Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Measurement of capillary blood glucose concentrations by pet owners: a new tool in the management of diabetes mellitus.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Casella, Martina et al.
- Affiliation:
- Clinic for Small Animal
Plain-English summary
A new method has been developed that allows pet owners to take blood samples from their dogs' and cats' ears to measure blood sugar levels using portable glucose meters. In a study with seven healthy dogs and seven healthy cats, most owners were able to successfully monitor their pets' blood sugar levels over a 12-hour period. However, some common issues included not getting enough blood from the ear, pressing too hard on the ear, and not filling the test strip correctly. The researchers suggest that these steps should be clearly explained to pet owners to help them use this method effectively. Overall, this approach could be a helpful tool for managing diabetes in dogs and cats.
Abstract
Recently a new method for capillary blood sampling from the ears of dogs and cats was described, which allows the measurement of glucose concentration by means of portable glucose meters. The authors of this report evaluated the suitability of this method for use by pet owners and the potential technical problems. The owners of seven healthy dogs and seven healthy cats were asked to perform two glucose curves (measuring blood glucose concentration every 2 hours for a total of 12 hours). All dog owners and three cat owners were able to perform a reliable blood glucose curve. The most frequently encountered problems were inadequate formation of a blood drop due to excessive digital pressure on the pinna, repeatedly depressing the plunger of the lancet device instead of allowing the negative pressure to slowly build up, and failure to fill the test strip up to the mark. The authors conclude that these steps of the procedure need to be stressed during technique demonstration and that home monitoring of blood glucose concentrations may serve as a new tool in the management of diabetic dogs and cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12022410/