re-using a lance

[jennyb]

how many times is it reasonable to re-use a lance?? I would like to be reasonable and safe at the same time? What do others do?

 

[LynnLee + Mousie]

fwiw, i use one per cat per day.

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

The recommendation is to use them only one.
I use the lancing device that is a little barrel. I am certain I never get it switched out after 6 pokes. Maybe not after 12 if its a heavy poking period. I've never had anything horrible happen or noticed her being bothered any more by it.

 

[Sandy and Brie]

I use it once only. I never reuse needles.

Sandy

 

[Wendy&Tiggy(GA)]

Ok so maybe I am the exception but I reuse the lancets two or three times.. They get dull after that and it makes it hard to do, plus I worry about contamination.

 

[Ry & Scooter]

I tend to use one a day as well. Sometimes I have forgotten to change it for a few days... never been a problem. Scooter's ears always heal fine, even without using Neosporin.

 

[BJM]

Once it is contaminated at use, it can grow infectious organisms.

Are you willing to attempt to sterilize it with a 3% bleach solution which may make it more dull and more irritating?

And if not, is it worth the risk of creating another medical problem such as an infected ear wound?

 

[ladylei]

The tips of lancets are easy to bend and dull very quickly. I'm still new but from looking at the lancets just from once use it is clear to me that it would be best to use a fresh lancet each time.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

I can't remember where I read it, but I read somewhere (a human diabetic website) that you can use lancets twice before they dull enough to cause issues, so that's what I've always done. Never had any issues--it's not likely an infection will be caused by reusing a lancet two or three times, and I use a little neosporin after each poke anyway. The majority of human diabetics reuse their lancets.

Syringes are a different story--you never want to reuse a syringe.

 

[Denise & Honey]

I use them only once - unless I'm re-poking because I didn't get enough blood or something like that.
As well as the dullness issue, I wondered if I could get an inaccurate reading if there was a trace of previously-poked blood on the lancet ???