Meter recommendations

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pat121

pat121

Member Since 2016
Apologies if there is another thread on this. It's WAY too early for me (night person) to focus yet or even think.

Vet tech arrived before 6am (cat thought we were crazy too to be up so early) to test and administer insulin. wE WILL do this until my body is awake at 5am (this could take a while) and ready to deal with this.

She tried to get enough blood for my own meter, and we used up quite a few strips. Beau was getting unhappy at her pricking his little ear (first time) until we got enough blood to make my own meter work.

I have seen several meters mentioned, but what I want is one that needs the least amount of blood. I'm wanting comfort right now, as opposed to expense.

Can you tell me what you use, and if you have had success with just needing a tiny amount of blood (like one lancet prick).
 
The Relion Confirm or Micro meter from WalMart take the tiniest sample of any meter at .03 microleter (about the size of a pinhead) and the strips have a "wicking action" that pulls the blood into the strips quickly

They are favorites around here

Edited to add:
What you may want to try is a larger size lancet...most lancets, especially the ones that come with the lancet devices are 33 gauge which make a very very tiny hole

If you go with a larger gauge lancet like 25-28 gauge, it makes a bigger hole (the lower the gauge number, the bigger the "hole" it makes)....they're called "Alternate test site" lancets

Also, make sure the ear is warm. A small pill bottle filled with warm water or a small sock with a couple teaspoons of rice (and microwaved) are easy ways to warm the ear and bring better blood flow to the ears

As you poke more and more, new capillaries will grow in and it'll get much easier...we call it "learning to bleed"
 
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Many of us use the Walmart Relion Confirm or Confirm Micro which uses a tiny blood drop AND is inexpensive with reasonably priced test strips.
It is identical to the Arkray Glucocard 01 avalable at www.adwdiabetes.com one of the web vendors of diabetes supplies with decent prices on many diabetes items.
All the reference documents here use values for human glucometers.
 
I checked the alphatrak (something like that) and it sounded difficult to set up. I don't need "difficult' right now. I think this is what I will be getting. My meter just seemed to want more blood than h is little ear was willing to donate. Thanks.
 
The Alphatrak is pretty pricey at around $1 per test strip. Testing just 3 times a day will run about $90 a month.
We test before we shoot to make sure it is safe to give insulin and when possible, during the middle of the period between shots to make sure the glucose does not go too low mid-cycle.
 
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I want (like all of us) what is best for the cat, BUT also something I can afford, since this will be a long process (and remission hopeful, but i know it might not happen). I think for various reasons, the Relion is where I'm going. Amazon is fast, but if I let them run out, we're talking two days. Walmart is around the corner pretty much, and if most of you use the Relion, then I feel comfy.

It was a juggling act today. It took too long to get blood, so the meter "expired" and we had to "reboot" it. in that little bit of time, the blood was a problem again, but again, first time testing (and sorry to ramble, but i tend to do that). I am sure, like I'm sure I'm repeating, that once that little ear gets the drift, it will become easier. Beau is VERY good, but the pricking was bugging him, and he did not want to sit still. Also, I think for me, putting him in between my legs will be better than him being on the kitchen counter. He associates being in my lap with being loved, but not so much on the counter.

Just still overwhelmed with questions, and the fact that I'm not sure of what I'm doing, and all that goes with this.
 
Relion is the Walmart brand
Confirm and Confirm Micro are the meter names (unbranded, they are called the Glucocard 01 and 01 Mini)

Just take it 1 step at a time - first is testing, for safety.
 
walmart it is. amazon carries them, but not eligible for Prime (2 days shipping), so I will buggy on up the street and get it sunday as planned. at least we have my meter to test for now. not ideal, but it works.
 
I will. I get mine free for now, but that is likely to change soon, and I just think a good idea to keep them separate May take a break today from reading about it. I do love my baby, but need a tiny break from it all. and he loves when i lay on the bed with him cuddled up to me, and no computer to interfere.
 
