Scooter's cataract

[Scooterspal]

Hello to all. Don't take this the wrong way, but not happy to be here.

That said, I know I will get information that will help me and Scooter get through all this.

My question has to do with where to get the blood sample. Tried his inside ear flap. Hurts him terribly and not enough blood to test. Tried a foot pad, same deal. He ran away to hide.

He does have this inflamed spot on the back of his neck where the harness chafes. Been there for years, no big deal, just never completely heals. No hair grows there. About an inch diameter area.

Anyway, I can easily get all the blood I need if I prick in this area but the vet tech said this will not do. Can't reach his vet until next week and I need to resolve this now.

Any reason I cannot use this blood. Blood is blood, yes?

Please advise.

Thank So!

[jesse girl]

i remember jesses original vet looked at me like i was cruel testing jesse on her inner lip . appearances wasn't reality in this case as this did not bother jesse and did not lead to any problems .

i agree blood is blood . dont know why the vet tech would resit on this matter . maybe they feel the sample would not be accurate which makes no sense . you could compare a sample at the vet with the area they use if thats there problem

now this is a vet tech . they can give advice but thats about it . i dont think they can give direction .

i remember jesse went back to the vet for another problem and i had been managing jesses diabetes by myself and the vet asked what dose she was on and i think it was 3 units but in her records it said 6 and she demanded me to give jesse 6 units. i new this could kill her . it was a very sad state as we argued with each other . that was the last time we went there

in the end its your choice on how to handle this no one else

[Raysaint]

My vet also told me blood is blood. As for the inner ear, are you lancing along the edge on the big vein?

Another place many use is on either side of the base of the tail. Shave the area and try. Might take a larger lancet, maybe 28 gauge.

Not sure if inflammation can affect the blood that comes out of that spot.

[Scooterspal]

Just getting into all this. Purchased the ReliOn Prime meter from Walmart on advice from pharmacist. I am getting Novolon N there for $25.

Are there issues with this meter that make it unreliable?

[MikeMurphy]

Hi... the ReliOn Prime is a very reliable meter and the test strips are very inexpensive.

Just keep in mind that the readings run slightly lower than the AlphaTrak 2 canine meter. For example... for my Lily, a ReliOn Prime reading of 100 would convert to a 125 on my AT2.

For me this is quite acceptable. I'm looking for trends in blood glucose and I get that with the ReliOn Prime.

[Scooterspal]

Thanks, much appreciated.

One less thing to have to deal with.

[Scooterspal]

I have read that most dogs will go blind in less than a year from diabetes.

True?

[jesse girl]

my jesse has been diabetic for over 7 years without loss of site ( knock on wood )

wish i could tell you what her secret is but she is not telling . she has good tear production and she eats a homemade diet partially raw with allot of vegetables .

her regulation is adequate but not what a normal persons numbers should look like and she was very high in the beginning of her diagnosis

[MikeMurphy]

My Lily went blind from cataracts a few months after her diabetes diagnosis and had successful cataract surgery a couple months after that. I've always thought that she had diabetes for several months prior to diagnosis and her high BG over several months contributed to the onset of cataracts.

jesse girl is proof that cataracts are not inevitable.

There's another thread about it here...
http://k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6041

[Juulz]

I use the upper pad on the front feet, BUT... I do not use a lancet holder as it does not go in far enough. I lance about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way AWAY from the dog's foot off center on either side. I push the lancet ALL the way in.

I make it as matter of fact as possible - just another part of our day. Praise and a nice meaty treat after. A little treat, but a MEATY one! My dogs will do just about ANYTHING for a meaty treat! LOL

Now... speaking as Board Certified Medical Technologist: As to lancing at an inflamed spot. I think the vet tech was worried about tissue juice diluting the sample. If it's not inflamed, but just a callous, you should be fine as long as the blood is free-flowing.

An important point.... whenever you have to SQUEEZE to generate a blood flow, you will dilute the blood sample with tissue juice and change the blood sugar reading. Free-flowing blood from ANY site should be as good as any other.