like it)....the more you do this, the more they associate that one place with something good and not anything bad. When you do start to actually stick, never stick more than 3 times...if you still can't get it, go ahead and give the treat, and walk away and try again later.
As funny as it sounds, most of our cats now come when they're called to get tested, or start bugging us when we're late!!
Diabetes is a scary disease, but what I've found during our time on this dance that the relationship between me and my sugarcat has grown so much closer! It's a very special relationship you'll enjoy too!!
Picture of sweet spot
Here are some glucose reference ranges used for decision making using glucometers. Human glucometer numbers are given first. Numbers in parentheses are for non-US meters. Numbers in curly braces are estimates for an AlphaTrak.
< 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) {< 70 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- Treat as if HYPO if on insulin
- At nadir (lowest point between shots) in a long term diabetic (more than a year), may earn a reduction.
< 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L) {< 80 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- If before nadir, steer with food, ie, give modest amounts of medium carb food to keep from going below 50 (2.8).
- At nadir, often indicates dose reduction is earned.
50 - 130 mg/dL (2.8 - 7.2 mmol/L) {80 - 160 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- On insulin - great control when following a tight regulation protocol.
- Off insulin - normal numbers. (May even go as low as the upper 30s (1.7 mmol/L){60s for an AlphaTrak}; if not on insulin, this can be safe.
> 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) {> 180 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- At nadir, indicates a dose increase may be needed when following a tight regulation protocol.
200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) {230 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- no shot level for beginners; may slowly reduce to 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) {180 mg/dL} for long-acting insulins (Lantus, Levemir, and ProZinc) as data collection shows it is safe
180 - 280 mg/dL (10 - 15.6 mmol/L) {may be 210 - 310 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}- Any time - The renal threshold (depending on data source and cat's renal function) where glucose spills into the urine.
- Test for ketones, glucose is too high.
>= 280 mg/dL (15.6 mmol/L) {may be >=310 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}, if for most of the cycle between shots
- Uncontrolled diabetes and thus at risk for diabetic ketoacidosis and hepatic lipidosis
- Follow your insulin protocol for dose adjustments
- Test for ketones; if more than a trace level of ketones, go to vet ASAP.
, you used the term "nadir". What is that
The nadir is the time in each cycle where Lantus is working it's BEST..the lowest BG reading of that cycle.....usually between +5 and +8...but even that can vary from cycle to cycle