I use Relion Prime. It takes about a half a drop of blood. I can usually get all of the blood in one prick but sometimes when I know he's dehydrated I will do two tiny pricks side by side and wick up what I can get out of both of them to make the meter work. The test strips for that are $19 for 100 strips.
 
pat121 said:
It was a juggling act today. It took too long to get blood, so the meter "expired" and we had to "reboot" it. in that little bit of time, the blood was a problem again.
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I put the strip in the meter without pushing it all the way in before I poke Ben's ear. When a drop of blood beads up, I scoop it up with my thumbnail. Then push in the strip to "start" the meter. It gives me time to get the blood I need and I'm not trying to line up a testing strip with a wiggly cat ear. It works well for me except for those times that I have black or dark nail polish on.
 
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my tech had a difficult time today with him on the counter and me holding him, and she does this often. i think maybe once i have him, and we're on the sofa and he's being cuddled, and the needle is on a table beside the sofa, and that ear is bleeding more readily, it will be better. i was told today that it's better to test urine, but i think the ear (even if it does hurt a little) is probably best. i'm also told by a friend that her cat only gets tested when they travel and he stays at the vet.

i just hope that relion prime/confirm is not difficult to program. THAT is not my thing for sure.
 
Hi,

Not sure whether the vet tech told you to smear a thin film of Vaseline over the test area. This really helps because the blood droplet beads up instead of wicking into the fur and it's much easier to get enough for the test strip. Warming the ear for a bit longer than you think might be necessary really helps in the early days of testing. As you continue to test more capillaries will form at the test sites and that will make it much quicker and easier to get reliable blood samples - usually on the first poke. :)

You and Beau will find a testing routine that suits both of you. Things get better with practice and you'll find little tweaks as you go along. In case you've not seen these yet, here are some very helpful forum stickies:

Home testing links and tips

Testing and injecting tips (really helpful ear diagram here)



Mogs
.
 
You'll probably want to either get the Relion Confirm or Micro.....the strips are a little higher ($35.88 per 100) than the Relion Prime ($18/100) but it's well worth the difference to be able to use the smaller sample size on new ears

Once his ears "learn to bleed", you can always go back and get the Prime meter to save even more on strips if you want. The meter's are only about $15 so having more than one won't break the bank (and it's a good idea to have a backup meter anyway)

There's no programming involved with the Relion meters except for setting the date/time at the beginning....after that you just do the tests. It will hold 30 days worth of test results automatically
 
Chris & China said:
You'll probably want to either get the Relion Confirm or Micro.....the strips are a little higher ($35.88 per 100) than the Relion Prime ($18/100) but it's well worth the difference to be able to use the smaller sample size on new ears

Once his ears "learn to bleed", you can always go back and get the Prime meter to save even more on strips if you want. The meter's are only about $15 so having more than one won't break the bank (and it's a good idea to have a backup meter anyway)

There's no programming involved with the Relion meters except for setting the date/time at the beginning....after that you just do the tests. It will hold 30 days worth of test results automatically
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I am using my own meter now (free strips), but it does need a little more blood. Tomorrow, a trip to WalMart for the Relion, which she recommends. I will have her coming twice a day until those ears bleed readily, and then if I'm still not good with the testing thing, we will go a few times a week to the Vet and have it done there. I do want to learn how to test, and get comfy, even tho' this Vet says I really do NOT need to test him now, or that often. As we get into this, and numbers change as he gets more insulin and different food, then I will just do what I have to do. I guess no one promised us a rose garden.
 
Your vet is mistaken.about testing.
Testing helps you keep your cat safe!
You test before a shot to make sure the glucose is high enough to give insulin and, when possible, you get mid-cycle tests to make sure the glucose doesn't get too low (which can be very quickly fatal!)
 
BJM said:
Your vet is mistaken.about testing.
Testing helps you keep your cat safe!
Click to expand...

I completely agree with BJ. I wonder if the case arose where your vet had a child who was diabetic, would she give insulin to her child without doing blood glucose checks to make sure it was safe?


Mogs
.
 
