Any ointments with Pain Reliever in it??

Good Evening,
We are still very very very novice at checking our cats blood glucose levels. It's our 4th day, but Annie is crying every time we do it and it is breaking our hearts. Is there any ointment or antibiotic that we can put on it that has pain reliever in it that would be safe for her and ease the pain. Are we doing something wrong that it hurts her???
We finally have her spreadsheet attached, I hope we are doing okay. We will be giving her 1/2 unit of lantus . Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated as we are novice at this.
Thank you
Judy and Annie

 

The spreadsheet looks great, Judy. I hope you will also post over in Lantus and get some reaction on your progress. Nice job!

You can use neosporin with pain reliever on her ears. They do get used to it. Are you sure poking near the edge of the ear and not in the middle?

 

As Sue already asked, are you poking only the edge? http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m267 ... etspot.jpg

Also, be careful using Neosporin that it does not get onto her paws and into her eyes. Also, remember after poking to apply a little pressure on the ear to stop the bleeding and help prevent bruising. It shouldn't hurt her because if it hurt there are many of us with cats that wouldn't let us near them. Wonder if your fear is bouncing off of you or if she is playing you into thinking it is hurting her.

 

Hi Ladies,
Thank you very much for the tips. I showed my husband the picture that was attached and the first thing he said was they are getting the blood from the inside of the ear, he has been doing it on the back. Can that be why it hurts Annie????? He has been doing the testing, it is easier for him he worked in the medical field when he was in the Air Force, I need to do it eventually.
Another quick question is it okay to leave wet food out during the evening while we sleep for Annie??? She seems to be hungry and she seems to like the wellness chicken and kitten so far.
Thank you again you are all ANGELS!!!!!!
Judy and Annie

 

It shouldn't matter whether you poke the front or the back, Judy.

It is a good idea to leave food out overnight. You can freeze the wet and she can eat it as it thaws, or you can use an automatic feeder. It is a good idea for diabetics to have several small meals during the day and night.

 

The back is all I've ever used so you are fine.

 

Are you giving her yummy treats after? Maverick purrs through his tests cause he knows he's going to get some purebites freeze dried chicken. Its like kitty crack to a lot of kitties on this board. You don't want to pierce the ear just a gentle poke. And put pressure on it after. Squeeze it between tissue or gauze to prevent bruising. Use a firm backing to help make the poke easier too... we use on of the DIY lights - and only get the very edge of his ear.
This is what we use - it lights up the vein which you don't want to hit. And he loves being warmed up with a rice sock. We warm the ear but also use it to pet him lol.





So the light, lights up his ear but also provides a backing making the poke easy/gentler.

 

Hi Karrie,
We have a few questions:
1. Where can you purchase the chicken treats at??
2. Not to sound stupid but what is a DIY Light?
3. If you are not to hit a vein, then what do you hit to get the blood out??
Thank you everyone for all your help.
Hugs,
Judy and Annie

 

There are fine little capillary vessels along the edge but if you do hit the vein, don't panic....just sip the blood up and hold some pressure on the ear to stop the bleeding. You don't need the vein for blood but no biggie other than a lot more blood will pop up.

 

Agree with Hope. We try not to hit the vein but sometimes it happens. Whichever way we do get a little blood, after-wards we apply pressure from a napkin that we have run under cold water. That helps the blood to stop and it helps with any bruising.

Be sure the ear is very warm first though. You can use a rice sock, but really a thin wash cloth rinsed in warm water, put in a sandwich baggie and microwaved for about 10 seconds warms up quite nicely. After warming the ear, poke on the outside of the ear per Hope's illustration above, and then you should have success.

Also Karrie good idea with the light, and nice picture and instructions.

 

DIY for Do It Yourself -- these lights come in multi-packs at Home Depot or Lowes

 

Just an FWIW, but I never ever use a light. Squeak has dark gray hair and I just poke him and get blood. I poke the thicker inner edge, not the thin outer edge, and I poke about 2/3 of the way down his ear.

 

we have a headlamp

 

I just put the lancing device on the edge of the ears and stick, have never used a light or even looked for a vein. If you see a small spot of blood but not enough, you can milk it up by holding the ear with both hands and using thumbs at opposite ends of the drop push towards the drop, let up, push again like you are pushing the thumbs towards each other.