Sugar testing

[Superroxie]

Hi I'm new here. My car Roxie is 5 years old female fixed tabby cat. She was a abandoned cat we got when she was two from pet store. She was always a bit chunky but when she went from 19 pounds to 15, peeing alot, refusing to eat.i ran her to vet to get a diabetic diagnosed and her sugar was twenty. It's been a few months now, using lantas, royal canin diabetic and fancy feast classic pate and her sugar was 5.1 at vet yesterday with a weight of 12.4. yesterday I went to demo to learn to test her sugar, I warmed the ear, poke the vein, squeeze on each side of hole, and nothing no blood re poked same thing. Vet used my machine and same needles so not equipment. I even tried the pawbeans no blood yet under light you can see the holes in vein and blood. She very anxious and tries to bite. Please help.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Well done wanting to learn to test the blood glucose.
You don’t want to poke the vein, but just beside it.
Are you using a human or a pet meter? and what dose of Lantus are you giving?
I will send you a link with hints.
Are you offering treats each time you try and get a sample? If Roxie is uncooperative, try giving her a treat as you test to distract her.

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

 

[Judy and Freckles]

Hello SuperRoxie (great name! ). Welcome to FDMB. You are at the right spot to gain information, gain support and feel like you are not in this on your own. Please continue to ask questions. We have all been at the start of this sugar dance at one time or another. I'm just wondering what you are using to poke? Are you using the lancing device, just the lancet, needle?

I crumble up a freeze dried chicken treat when I'm testing Freckles and she doesn't even notice what I'm doing (at least that's how she acts!). It takes her a few seconds to lick up the pieces of chicken, but it is enough time to draw a blood droplet.

 

[Gill & Mac (UK)]

Hi and welcome.
The best tips I was given were:
- even when you think you have warmed the ear up warm it a bit more. I use a bit of kitchen paper with hot water added (tested on my hand) put into a plastic food bag so the ear doesn't get wet, others use rice in a sock
- to ditch the lancing tool and go freehand. It takes a bit of getting your nerve up the first times but you can actually see what you are doing better and control the site, angle and strength of the poke. But this is personal choice others prefer the tool
- try to stay calm so Roxie doesn't pick up on any stress - easier said than done I know so I used to sing silly songs to Mac or speak to him in a cheery baby voice the whole time
- finally lots of fusses & praise whether it works or not (and that applies to both of you).

All the best - you'll get there it just takes time & patience.
Gill

 

[Critter Mom]

Here's a helpful video on training techniques. It's for giving injections, but the principles can be applied to home testing:

Mogs
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