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The alpha is expensive, so I'm buying the Relion tomorrow. However, I do want a back up, and not mine, so getting the Alpha Wednesday from the Vet, and will make sure when I/we test, that we make note of which meter we used.
 
pat121 said:
The alpha is expensive, so I'm buying the Relion tomorrow. However, I do want a back up, and not mine, so getting the Alpha Wednesday from the Vet, and will make sure when I/we test, that we make note of which meter we used.
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I plan to do this also - I've been using the AlphaTrak2 and love it but the strips are way too expensive since I test a lot. The AlphaTrak was recommended by our vet but they only wanted testing once a day which is not enough for my little guy. I was thinking about the Relion Prime but would the micro or confirm mentioned above be a better choice. I will keep the AlphaTrak to verify and as backup meter etc.
 
I need to read more when my brain can handle more, but seems like the micro might be better for beginners? Maybe needs less blood for those that are not readily donating the blood?

I am checking the thread yet again later on today to see which is the most used/recommended, but I figure meters are fairly cheap, so buy one and check it out and use those strips and then move on to another. For myself, I think I tossed 4-5 meters (with expired strips) when I moved. Forgot to watch expirations dates.
 
Yvonne and Andy said:
I plan to do this also - I've been using the AlphaTrak2 and love it but the strips are way too expensive since I test a lot. The AlphaTrak was recommended by our vet but they only wanted testing once a day which is not enough for my little guy. I was thinking about the Relion Prime but would the micro or confirm mentioned above be a better choice. I will keep the AlphaTrak to verify and as backup meter etc.
Click to expand...

I just bought the micro in January. Easy to set up (just date and time). You can lower the beep sound or turn it off. Best of all no coding or control tests (not that it's hard). Micro is narrow and fits in hand easier. And it was the only one Wal-Mart had on the self that day. I'm very pleased. A few more $$ in my pocket.
 
Woodsywife said:
I just bought the micro in January. Easy to set up (just date and time). You can lower the beep sound or turn it off. Best of all no coding or control tests (not that it's hard). Micro is narrow and fits in hand easier. And it was the only one Wal-Mart had on the self that day. I'm very pleased. A few more $$ in my pocket.
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Thank you for the feedback. I plan to order shortly online - none available in local stores.
 
pat121 said:
I want (like all of us) what is best for the cat, BUT also something I can afford, since this will be a long process (and remission hopeful, but i know it might not happen). I think for various reasons, the Relion is where I'm going. Amazon is fast, but if I let them run out, we're talking two days. Walmart is around the corner pretty much, and if most of you use the Relion, then I feel comfy.

It was a juggling act today. It took too long to get blood, so the meter "expired" and we had to "reboot" it. in that little bit of time, the blood was a problem again, but again, first time testing (and sorry to ramble, but i tend to do that). I am sure, like I'm sure I'm repeating, that once that little ear gets the drift, it will become easier. Beau is VERY good, but the pricking was bugging him, and he did not want to sit still. Also, I think for me, putting him in between my legs will be better than him being on the kitchen counter. He associates being in my lap with being loved, but not so much on the counter.

Just still overwhelmed with questions, and the fact that I'm not sure of what I'm doing, and all that goes with this.
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I am new to all this too. I had a tech at the vets office go through the steps of testing with me. She has a sugar cat and a sugar dog. I was trying to get blood from my Sugarbaby ear or front paw and couldn't get enough blood. She told me the easiest place to do the test is on the hind foot largest pad. I gently pinch the pad and pump it a couple times, then stick him with the lancet and I get enough blood for the test. I do have to lay him between my legs cause he doesn't like being tested. But that's what has been the best for me. Just a suggestion for you.
I too am still going through the a lot of questions and confusion. The people here have been very supportive and helpful so don't hesitate to ask for help.
 
