Tried for the first BG test...and failed! =(

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Mina&Tigress

Mina&Tigress

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My baby was diagnosed with FD on 3/31/12, was prescribed Lantus and started injections yesterday 4/1/12. She's currently on 1u BID. Today was the first attempt at taking her BG. I set up the glucometer and read all the tips and tricks again for good measure. I tried pricking her ear several times, and no blood! She jumped each time I pricked with with the lancet and I felt horrible. Her ear was warm and I hit the sweet spot but no blood! I don't want to hurt her...what can I do??
 
Give her lots of love and a treat for the test.

I often don't get blood just from the prick, but have to gently rub my finger (in one direction, over and over) on the other side of the ear (the side you did not poke, but under where you poked) to try to "milk" the blood to come out and bead up.
I often have to remind myself to be patient, as it can take 10 long seconds or more, for blood to show and start to form a bead, and then more seconds before it's big enough for a test.

Always, give her treats and love, after each test, failed or not. Eventually, they start to associate the testing with something good.
 
I did try to give some treats but no luck. I read on some other posts about freeze dried treats? I didn't see any at Petsmart, anyone know the best place to pick some up? I want to be able to give her something she likes but won't mess with her glucose. I'm going to try again in a little while. Let her rest a little.
 
What gauge lancets are you using? If you're using the ones that come with the meter, they're usually really thin (30-33g). You want to use something around 26-28g to start--this is usually the biggest problem getting blood when people first start out.
 
I had tried and tried as well at first...ok, maybe 6-7 times, but it felt like 100. Bean was a bit upset but so was her momma! I had to really calm down so she would sit still.

The ear will get better at bleeding too. It perhaps will happen sooner.

Are you holding something on the underside? I used a folded up part of a paper napkin then would use the same napkin to hold a bit of pressure once done.
I am sure you are doing everything right if you have read all the tips and tricks. I learned that neosporin w/ pain ointment helped the blood bead enough for me to see it. Bean's ears are short hair but dark/black.

And like Dyana said, always offer those treats...

Please, keep trying as I promise it will get better. Just wait til you get that first test, you will feel like doing a cartwheel! I sure did a happy happy dance and will sing Beans number to her after I get it! ;-)

Try the doggie isle at petsmart for purebites fish or chicken. Also, I go to Marshalls feed store for treats in Grandma Lucy duck and Stella & Chewys duck and lamb. You might want to go to their site and see where their suppliers are in your area??
 
Petsmart carries this kind http://www.purebites.com/
Also, if you have PetCo there, these are my Ruby's favorite http://www.petco.com/product/117300/Thrill-Natural-Freeze-Dried-Cat-Treats.aspx The quality on these seems better to me, but of course they're more expensive.
I've tried these too. She likes them as much as the Thrill but they've got a funky smell that I don't like. http://www.amazon.com/Halo--Littles...CL5S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333394052&sr=8-2 The pieces in the jar are really, really big so I break them up into smaller bits.

I use chicken for her tests and the Thrill whitefish cubes for her shots. As long as she knows she's getting those, she's really patient with all the testing I put her thru. I sit on the floor with my legs indian style and she sits kind of nested in my lap. I have the treat, meter and tube of neosporin sitting next to me on the floor where she can see the treat. She focuses on it while I'm getting the job done.

I've also found that I can't test using a lancet freehand. I'm too much of a chicken. I use a lancet pen set on a pretty shallow setting.

Mina&Tigress said:
I did try to give some treats but no luck. I read on some other posts about freeze dried treats? I didn't see any at Petsmart, anyone know the best place to pick some up? I want to be able to give her something she likes but won't mess with her glucose. I'm going to try again in a little while. Let her rest a little.
Click to expand...
 
First - treats at PetSmart - go to the dog food section instead for these freeze dried DOG treats - the only difference is they're larger pieces but the price is quite a bit cheaper! They're usually on the second shelf from the bottom about a third of the way from the left end. (Handy that most of their stores are stocked alike)

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4406466

Now Test - don't give up on just one try! Don't even feel bad! In the beginning, there are fewer capillary veins in that area to get blood from....as you continue, additional capillaries will build and bleeding will be much easier. A WARM ear is our key....if KTs ears are cold, they'd just as well be turnips....

