Trouble testing

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Fluffy Face

Fluffy Face

Member Since 2016
I got my insulin this week and Alpha Trak meter so planned to start testing and shooting today. The testing DID NOT work out! I poked my Serena's ear probably four times, pretty sure it was poked well enough, and could not get enough blood for the test strip. I wasted three test strips because of too small blood samples. I was so frustrated and just gave up. I even cried I was so upset, because my original plan was to wait and see how the diet change to wet food only influenced her levels, and not to even start the insulin, which I have now purchased at $150+.. But I couldn't even test her! She's not aggressive, just makes that deep growl noise that she's not enjoying what's happening. I'm upset because of the stupid errors on the glucose meters, telling me I can't use that test strip anymore that got too small of a sample. And I'm poking the hell out of her and not getting enough blood.

Is there another place I could try to get it from? I tried the paw, but she won't stay still long enough and she has furry paws (medium-haired). My boyfriend, whose cat also has diabetes, is going to help me tomorrow. Couldn't today cause he was doing a curve at home with his cat.

Any suggestions? I can't believe how upset I got over this.
 
Oh dear, I had a similar experience when I tried ear testing, and now test exclusively from the paws, the how to is in my signature, if you have a wriggly cat the towel is used to make a kitty burrito. The secret is to get the paws nice and warm and to use alternate site testing lancets which are 28g. Always give a treat, even after a failed test. It does get easier the more you do it.
 
If you make a kitty burrito she won't have a choice, you can put her on her side, any position you can get easy access to the rear paw pads and hold the foot firmly when you use the lancet. You do have to be firm and matter of fact because if you are nervous she will know.
 
Make sure her ear is nice and warm, I rub vigorously then poke and milk the ear by rubbing firmly in the direction of the poke. Make sure the lancets you are using are 25-28 gauge. It took me several times until I got it right.
 
Do not give up! We all went through the same thing. REALLY! It can take a little time to get the technique down and for the ear to "learn" to bleed. You need to be persistent. I know it's frustrating, but it will happen.

Remember to warm or rub the ear and poke along the outside edge. Try a few pokes at a time and always give a treat whether you get enough blood or not. I used a folded up half a paper towel behind the ear to protect my own finger and create a firm backing.
 
The first week or two when I started home testing my first FD kitty I am sure I cried more than he did. Setting up a regular routine and a reward...for him ANY food was a treat;)...worked wonders. Once I settled down a bit (so I was not stressing him out)and got things into a regular routine he became a VERY passive kitty...even purring during the testing. Soon he would actually go over to the test area and sit down....( of course he wanted some food...but whatever works). When his sister was diagnosed FD it was a MAJOR fight in the beginning...and I was already "experienced". Since she is not food motivated her "treat" is extra chin rubs and some brushing. I started off having to "wrastle" her to the ground and now she just sits there very nicely. It all falls into place, after many tears and much frustration.
 
I found it helped to take a hot washcloth, put it in a zip lock bag and hold it up to her ear to warm it up. I saw a video on U Tube showing how to wrap the cat tightly with a towel. If it is wrapped up good, it can't move. It does get better, just give it time.
 
Lots of hugs to you. :bighug:

We simply never could get the hang of ear testing. We couldn't get any blood, Jersey hissed and growled at us, I was in tears, and my husband was angry at the world. We even tried testing on her paw, and that was a failure, too. Finally, in an act of desperation, I tried testing Jersey on my own. I sat her on my lap, with her back against my stomach/chest, placed a warm rice sock (heated about 20 - 30 seconds in the microwave) on her paw, then put a dab of Neosporin with pain relief on her paw pad, poked with the lancing device, and finally got blood. I was so excited I cried. We tested on her paws (on her back legs) from that point forward. The keys for me were warming her paw pad first, using Neosporin (it helps the blood well up), and using a larger lancet. We used the 26g lancet, which is labeled on boxes for "alternative site" testing. Since the paw pads are relatively tough, the larger gauge needle was important. After testing, we always hold a cotton ball on the site for a few seconds and then reapply more Neosporin just to help it heal.

Whatever you do - whether it's ear or paw testing - keep trying. You'll eventually stumble across a method that works for you.

Shelly
 
Here's something I wrote up for others that needed help with testing...maybe it'll help you too! (substitute "her" for "him"...LOL)

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you. Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well.

When you're first starting, it's also important to use a lower gauge lancet, like 25-28 gauge. Most of the "lancet devices" come with 33 gauge lancets and they are just too tiny to start with. The bigger lancets (that are lower numbers) make a bigger "hole". As you poke more and more, the ears will grow new capillaries and will be easier and easier to get blood from...we call it "learning to bleed"

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
 
Don't be in a hurry (if cat deigns to allow) to rush the test strip at the first spot of blood. With Rover, if I pricked his ear and got an immediate drop that was too small, I could just wait a few seconds for the pricked site to continue to bleed and I was certain there was enough blood to test.
 
The Relion Micro requires very little blood and inexpensive strips, we have tested since day 1 because I would be terrified to give insulin without knowing what their BG is. Hugs to you, it will become something you do sleep walking .. don't beat yourself up.
 
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