She just left and suggested we may stop, because Beau is now running from me in mornings. However, it's been difficult to get enough blood for my meter. I hope the Relion will be easier, and he will volunteer blood more readily soon. Today it worked better, and he was fine. This is just Day 3 for him. I would rather him run a little in the mornings, and be a little afraid knowing taht she's coming or that I will test him, and not have him crash. At any rate, I will talk to doctor about our plan on Wednesday and see waht he thinks. I'm not a morning person, either, but maybe getting up an extra half hour early and rubbing that ear will help him, and relax him. I'm rushing in mornings (getting up about 15 min. before she arrives at 6:30) and that might not be ideal either.
 
The start of home testing can be quite traumatic for both kitty and human. Using a meter that takes less blood is a great first step. If you try to remain calm :)) ) and set up a regular routine followed by some sort of favourite low carb treat and lots of cuddles, the experience becomes easier. When I started I was stressed which my kitty could pick up on....he howled and I cried and I was sure it would never work. Now he will walk to his test mat area on his own and waits to be tested. He is VERY food motivated and that works well for me. In time the ears will actually "learn" to bleed easier and the whole process will become common place.



I am able to test my kitty with only one eye open and my brain only half-awake ;)
 
I am going to try just getting up earlier and waking up and cuddling him first. There is no time for this right now, and this is a cuddle bunny. I rush to get food out (his numbers are now at 400 rather than 500) so he will have some prior to her coming. I get out the insulin. I heat my coffee. I know an extra 1/2 hour will give me time to heat his food, but also time to snuggle and hold him and rub his head and ears and talk to him. She's afraid he won't want to come to me. He does NOT like being picked up at all, and never has. You do't hold him in your arms. He will lay on your tummy or beside you. He wants to stand at your feet and have his head rubbed. Just don't grab him and hold him in your arms. He is now waking up and seeing mommy stumble around and no time for him, because taht 15 min. goes fast. lol

I do think the new meter will help. Mine is supposed to need a little bit of blood, but i've had that problem myself in testing my blood. I hope the Micro will make things easier, and I should have done that immediately.
 
While you work on home glucose testing, check my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for some assessments which will give you clues on how your cat is doing.
 
pat121 said:
I am going to try just getting up earlier and waking up and cuddling him first. There is no time for this right now, and this is a cuddle bunny. I rush to get food out (his numbers are now at 400 rather than 500) so he will have some prior to her coming. I get out the insulin. I heat my coffee. I know an extra 1/2 hour will give me time to heat his food, but also time to snuggle and hold him and rub his head and ears and talk to him. She's afraid he won't want to come to me. He does NOT like being picked up at all, and never has. You do't hold him in your arms. He will lay on your tummy or beside you. He wants to stand at your feet and have his head rubbed. Just don't grab him and hold him in your arms. He is now waking up and seeing mommy stumble around and no time for him, because taht 15 min. goes fast. lol

I do think the new meter will help. Mine is supposed to need a little bit of blood, but i've had that problem myself in testing my blood. I hope the Micro will make things easier, and I should have done that immediately.
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Maybe an extra 15-30 minutes will give you the time to get organized and do a little cuddle time before you have to do the test. Every kitty has their favourite "treat" whether it is food or cuddles. My guy lays on his mat for the ear poke and lays on his side for the shot. We have our routine and he follows it..or reminds me what I should do. This morning I had to stall after testing and he looked at me like "where is my shot??" Kitties are quite adaptable.
 
BJM said:
While you work on home glucose testing, check my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for some assessments which will give you clues on how your cat is doing.
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I think he's doing MUCH better. He was lethargic (he's also anemic) the first day or so. He doesn't play much (never did), but he's now interested in looking out his window and looking in closets and anything that looks different. He played with my glucose tester when I put it on the bed. He still wants to be stuck up me all the time, but that's normal. Sugars were around 470, and today it was 390. I will do what the Vet says (for now), but I do think the testing is important, and absolutely once his sugars get lower and I need to make sure he doesn't "crash"
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
Maybe an extra 15-30 minutes will give you the time to get organized and do a little cuddle time before you have to do the test. Every kitty has their favourite "treat" whether it is food or cuddles. My guy lays on his mat for the ear poke and lays on his side for the shot. We have our routine and he follows it..or reminds me what I should do. This morning I had to stall after testing and he looked at me like "where is my shot??" Kitties are quite adaptable.
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I do think the meter will help. He is placed on the counter for her, but once I take over, I think on the sofa between my legs. We will figure that out. When you are pricked 5-6 times, you are not happy. This is new to him. He still wants to be with me, but he no longer runs to greet her when she arrives. He went under the bed today, and i pushed his behind, and he went directly to her, so not that scared I'd say
 
