What size gauge do you use for bg home testing | Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

What size gauge do you use for bg home testing

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Cat Ma

Cat Ma

Member since 2015
For home testing, what size gauge/needle does your cat tolerate?

I have a 25" gauge and a 31" insulin needle.
I am wondering if a 28" or 30" gauge will work as well.
I will be poking free hand from my cat's outer ear.
 
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Do I understand correctly that you will be using an insulin needle for kitty's ear test poke? I wouldn't recommend doing that. For home testing, I'd suggest using lancets to get a blood sample from kitty's outer ear. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the lancing needle. I use 33 gauge lancets when Hannah's ears are already warm and will likely bleed productively. When her ears feel cold to the touch, I first warm them with a pill bottle filled with warm water (cap on, of course), then use a 30 gauge lancet. I do not poke freehand, as the lancing device works well for me and Hannah doesn't mind the click. However, you can still poke freehand, using just the lancets without the lancing device. The lancets are very inexpensive, insulin needles... not so much. Hope this helps and best of luck.
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
Do I understand correctly that you will be using an insulin needle for kitty's ear test poke? I wouldn't recommend doing that. For home testing, I'd suggest using lancets to get a blood sample from kitty's outer ear. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the lancing needle. I use 33 gauge lancets when Hannah's ears are already warm and will likely bleed productively. When her ears feel cold to the touch, I first warm them with a pill bottle filled with warm water (cap on, of course), then use a 30 gauge lancet. I do not poke freehand, as the lancing device works well for me and Hannah doesn't mind the click. However, you can still poke freehand, using just the lancets without the lancing device. The lancets are very inexpensive, insulin needles... not so much. Hope this helps and best of luck.
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I was thinking in terms of the 31" gauge. From watching the vet and videos, it looks and seems easier to poke free hand. Some people say they have a hard time seeing where they are poking with a lancet device. I have 30" lancets and just discovered there are needles inside. Viola! The lancet 30G needles are sure tiny! The vet used a gauge.

Would a warm compress or massaging the ear work as well?
 
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Lancets for alternate site testing are most successful getting a blood drop when first testing. These are 25-28 gauge and thicker than insulin syringes.
 
BJM said:
Lancets for alternate site testing are most successful getting a blood drop when first testing. These are 25-28 gauge and thicker than insulin syringes.
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Good to know. I am finally learning what a lancet is. I was under the impression a regular gauge/needle i.e. one to put on a syringe would be easier to hold than a lancet. I have 25" gauge needles that I use for my other cats' B12 injections so I wondered if those would be suitable instead of lancets. Otherwise, I'll stick to lancets.
 
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The syringe needle is definitely longer. The lancet has a maybe 1/8 inch pin.
 
BJM said:
The syringe needle is definitely longer. The lancet has a maybe 1/8 inch pin.
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I see why the lancet is a better option now than the syringe needle the vet used. Less chance of the needle going right through the ear. Puts my mind at ease.
 
It may go through the ear anyway, but is less likely to pierce whatever backing you are using and then your finger!
 
The hollow syringe needle might "core" the ear and leave a hole. This could lead to infection. Use the lancets.
 
Cat Ma said:
Would a warm compress or massaging the ear work as well?
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You can use a rice sock heated in the microwave, as well as gently massaging the ear. Whatever you use should not add moisture to the ear, as it will affect the concentration of the blood sample and give an inaccurate reading. When I was very new to ear testing, I used nothing except a gentle rubbing of the area to be tested. It was in the summer and the weather was quite warm, so Hannah's ears only needed a little encouragement to provide a sample. In the winter and colder months, however, massaging didn't work very well, so I recruited the help of a pill bottle filled with warm water. Also, to keep the lancet from pricking your finger on the underside of kitty's ear, you can use a cotton ball, folded up tissue, or a gauze pad to support the prick and avoid testing yourself. Ouch! I learned that by experience.
 
Well, my cat tolerated being poked far better than I anticipated. In fact, she was very relaxed and happy the whole time. But I didn't get any blood to come out or bead up using the 30G lancet. It's warm here and I massaged her ear. Her ear looks a little "black and blue" so I rubbed some polysporin on. Not sure if I hit the "sweet spot" correctly. Must I always aim for the outer part of the ear?
 
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The outer edges of the ears have the fewest pain receptors...that's why most cats don't mind the testing (It really doesn't hurt)

As you poke more and more, the ears will grow new capillaries in the area you're poking. We call it "learning to bleed". Within a week or two, one poke will probably provide more than enough blood for testing.

In the meantime, make sure the ear is warm before you poke it, and if you're going to use 30 gauge lancets, you may have to poke twice really close together. It may be easier if you get the "alternate site testing" lancets that are 26-28 gauge since they make a bigger "hole"
 
Chris & China said:
The outer edges of the ears have the fewest pain receptors...that's why most cats don't mind the testing (It really doesn't hurt)

As you poke more and more, the ears will grow new capillaries in the area you're poking. We call it "learning to bleed". Within a week or two, one poke will probably provide more than enough blood for testing.

In the meantime, make sure the ear is warm before you poke it, and if you're going to use 30 gauge lancets, you may have to poke twice really close together. It may be easier if you get the "alternate site testing" lancets that are 26-28 gauge since they make a bigger "hole"
Click to expand...

Thanks. I am going to try the alternate site testing 25 or 28 lancets. Hopefully I'll have better luck with those.
 
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Not really. Get the test, then blot firmly to help it stop bleeding. Firm pressure also helps reduce bruising and scabbing.
 
No, you don't need to be concerned, other than the fact that it tends to bleed like crazy, so you need to make sure to apply pressure until you're sure it's done. Also, it can hurt more if you hit the vein, so we try not to aim for it
 
Then you probably didn't hit the vein....even when you're poking "the sweet spot", you want to make sure to apply pressure after poking to help stop any bruising

I have cotton cosmetic pads I use..as soon as I get my sample, I fold it over China's ear and apply pressure for about 10 seconds
 
It's actually a small red spot, the size of a tiny piece of rice. It's still there after 2 days as if a tiny bit of blood was trapped inside the ear.
When I used a 26" gauge/lancet, blood came out nicely but didn't bead up for a reading.
 
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