This page describes the way I check my ferrets' blood sugar levels. This is not the only way to do it; it is simply what has worked out for me and is the easiest, most stress-free way of getting a ferret's blood sugar I have found so far. If you decide to try this, please consult with your vet. This guide is in no way meant to supplant recommendations from your vet. If you have a ferret with insulinoma (or diabetes), it is absolutely critical that you are working with a vet to manage your ferret's care. Blood sugar values should be reported to your vet and the vet's recommendations followed for changing medications, etc. Advice about medication doses, etc, are not a part of this guide for these reasons.
NOTE: MANY people have found that the Freestyle glucometer is simply not reliable with ferret blood. Very often, the glucometer reports a false-low value (a reading that is significantly lower than it is when compared with the reading from a vet's chemistry analyzer). If you have found a glucometer that is reliable with ferret blood, please let me know at pjdutche@email.unc.edu.
I am a layperson and do not know why this occurs. The Freestyle has not been validated for ferret blood. Anecdotally, it might have something to do with the high hematocrits that ferrets have. I personally had a ferret that lost a lot of blood during a surgery, and it was very accurate while she was anemic, and then as she recovered and her hematocrit became high once again, her blood sugar started testing low on the glucometer. If you have a story to share, or if you have tested your Freestyle against your vet's equipment, please let me know at pjdutche@email.unc.edu.
This page outlines a technique that can be used for stress-free blood sugar testing in a ferret.
NEW NOTE: There is a promising new glucometer out that takes the same tiny sample of blood as the
Freestyle, and it was designed for dog/cat blood, which also is not always accurately read by glucometers designed for humans. The
technique for blood sampling from ferret toes outlined on this page should work with this glucometer. It is
called the AlphaTRAK and it is by Abbot. You will probably need to get it through your vet. Information:
Read your Freestyle's manual very carefully, and do not forget to register
the value from your test strips the first time you use the glucometer and
each time you get a new batch of strips. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendations for maintenance, normal control solution checking, etc.
I should probably add that the Freestyle has not formally been tested with
ferret blood, and I am sure Therasense would not endorse this web
page.
Keep in mind: This is a skill you are developing. It is also a new
routine to which you and your ferret will become accustomed. Do not
expect to have it work perfectly every single time, especially in the
beginning. To start with, try it out on yourself, so that you can learn
just how much vaseline to use, what size blood bead works, how to touch
the blood bead to have the strip draw in the blood, etc. Then, once you
have the mechanics down, you can add in the variable of your ferret
(change to a new lancet). At first, expect to waste about half of your
test strips. With a bit of practice, you will probably achieve an 85-95%
success rate. Even once you and your ferret are both very used to this,
there will still be the occasional failure caused by an ill-timed jerk of
the foot, a dull lance, etc... I still find it very much worthwhile and
even comforting to be able to track my insulinoma ferrets' blood sugars at
home.
Now, go and get your ferret. You can do the whole procedure all by
yourself, with no helper, if necessary. If your ferret was sleeping and
her paw pads look sort of pale, let her wake up a bit to get the
circulation going. Place your ferret on her back in your lap, and place a
bit of ferretone on her belly. Many people trim their ferrets' toenails
this way; if so, the ferret will be accustomed to this routine. If your
ferret has never had this done before, it may take a few seconds to get
her relaxed. Offer the Ferretone from the bottle and then place some on
her belly and direct her snout towards it.
Once your ferret is thoroughly distracted, you can begin. Select a hind
toe. Choose one that has a fairly large flat bare skin area. Well, as
large as you will find on a tiny ferret toe, anyway! Wipe the toe off
with a bit of alcohol on a cotton swab or paper towel, and let it dry
for a second. Then give the toe a squeeze. It should become a
darker shade of pink.
Why is the petroleum jelly needed? In all honesty, it's not needed every
single time. However, without it, my success rate drops way down, because
the blood often does not bead and will instead run into the little
"fingerprints" on the toe. When that happens, the test strip cannot draw
the blood in. I have not had that problem since adding the petroleum
jelly. However, if too much is used, the strip won't draw in the blood,
so be careful!
Is your ferret still disracted? If the Ferretone looks like it may be running low, add more. Now we are about to get down to serious business.
Take the lancing device, pull back on the "trigger" if you forgot to do so
earlier, place it right up against the prepped toe, and press the button.
Most of the time, my ferrets do not even flinch at this. They do,
however, sometimes get a little tired of me holding onto their toe for so
long.
Note that the Freestyle requires an incredibly tiny amount of blood. Only
0.3 microliters! The tiny bit visible in this picture is nearly (but not
quite) enough. This
is why glucometers requiring larger samples tend not to work out with this
ferret-toe-lancing technique. Here is a comparison
chart; look at the sample sizes required by the various
meters. When I had one that required 2 uL (microliters), I could not get
it by lancing a toe and instead had to snip a nail too short. While it
was not too horrible, they did flinch and pull the foot away and
occasionally cry, and it made the toenails grow in kind of strangely. I
have no such worries with the Freestyle and the toe-lancing; thus, I don't
put off testing for fear of hurting them, and hopefully, I control their
bloodsugar more effectively in the long run.
Very deliclately touch one edge of the test strip to the blood bead. Do not scrape at the blood, and try not to even let the strip touch the toe or foot if possible. If all goes well, the strip will draw in the blood and beep when it has enough.
When you hear the beep, you can set the monitor down and press a paper towel gently to the ferret's toe. I have never encountered additional bleeding.
Helpful hints:
Press Release
Info from Abbott
Animal Health
website
If anyone has feedback on this, please let me know at pjdutche@email.unc.edu.
It is
important to have everything together before you get started. Pictured
are the needed supplies, except for the Ferretone, alcohol, and couple of paper towels.
Now, take a tiny bit of the petroleum jelly and spread it onto the
selected toe. Don't go nuts; you want a very, very thin layer. Also,
use the petroleum jelly to slick any stray toe hair out of your way. You
will have a bead of blood here very soon, and if that hair touches it, the
surface tension on the blood bead will break, and your test will not work
because the strip will not be able to draw in the blood. Wipe off all
excess petroleum jelly; you only want the tiniest, thinnest layer.
At this point, go ahead and place the test strip into the glucometer. If you hit major delays, it may stop waiting and give an error or turn off, but it is quite generous. It is awkward to try to put it in later, when you have both hands quite busy. Also, go ahead and pull back the "trigger" on the lancing device now, for the same reason.
Put the lancing device down, and if there is not a small blood bead forming, gently squeeze the toe. It often takes a few seconds for the blood to come up. If your ferret is starting to pull her foot away and the Ferretone is running low, apply more Ferretone.
Now, it's time for the delicate bit. Pick up your Freestyle, and double check to be sure the glucometer is still on and reading "apply sample." If it has been too long, you will have to take the strip out and put it back in, which can jeopardize your precious blood bead forming on the ferret's toe.
That's it!
This page is maintained by Pam Sessoms and was last updated 14 December 2006. I
can be reached at: pjdutche@email.unc.edu