pat121 said:
I do think the meter will help. He is placed on the counter for her, but once I take over, I think on the sofa between my legs. We will figure that out. When you are pricked 5-6 times, you are not happy. This is new to him. He still wants to be with me, but he no longer runs to greet her when she arrives. He went under the bed today, and i pushed his behind, and he went directly to her, so not that scared I'd say
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Once you find the right spot for testing that will make it so much easier. My guy does NOT want to be up high on anything. For him a mat on the floor with all my test equipment on a table next to a bright light and he is fine. As you said this is all new right now, but it will soon become routine. ;)
 
She is tall, so the counter works. I haven't tried yet, because I am frankly scared to death. However, after I get this meter, and before the possibility of the Vet saying to cease testing twice daily, I want to learn. I really know that I will be able to do it, and maybe on the sofa with her watching. I also think he will be better with just me, and the few minutes it might take me to get him calm won't matter in terms of the insulin being 12 hours apart.

She was just worried today, I hope, that he and I were not bonding any longer. If this computer had sound on this post, you would hear him at my feet purring as loud as can be.

I would prefer NOT to test, but it's inconvenient and scarey. Scarier is losing him because I'm lazy.
 
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pat121 said:
She is tall, so the counter works. I haven't tried yet, because I am frankly scared to death. However, after I get this meter, and before the possibility of the Vet saying to cease testing twice daily, I want to learn. I really know that I will be able to do it, and maybe on the sofa with her watching. I also think he will be better with just me, and the few minutes it might take me to get him calm won't matter in terms of the insulin being 12 hours apart.

She was just worried today, I hope, that he and I were not bonding any longer. If this computer had sound on this post, you would hear him at my feet purring as loud as can be.

I would prefer NOT to test, but it's inconvenient and scarey. Scarier is losing him because I'm lazy.
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My first vet was against home-testing. She didn't last long!! My second vet was worried that I might be stressing out my kitty with all the testing I do. I told her that he went to the test area on his own and actually purred through testing ( in anticipation of food or treats I am sure ) so she said to just go ahead.

The first few weeks after diagnosis I wasn't really testing since I was never shown how and had a hard time even with watching videos. I cringe when I think back to that time. My kitty has other health concerns but this morning was a prime example of why home testing is important. I use the mmol/l with the AT meter. Last night at +6 he was 15.1(272 US). I gave some food and went to bed. This morning at test time ( I tested 3 times to be sure) he was 2.0 (36 US). I f I was just shooting without testing I could have pushed him into a worse hypo. You never know when a kitty's body is going to react differently for some unknown reason. That is why home testing is SO important and I am glad to hear that you are going to continue regardless of what the vet says. :)
 
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I am going to test, but just need to figure it out. I do think tech was worried since he ran and hid, but afterward, was patting her leg to be loved. And he did go to her after I pushed him a little. He is hurting and I know that. BUT, to me, better to hurt than be dead. He's new and sugars are still very high, but that will change. It's already changing. I'm sure his diet will also change. She even suggested he might up the dosage, because sugars are so high, and then I know I will REALLY need to test him.

I do agree with the Vet that we probaby did not need to test this first week, but as a diabetic, I do know that my own sugars have gone quickly to 40 (normal is around 87) and I almost passed out. Diet, exercise and other things (this was before insulin for me) do crazy things to diabetics.

