Videos of testing my cat's BG

I just made these videos for a friend showing how I prepare for a BG test, and then actually performing it on a very handsome orange test subject

There are already videos for this in http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/, but since everyone does it and says it a little differently, I figured I would post them here as well in case it helps anyone.

The first video is gathering the supplies, and the second is doing the testing. (This was also my first time ever uploading to YouTube, so let's see if I got this right)





Wishing you all the best in the New Year - happy and healthy kitties, good BG, and no hypos!
Sandi & Whispy

 

Sweet

I just have stills of Simba leaning comfortably in my lap and our back paw testing and always since the Animal Hospital used real canulas.

Your first upload to youtube worked too


Happy New And Healthy Decade

 

Thank you! I'm a visual learner and this is tremendously helpful!

I thought we should prick from the inside of the ear, but nice to see you did it on the outside.
Went today and bought my glucometer and some lancets, but they were sold out of the test strips. I've ordered online.
I didn't go for the pen, as I think the click noise would startle my Sally. But yours wasn't as loud as i imagined. hmmmmm.... may have to get one.

thanks again

 

You are very welcome, Trish ( @SallytheCalico )!

Each cat and caregiver is different. We have had Whispy for four years now and doing daily testing a minimum of four times a day. He was diabetic for three years before that while in rescue, but was only being tested at the vet’s office very rarely. So long story longer, we’ve both been doing this a long time, and you can see that he is a pretty chill cat. I had to do the video up on a built-in cabinet so that the phone was balanced on a shelf above us pointing down. He did get a little antsy because we were out of his routine. Normally I just kneel by his “testing rug”, show him the meter and say “time to test ya!”, and he comes running and lays right on the meter.

So your mileage may vary. It is not loud, but you could also condition Sally by clicking it in the air while you are petting her, to get her used to the sound, before you use it on her ear. I like that the depth is set the same every time, and it is quick. For our first diabetic cat, I free handed the lancet because most folks here said they did it that way so I never even tried the pen, and it worked ok, but personally I now much prefer the pen. I did forget to say in the video that you should hold your finger firmly behind the ear, under the toilet paper, regardless of whether you use the pen or free hand it.

Welcome to “The Club”!

 

You can poke from either side! I always poked China on the inside because I didn't want her pretty white fur to get blood stained.

 

I used a safety razor very lightly to shave a spot on the top of Winks ear because he was a long haired kitty and sooooooo much ear floof to try to get a blood drop from the inside of the ear without losing it in the ear floof. Black ears made it much harder to see the blood drop too. As I got better at the poking, I let the hair grow back.

White haired kitties make it so easy to see that blood drop.