Lancing from back of ear?

[Bear's Mama]

Hi,
I'm also lancing from the back and sampling from the back when Im checking Boris. For almost a year he wouldn't let me near his ears at all. Now, I still have to bribe him with chicken breast otherwise I can't get him to cooperate. He also hates it when I try to warm his ear with my fingers and stuff like that so i hardly do it. I use 28 gauge lancets ('everpaw' from amazon, for cats and dogs), since thinner lancets didn't produce blood at all. If the weather is cooler (and therefore also his ears) I just have to hold onto him longer and wait for a sufficient drop, sometimes poking him twice in almost the same spot helps... then you can pick up the two little blood drops with the strip and together they are enough for a reading.
If Pumpkin is food motivated (like Boris), I would recommend trying to get her used to testing with some type of edible compensation, and not using a strategy of 'surprising' her (although it can work in the short run).

HI Nava,
sounds like you have had a difficult road with Boris, and I am now having with my Bear. He is a fighter and wants NOTHING to do with testing. I have been trying the lest 10 days and gotten no blood at all. He has warm ears but I rub anyway, I was afraid i wasn't hitting his ear or missing completely, but i ch. the lancet and there is red on it, just no blood from Bear. I even ch myself and it pokes me just fine
I thought maybe you could give me some pointers. I am using his lay down time in his bed, since he is not a cat that will let me pick him up, cuddle or anything like that. I have no way of holding him once i try and miss... he is a goner! i scratch him and rub his belly and he is relaxed and as soon as he sees the lancet he is trying to get out of his bed..then i poke and no blood. i grab him and knead the ear and still no blood. he is a hot blooded cat, his ear is warm. i am aiming for the fur part outside vein as suggested. and nothing

Can you help me or get someone else in this convo to suggest anything? I get no answers on here. It's not much help/. Thx! Mary

 

[Bear's Mama]

Further adventures today. Watching the Super Bowl, my wife looks over and notices Pumpkin is drooling. She otherwise seems a little slower than normal but still very alert. But, with no successful tests in a few days, we’re a bit worried. I try testing, she’s pulling away as soon as I brush anywhere near the ear. Give a couple pieces of kibble, wait 10 minutes, try again, same result. Repeat, same result.

I’m getting more concerned that I won’t get a test in before her next shot is due, so I resort to something I haven’t done in years: the purrito. Pumpkin is not happy, but once she’s wrapped up she lets me hold the ear in place and get the lancet in. Nice big drop of blood. I’ve learned my lesson so I put my finger on it. The meter barely made a dent in the drop I picked up.

358.

So much more reassuring than trying to divine blood glucose from behavioral symptoms.

Jacques how do you get the blood on your finger please? smear it on or get a blob of blood? Since i haven't gotten ANY, I am planning on grabbing it with my finger but don't know what that looks like.
Thank you! I have thrown many ??? on here for you tonight, as I read thru your conversations. Mary