She was almost crying the other day because she had to stick him so many times, and she does this for a living. I have assured her that I'm "fine" with the pain he is experiencing, because this is new to all of us, and this is the beginning of Day 3. I have faith that in another week or so, things will calm down; I will be alive and awake at 6am after a few more days; Beau will associate her coming with loving, food, loving, food and then some loving.
 
pat121 said:
I am going to test, but just need to figure it out. I do think tech was worried since he ran and hid, but afterward, was patting her leg to be loved. And he did go to her after I pushed him a little. He is hurting and I know that. BUT, to me, better to hurt than be dead. He's new and sugars are still very high, but that will change. It's already changing. I'm sure his diet will also change. She even suggested he might up the dosage, because sugars are so high, and then I know I will REALLY need to test him.

I do agree with the Vet that we probaby did not need to test this first week, but as a diabetic, I do know that my own sugars have gone quickly to 40 (normal is around 87) and I almost passed out. Diet, exercise and other things (this was before insulin for me) do crazy things to diabetics.

She was almost crying the other day because she had to stick him so many times, and she does this for a living. I have assured her that I'm "fine" with the pain he is experiencing, because this is new to all of us, and this is the beginning of Day 3. I have faith that in another week or so, things will calm down; I will be alive and awake at 6am after a few more days; Beau will associate her coming with loving, food, loving, food and then some loving.
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Testing should not hurt. There are very few nerves in the outer edge of the ear:

earpokey_zpsc6584fc3.jpg


If she is hitting the vein that would be more uncomfortable. You just need to hit the capillaries along the edge of the ear. If the ear is properly warmed then she should be able to get a drop of blood large enough for testing. The smaller the sample size needed the better. After poking apply gentle but firm pressure with a kleenex, cotton pad etc to the spot for about 10 seconds. This will prevent excess bleeding and bruising. Some people will put an ointment on afterwards, but that is a personal choice.

Testing is ALWAYS important whether at the start or after months of testing. One of our members here had her kitty on insulin and changed from dry food to all low carb wet food. Her kitty went off insulin within less than a week and if she hadn't have been testing would have had a serious hypo. Every cat is different and testing is the only way to know how your kitty is responding to treatment. Like you said, as a diabetic you understand how unpredictable glucose levels can be sometimes. You know what is happening, but our kitties can't let us know when the numbers are too low and some kitties do not have symptoms at first, even with very low numbers.

ETA: The vet tech with the first vet I had did not do a good job of poking. I had my guy in for a vet curve in the start and his poor ears were bruised and bloody.

Here is a link with tips on hometesting:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
I think what's hurting is that she continues to try to get blood by rubbing, but my meter needs a good amount. I just got the Micro, so going to read that and "program" it and hope that works better for him. He is producing a tiny "dot" of blood, but my finger has to be pricked a few times on occasion to give this sucker enough blood. Hopefully tonite will be easier for all concerned, but especially Beau
 
pat121 said:
I think what's hurting is that she continues to try to get blood by rubbing, but my meter needs a good amount. I just got the Micro, so going to read that and "program" it and hope that works better for him. He is producing a tiny "dot" of blood, but my finger has to be pricked a few times on occasion to give this sucker enough blood. Hopefully tonite will be easier for all concerned, but especially Beau
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Hopefully the micro will work better with the smaller blood sample size. I use the Alpha Trak (pet)and Freestyle Lite (human) meters which only require .3ul size and I rarely have to repoke or "milk" the drop to get enough for a test. Good luck with the new meter!
 
LOVE this new meter (Micro). Tiny little speck of blood and it worked. She has been getting at least that much when she pricks him once, but then the rubbing and pricking over and over is bruising him. I tested myself and just wanted the tiniest little speck of blood, and I got results. I wish I had gotten off my butt in the beginning and gotten it, but I will just move forward now.
 
pat121 said:
LOVE this new meter (Micro). Tiny little speck of blood and it worked. She has been getting at least that much when she pricks him once, but then the rubbing and pricking over and over is bruising him. I tested myself and just wanted the tiniest little speck of blood, and I got results. I wish I had gotten off my butt in the beginning and gotten it, but I will just move forward now.
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:cat: :cat: :cat: Happy dance!!! Testing should be a breeze for you now!!! :woot: :woot:
 
It is killing me right now that he's under the bed hiding from me, rather than being right beside me. I think all of that pricking and rubbing was hurting his little ear. Yep, I think my rubbing him prior and warming it up with "love", and then some treats, and only one little prick and we have blood will be good.
 
