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Post by sessy1979 on Jun 12, 2011 22:08:37 GMT -5
Great thread! I was wondering how I should test Ringo's blood when I get my monitor! I'm really nervous since I've never used one before ... but I was definetly thinking of doing it using the toe pad! How often does everyone check their glucose?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2011 22:42:13 GMT -5
I've had some frustration with getting blood from both of my ferrets at my vet clinic. No one seems to be able to pull blood reliably from my ferrets. Their veins roll pretty bad. Another Dr I talked to gets it easily, but he's the one who's about a 4 hour drive from me. He uses the blind-stick method that catches where the jugular veins meet. For that, you really need proper training and I don't have a vet nearby who can do that. My vet is way too intimidated to just wing it. A wrong move would be very very dangerous. I came across this article and a few others nearly identical to it. Anyone do this? It sounds pretty intimidating. But the alternative is cutting my ferret's nail too short at the clinic (the only sure-fire way to get blood) and I simply cannot bear that idea because I know it will hurt like the dickens. www.ferretuniverse.com/health/home_glucose.aspAnyone do this? Or else, how have you observed your vet getting blood? My vet has tried the inside leg and the jugular sticks. We really need to be able to monitor my girls' insulinoma :\ Don't want to be driving to that other Dr every couple weeks. i always use this method with the Freestyle LITE meter - no coding and need a small dot of blood. No vaseline needed and its messy.. just get everything in front of you on table - ferret in your lap & ferretone on his belly- be sure to rub the toe pads to get circulation going & once you prick- pump the area to get the most blood - and hold the strip sideways as it takes the blood in on the sides..... you have approx 16 seconds before the strip will say err and its no good. it takes some practice but a smart thing to learn. These human meters are only less than 10 points off but - the important thing is if its low - ITS low and if it high - you DONT give anything sugary !!normal range is 80 - 120 but take into consideration some ferrets adapt to insulinomas better than others & dont show signs till they just cannot handle it anymore- then a vet visit & meds will help correct the problem- be sure to visit vet to be sure its not just an illness affecting the bg ..
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Post by sessy1979 on Jun 13, 2011 9:58:01 GMT -5
My male ferret Ringo was diganosed w/ insulinoma a few days ago at the vet .... his glucose was 37. My vet called this morning and said his prescription to Pred will be ready tomorrow. So I'm praying the meds help!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2011 13:10:11 GMT -5
37!! Woooow that's really low. I wonder how low it gets before they crash?
Talked to my regular vet today about self-taking. Apparently we have a human monitor at the clinic too. She said a monitor is a monitor, regardless of if it's geared toward people or pets; some of them just need less blood than others. Also, many of the human ones run 20 percent low. Not sure if the one at her clinic does or not, but it is more important to check whether it's up or down, relative to treatment, than knowing the exact number. I'm definitely going to want to get my own and try taking their blood glucose every week or two.
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