Does getting the cat blood off your finger affect the BG reading?

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Emily C, May 9, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Emily C

    Emily C Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2020
    Hi everyone - I’m still pretty new to home testing, but had a question. Sometimes my cat doesn’t get a good enough blood droplet, or she does but then flicks her ear and smears the blood on my hand, etc. I have had to use what was on my hand twice now and both times her BG was much higher than usual (the word “usual” I use loosely because I’ve only been testing for about 3 days). Curious if the blood had touched my hand/finger if it could cause a higher/inaccurate reading?
     
  2. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2013
    Depends on what's on your hand!

    Have you ever tried scraping the blood drop off onto a clean fingernail?
     
  3. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    I’m not sure about the finger but I’ve gotten it on my nail because of exactly what you’re describing and I was told that’s totally fine. In fact some members here do that intentionally. Get the droplet on their nail because then it’s easier to get it onto strip&meter away from kitty’s ear. I think since we’re using human meters, wouldn’t a human be pricking it’s own finger to get the blood? Doesn’t that mean it should be fine? Just to be safe, I always do wash my hands before testing.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2020
  4. Emily C

    Emily C Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2020
    Thank you - I will try that. It’s just when I’m trying to apply a bit of pressure to make the blood enough for a reading then she flicks her ears. Maybe I’ll just try the fingernail first.
     
  5. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    Just be sure to wash and dry your hands really well, before you go grab a BG test.
     
  6. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2013
    Hold that ear tight....be ready for her to "flick"....maybe hold her head with your other hand for a few seconds before picking up the meter.

    It's a very common problem at first, but I promise it will get better!!

    Most of us have at least 1 wall in our houses that looks like a crime scene from NCIS! ;)
     
  7. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    LOL I think that’s my bed!

    that’s a good tip! I do that too I hold the ear for a few seconds on a spot other than where the droplet is than gently move the meter over. I also find that if I keep the meter away from her face, like if I bring it on towards her cheek and not across her face like in front of her nose, there’s less of a “reaction” from her
     
  8. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2013
    That's a good tip too! I brought the meter in from the back of her head instead of moving it towards her face
     
  9. Noah & me (GA)

    Noah & me (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2016
    Those Mr. Clean eraser pads get blood off of almost anything. In my first month with Nigel he was very patient but I was testing on the floor by the door where the light was good. One day I realized where all his ear flicking of blood had ended up. After that I would spread out a beach towel on the table, thump the table and he'd jump up, "I'm ready!" If you poke right through the ear you can get blood from the inside (keep the ears clean of course) and apologize later.
     
  10. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    Wow! I can never imagine Minnie jumping up on anything on command especially not to get tested :woot:
     
  11. Noah & me (GA)

    Noah & me (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2016
    This was the same cat who would follow me out door and leap into the car. A once in a lifetime thing and the ideal patient.
    nigel004.JPG
     
  12. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    And what a gorgeous patient too! Oh yeah one of those cats you can take on hikes and to the beach like you see in the dodo videos ha! I can’t complain Minnie is a pretty good patient. She lets me pill her, she doesn’t flinch at the shots and she gets annoyed with the test but has never tried to move away. Oh and I did manage to potty train her so she always goes outside and pees before bedtime. Now if Bobo was the patient I’d be going nuts lol
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Noah & me (GA)

    Noah & me (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2016
    I have a Bobo! My parents dragged us kids back to Holland when I was only three years old so I have no memories of my one trip to Europe and one stupid photo. I did however get a monkey instead of a teddy bear and called him Bobo. Sixty years later and I still have him sans one leg. He comes out every three years if I've had a bad week.
     
  14. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    I love that! So I had a boxer Bobo I pet sat for. Walked really. And when I found these guys as kittens, Bobo had this silly goofy look and it was back in Brazil and Bobo in Portuguese literally means silly. If I want to say don’t be silly. I’d say, não seja bobo! It worked out. He’s still a very silly funny cat and I always say to Minnie don’t be boba like your brother haha!
     
  15. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    This is what makes me nervous about switching to ReliOn, having to have it up to her ear to let it pull the blood in. It may be trickier. Wdyt?
     
  16. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2013
    I'm not sure what the problem is...You have to put the Freestyle up to her ear to let it pull the blood in too.
     
  17. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    No with the freestyle I can just scoop up the blood with the strip. I don’t have to wait for it to suck it in. Maybe it’s just me urghhh
     
  18. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    Technique. Practice, practice, practice.

    Like learning to dip a corn chip in salsa.
     
  19. Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)

    Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    If only it were that easy. Typically, the salsa is not trying to get away from you LOL
     
  20. NancyF

    NancyF Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2020
    Georgie prefers to have his BG test in the bathroom. As soon as he hears the beep from the glucometer, he runs in there. Then he lies down on his back trying to wiggle out of my poking his ear again. I noticed a few weeks in there was blood in a tiny little corner on the side of the tub. So although there's always his nice fluffy blanket there for him, I'm still wiping down the outside of the tub everyday. Here's hoping I never need a forensic team to check my house
     
  21. jt and trouble (GA)

    jt and trouble (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    LMAO
     
    Deb & Wink likes this.
  22. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    For me, it was the bathroom walls that needed a wipe down. Until I learned to hold Wink's ear more firmly, and not let him shake his head until I'd applied pressure to the ear after the BG test, to stop the bleeding.

    There were a couple of times, where the walls DID look like a crime scene.:eek:
     
    NancyF and jt and trouble (GA) like this.
  23. NancyF

    NancyF Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2020
    I hear you. Georgie doesn't so much shake his head. He rolls over demanding belly rubs instead. He must rub his ear on the side of the tub then because otherwise, how does the blood get there? Lol
     
  24. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    I love cats that love belly rubs!
    My good friend Alex has a belly rub loving cat. Miss being able to see her cat Cassie, and give kitty some of those belly rubs.
     
    jt and trouble (GA) and NancyF like this.
  25. NancyF

    NancyF Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2020
    I'm told that the majority of cats don't like belly rubs. Yet every cat I've ever been owned by love them. I guess I'm just lucky
     
    Deb & Wink likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page