Have a low carb treat available and give after each test. Eventually your cat will associate the test with a treat then food after. You can start with just rubbing his ears and scratching his head without poking to get him use to it.
 
I just ordered him his Greenies that he loved so. I just heard those might not be low-carb, so I am sure Vet will tell me on Wednesday about food and treats.

I have the micro, and it says on the test strips that they work in both Micro and Confirm. AT any rate, we will test tonite and if this does not work, back to Walmart
 
pat121 said:
I just ordered him his Greenies that he loved so. I just heard those might not be low-carb, so I am sure Vet will tell me on Wednesday about food and treats.

I have the micro, and it says on the test strips that they work in both Micro and Confirm. AT any rate, we will test tonite and if this does not work, back to Walmart
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There is a sticky of low carb foods and treats you can look at. Pure Bites freeze dried chicken are low and nature variety has raw boost minis that are low carb.
 
Dear Pat121,

Sorry you've been going through all this -- my "baby" girl, Callie (aka, CoCoBean, Beanie) was diagnosed at the end of December with high blood pressure and diabetes. She went blind within about 3 days and it broke my heart (still does). And she had been going to the vet about every 30-60 days last year, as she has either IBD or lymphoma.

Anyway, I live alone, no family left alive, moved to a new city a little over a year ago, and was born with one hand (and losing use of the other) -- bottom-line: I don't have access to help and was a BASKET CASE about testing her glucose!!! I still really dislike doing it, but have come far in a short period. I am also an empath, passionate about never causing anyone pain, and my puddytats are truly my children in this lifetime (didn't have human ones this go-around) -- meaning I do everything possible for their quality of life and comfort. :-)

Two things I want to be sure you're aware of, that have been ESSENTIAL for me and Beanie:
(1) Nevermind Vaseline -- use a (very small amount) of TRIPLE antibiotic gel (Neosporin, or off brand) instead -- it helps the blood bead like Vaseline, but has a very mild pain relief ingredient in it, to help take the "edge"'off a bit. I get a tube of it from a local Dollar Tree for $1. I think Wal-Mart carries an off brand of it for near the same price. Once I've gathered my testing tray of everything I need (including her favorite treats, of course!), putting on the Neosporin is the FIRST thing I do -- that way, it has a bit of time to "work" while I'm getting out the test strip and lining up supplies. Remember -- use just a very tiny amount for a very thin layer -- too much and it can meld with the blood, causing an error reading on the meter. I make this layer probably close to the size of, say, the diameter of an M&M, or a tad larger -- even to help "numb" the area around the pin prick. After I've grabbed the blood sample with the meter strip, I use some clean tissue or a sterile cotton pad to wipe off the blood and Neosporin; I then put a VERY teeny bit (very thin layer again) of fresh Neosporin only on the spot that was pricked.

(2) My vet's office only uses 25-gauge needles for glucose testing kitty's ears; I was horrified initially and insisted on using lancets. I tried two different types of lancet styles for about two weeks, before I threw in the towel -- so many pricks and hardly ever any blood (or enough). And I knew my baby girl felt it, because she shook her head most times. I finally made myself try the needle and ultimately got relatively "comfortable" with it -- done the right way, it is simply more effective (I can describe the method, if you'd like). Perhaps now that her ears are "conditioned" to bleed, lancets would work -- but I refuse to use her as an experimental pin cushion. And I've grown to respect the control of the needle, how visible the tip is and the greater precision with it accordingly.

If any of this is repetitive, or you knew, please disregard. But please let me know if there's anything I can answer or help with -- some nice folks on this board helped me when I first got Beanie's diabetes diagnosis.

Well, I'm off to go get a nadir reading now (ugh -- still, lol). Best wishes to you, Pat121, and your fur baby, Beau!
 
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