Hometesting problems

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to hometesting and I have to say, after three days of trying now, Im ready to cry and so is my cat. Ive watched videos; I've practiced on myself; I can't get blood from my cat. How on earth does anyone ever hit that tiny ear vein with the big, clumsy injection pens or whatever they are called? I just spent a small fortune on that accucheck Advantage. ugh. First, hamilton hates the process and he is 22 pounds of vim and vigor, so Im certainly drawing a lot of blood on my arms! Second, even when we finally calm him, Im getting nothing but red holes on his ear and no blood, even tho the same setting produces blood on my finger.

The other thing is: while I have been lurking here and reading your posts, it seems most of your cats are losing weight in diabetes. But my Hamilton (alias, Hamilton the Huge) only gains. That, despite the fact that we have him on a quality natural raw food diet and aren't overfeeding.

Sorry. I dont even know what my questions are. Im so frustrated and overwhelmed with this disease right now. any advice on these issues are helpful and so appreciated.
thank you
Monica

 

A couple of suggestions:
- Most lancet pens come with a clear cap that humans use for alternate (other than fingers). That works better than the opaque cap that comes installed on the lancet pen.
- You want to puncture BETWEEN the vein and the outside of the ear. You get too much blood if you hit the vein.
- Warming the ear helps get the blood to flow.
- You have to firmly back up the ear in the are where you puncture. If you do not, the lancet will deflect the ear and not puncture it.
- Where are you located? Maybe someone is near and can personally help.

 

Hi Monica,
I'm sorry you're frustrated and having difficulties. Here are some ear testing pointers beyond what you might see in the videos.

1. Don't hit the vein that runs along the outside of the ear. You want the space BETWEEN that vein and the outer tip. Please see this picture: http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m267 ... etspot.jpg

2. Many of us find it easier to freehand the lancet rather than use the device. Also, some devices come with a clear shield for the end so you can see where the needle is hitting.

3. Warm the ear first. The easiest way is with a rice sock. Put some rice in the toe of an old sock or hose, tie it off, cut off the excess and viola! Stick in microwave for a few seconds and if it's not overly hot to the touch, it should help a lot in the beginning. Hold it on ear for a few seconds only.

4. It takes some time to teach the ear to bleed, warming will help. You may have to "milk" the edges toward the poke to get enough of a bead of blood. Hopefully your meter works with less than 5mm of blood. I believe the Wal-Mart Reli-On brand and also the Accu-check Aviva requires a very small amount. I really like the Aviva as I waste way less test strips with it than I did a cheaper brand.

5. Perhaps request one of those meter test kits from Cindy's Kits for Cats. http://www.kitsforcats.webs.com/

Hope this helps. Also, it helps the cat if you can find a spot where they are away from other cats or not disturbed. A bathroom sink counter is excellent - the right height for you and you can close the door to prevent escape as well as hopefully keep cat calm.

Here is a video I made so you can perhaps see freehand technique: http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y161/F ... MG0588.flv

 

this is the area you want to aim for:



I test freehanded - holding only the lancet pin (pokey thing) and aiming it an an upward 45 degree ish angle works best - like this:




If your cat has dark ears, you may find putting a small flashlight in your mouth and using it like a spotlight, will help you to see where you are shooting better.

 

I think you've gotten excellent advice already. The only thing I'd like to add are some words of encouragement - it does take time, and when I started with Trouble I was at the same point you were after a few days. It was soooo frustrating!!! And my DH thought I was tormenting the poor cat because I tried to stick him so many times. Aaauuuggghhh!

So I will tell you that it does get better. Don't give up - you are doing this to help your kitty, and at some level this will be communicated. Ears do learn to bleed, so it will get easier with practice on both your part and the kitty's. Be sure to reward your kitty with some nice treat so that he will associate the experience with pleasure. Trouble grew to look forward to the treat, and after awhile I'm convinced he made the association between feeling better and the tests.

One more thing - try to relax yourself. Cats are masters at sensing our level of stress, so that won't make it easier if you are stressing out. Of course, I know that it is stressful. Something that can help both you and kitty is to have a special place to do the testing - both of you will get into the right frame of mind that way.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes. Laura

 

Most of us had trouble initially, I know I sure did.