HUGS! You're doing GREAT! Just keep going and two weeks from now, you'll wonder what the big deal was... :-D
 
I'll have to look for those too! It never occurred to me to look there.

In the cat food section at PetSmart here they're in aisle with the Fancy Feast and treats, usually on the bottom shelf. There is also a free standing rack in the center aisle of the store a lot of times. Usually just off the aisle where the others are located.

Squeaky and KT said:
First - treats at PetSmart - go to the dog food section instead for these freeze dried DOG treats - the only difference is they're larger pieces but the price is quite a bit cheaper! They're usually on the second shelf from the bottom about a third of the way from the left end. (Handy that most of their stores are stocked alike)

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4406466

Now Test - don't give up on just one try! Don't even feel bad! In the beginning, there are fewer capillary veins in that area to get blood from....as you continue, additional capillaries will build and bleeding will be much easier. A WARM ear is our key....if KTs ears are cold, they'd just as well be turnips....

HUGS! You're doing GREAT! Just keep going and two weeks from now, you'll wonder what the big deal was... :-D
Click to expand...
 
and don't forget, Becky said she could help you with the testing if you'd like some hands on help.

fwiw, did you return the freestyle meter kit? if not, i really like the lancet device that comes with it. you have the option of a clear cap on it which makes seeing where you're aiming a whole lot easier. i don't know if the relion lancet device has that option?

to be clear, it's not common for people to get blood on their first try, or first several tries. figuring out what depth to have the lancet set on, which ear bleeds better, what part of the ear, etc....takes a few tries so don't be too hard on yourself. keep trying and always remember to reward her so she thinks of it as a pleasant experience. treats, food, extra petting, etc.....all can be tried as the reward. i personally have to use treats.

my foster kitty I have right now seems to bleed better if i poke him on the inside of the ear versus the outside yet my Mousie would never dream of letting me do that. and Mousie's right ear bleeds better than the left. see, details you'll figure out as you go :-)
 
I have a Relion lancet pen that came with my micro. I'm pretty sure it came with a clear cap. They call it the "alternate site" cap or something. It doesn't have the option to set the depth of the puncture.
 
paha, Amy, I was just about to post the PetSmart link for the Pure Bites treats. Those are the ones we use, too.

I thought I saw them at PetCo, too, but can't find them on their website. I know they have these http://www.petco.com/product/117300/Thrill-Natural-Freeze-Dried-Cat-Treats.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

I'll have to check the dog section...thanks for the tip!

Did you put vaseline on the ear before poking? I forgot once and it was kind of messy.

And, make sure you press firmly against the folded napkin (or whatever) on the other side of the ear.

Sometimes I have to turn up the 'depth dial' thing on the lancet pen. I especially had to do that initially - used to use it on "4." Now, I can turn it down to "2."

Doug drew crosshairs on ours with a black permanent marker (extended them around the sides). He said it helps him pinpoint where he's poking. All it does is confuse me. ;-)

Don't give up. It DOES get easier!!!

Libby (and Hershey, too!)
 
Hi Mina,

Believe it when you hear it will get easier. I'm only on Day 5 and it already is much easier. I think it was ohbell who told me to find my Zen place. It's so true. So I take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and then poke. And they are so right, it doesn't hurt our fur babies. Learning that alone dropped my anxiety level by 1000%. OK, being a little dramatic. :razz: But that piece of information alone helped so much. From one newbie to another, I promise, it will all come together!

Kim
 
Don't Panic!! I was really lucky - even though my cat is a HUGE grump he sat patiently as I failed 4 times before getting him on the 5th try. If you didn't get blood, try a deeper setting on your pen (if you're using one) a bigger gauge (30 worked fine at the next-to-deepest setting on our ReliOn confirm pen), warming up the ear with a rice sock, holding the back of the ear still with a cotton ball and making sure you press the pen firmly against the ear...basically everything everyone has already suggested. Most of all - remember that no one does something perfectly the first time. You and your baby will both need to get used to this but it'll get easier over time!
 
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