Article: Alternative sampling site for blood glucose testing in cats: giving the ears a rest

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND AND STUDY RATIONALE: Home monitoring is an important part of the long-term management of diabetic cats. Despite the extensive use of glucometers in this species, up until now only the pinna of the ear has been validated as a testing site. This cross-sectional study investigated the feasibility and validity of sampling from the metacarpal/metatarsal pads in hospitalised cats with various diseases.

Investigations: The large pads were compared with the ear as a sampling site in 75 cats. Lancing the pads was tolerated very well. If the initial drop of blood was too small, an adequate volume of blood was almost always achieved by squeezing the pads. No significant differences were observed in first-attempt success rate or glucose values between the two sites. Due to the inability to obtain an adequate volume of blood or struggling, no measurement was possible in four cats.

Practical Relevance: While further work is necessary to assess the utility of this technique, especially in the home environment, the results indicate that the metacarpal pads, in particular, may offer a viable alternative testing site for the measurement of blood glucose concentrations, especially if ear sampling fails.

Citing Articles

Effect of site of sample collection on blood glucose concentrations measured with a portable blood glucose meter in healthy and diabetic dogs.

Jahan S, Jahan S, Jamshidi S, Linari G, Fracassi F, Akbarein H Open Vet J. 2023; 13(3):322-326.

PMID: 37026079 PMC: 10072835. DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i3.8.

Glucose concentration in capillary blood of dairy cows obtained by a minimally invasive lancet technique and determined with three different hand-held devices.

Mair B, Drillich M, Klein-Jobstl D, Kanz P, Borchardt S, Meyer L BMC Vet Res. 2016; 12:34.

PMID: 26911673 PMC: 4765023. DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0662-3.

ISFM consensus guidelines on the practical management of diabetes mellitus in cats.

Sparkes A, Cannon M, Church D, Fleeman L, Harvey A, Hoenig M J Feline Med Surg. 2015; 17(3):235-50.

PMID: 25701862 PMC: 11148891. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X15571880.

References

1.

Jungheim K, Koschinsky T . Risky delay of hypoglycemia detection by glucose monitoring at the arm. Diabetes Care. 2001; 24(7):1303-6. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.24.7.1303-a. View

2.

Wess G, Reusch C . Capillary blood sampling from the ear of dogs and cats and use of portable meters to measure glucose concentration. J Small Anim Pract. 2000; 41(2):60-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2000.tb03164.x. View

3.

Reusch C, Kley S, Casella M . Home monitoring of the diabetic cat. J Feline Med Surg. 2005; 8(2):119-27. PMC: 10832679. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2005.09.003. View

4.

Thompson M, Taylor S, Adams V, Waldner C, Feldman E . Comparison of glucose concentrations in blood samples obtained with a marginal ear vein nick technique versus from a peripheral vein in healthy cats and cats with diabetes mellitus. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2002; 221(3):389-92. DOI: 10.2460/javma.2002.221.389. View

5.

Bina D, Anderson R, Johnson M, Bergenstal R, Kendall D . Clinical impact of prandial state, exercise, and site preparation on the equivalence of alternative-site blood glucose testing. Diabetes Care. 2003; 26(4):981-5. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.26.4.981. View

6.

Casella M, Wess G, Reusch C . Measurement of capillary blood glucose concentrations by pet owners: a new tool in the management of diabetes mellitus. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2002; 38(3):239-45. DOI: 10.5326/0380239. View

7.

Roomp K, Rand J . Intensive blood glucose control is safe and effective in diabetic cats using home monitoring and treatment with glargine. J Feline Med Surg. 2009; 11(8):668-82. PMC: 11132583. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2009.04.010. View

8.

Ellison J, Stegmann J, Colner S, Michael R, Sharma M, Ervin K . Rapid changes in postprandial blood glucose produce concentration differences at finger, forearm, and thigh sampling sites. Diabetes Care. 2002; 25(6):961-4. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.25.6.961. View

9.

Toledo F, Taylor A . Alternative site testing at the earlobe tip: reliability of glucose measurements and pain perception. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27(2):616-7. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.27.2.616-a. View

10.

Casella M, Hassig M, Reusch C . Home-monitoring of blood glucose in cats with diabetes mellitus: evaluation over a 4-month period. J Feline Med Surg. 2005; 7(3):163-71. PMC: 10832720. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2004.08.006. View

11.

Kley S, Casella M, Reusch C . Evaluation of long-term home monitoring of blood glucose concentrations in cats with diabetes mellitus: 26 cases (1999-2002). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004; 225(2):261-6. DOI: 10.2460/javma.2004.225.261. View

Alternative Sampling Site for Blood Glucose Testing in Cats: Giving the Ears a Rest