Warming really does make a difference. Put some rice in a bay sock and microwave it maybe 30-40 seconds. be sure to test it on yourself first to be sureit's not too hot. Then hold it on his ear for a minute or 2. Stroke and pet him while you are doing this, and talk in your sweet voice to relax him. Mine actually now purrs through his. I then intermittently rub his ear between my fingers which he loves & gets the blood flowing.
if the rice sock gets too hot to hold on the ear, I sometimes will rub it all over him while waiting to cool a bit, and he loves this. It's like a spa treatment.
It is SO important to give a treat afterward each time, even if you aren't successful, so there can be a positive association. Many of us use freeze dried chicken treats. Kitties LOVE these. I find him waiting on his testing spot often knowing this is where the yummy treat appears.

Larry's advice about applying pressure is also a good one. I think I wasn't this initially. so that tip really helped. Get a folded tissue and hold it behind his ear then position your fingers spread apart for the lancet or free hand between (I prefer lancet) so they are firmly pressing from the front of the ear against the tissue. You are sort of isolating your target area while also making it taught and firm.
I also experimented with poking higher vs lower on the outer ear edge...sometimes higher toward the tip, and other times further down toward the middle and various points in between. You will figure out his sweet spots. It is good to move them around anyway, so not so many punctures in the same place.
Also, alternate ears. Some cats may bleed better in one than the other.
Don't forget when you are done, to take the folded tissue and wrap it around the puncture site & apply firm pressure to stop the bleeding and help avoid bruising. Then put a little neosporin on it afterward.

Once you get it down, he will begin bleeding more easily regularly.

Punch in 'test video' or similar keywords in the search bar on this board. There are a million posts with additional tips & pointers. Several people will 'burrito' wrap their more difficult cats to hold them still.

Like Venita said, find a location that you do it consistently that becomes his test spot. This worked really well for us. I made a place on a kitchen counter and have a basket with all his supplies...meter, treats, etc..there. Now he just hops up and assumes the position. And purrs.

Keep asking questions. It really will get easier.

betty

 

I'm very flattered to be mistaken for Venita

 

oops...sorry Vicky! It had flashed by as a new post that having come through as i was submitting so I'd just glanced quickly as i was editing then pressed 'go'.

You get the byline! Apologies extended. :smile:

betty

 

Try this as an alternative :

Take a small plastic bottle, like a plastic hotel shampoo bottle or a small plastic vitamine bottle and fill it with hot water. Hold it inside the cat's ear to warm it up, if you are lucky with the right size, the cat's ear fits nicely over it like a kind of "cone", sort of wrapped around the little bottle.
Then, when the ear is warm, leave the bottle on the inside of the ear, and use it as a hard surface, and prick the ear on the OUTSIDE of the ear rather than the inside. If you have a bright light from above, even on a dark-coloured ear you can see the veins a bit. (my Suzie has one light red ear and one black... I alternate...)
Yes, there is some fur there, but not so much and having the hard surface underneath helps to get a good pin-prick going.
Also, the source of the warmth remains and a nice pearl of blood forms, also all easier to reach from above than from inside the ear.
You are also more likely to get a good shot with the lancet if you keep the ear "tight" on the bottle so you can press up hard against it. I have my lancet-setting on the lightest setting and with the finest lancet I can find and works well for me & Suzie.
Dip your testing stick in the blood, and voila!

Good luck!

Maria & Suzei

 

The input you are getting is excellent. I have a couple more hints for you to hopefully help things go smoother.

1) Take you time with the rice sock and get that ear nice and warm. You should start to feel the warmth of the sock through the ear to the palm of your hand.

2) When you push the "go" button on the lancer, do not jump move or jerk when it actually clicks. And IMPORTANTLY count "One Kitty Kitty" to yourself after pressing the go button before moving the lancer even a bit.

3) Get your kitty in a comfortable, safe place. I get H in one of his beds that he loves. I do it on his territory I do not drag the bed into where I want it. And reward, reward, reward.

4) If you are still having problems getting blood, know the gauge of the lancets you are using. I like using the 28g ones, the lower the number the bigger the lancet.

 

Hi! I just want to add my advice too.. for Baby & I.. once I freehanded (gave up the lancet) & stopped trying to warm the ear, looked at Hillary's pics she provided & watched this video:
BG Testing
all went well! I found that making a "production" out of it added to Baby's stress & mine too. I did not have a "testing place", I just would kindly show Baby the lancet, the meter.. so she was prepared & I was not sneaking up on her.. it all went well! I did this: took a folded up dry washcloth, held it behind the ear (since the ears are so flimsy, it gave it some padding) anyway, then a very quick prick.. very quick.. very quick & BAM its over!! Hold the washcloth over the ear for a bout 10 seconds to prevent bruising.
You will find we all offer valuable information.. the key is trying what we suggest & I just bet a combination of advice will work for you too!!