When I first decided to home test Jake I wasn`t quite sure where to get 
the blood from. I had read about taking blood from the inside and outside of the lip, but I was still a little confused as to which area they 
were talking about. After many hours of trying to get some blood from him, I finally `hit lucky`. This photo clearly shows which part of the lip I use to obtain a blood sample from Jake. Personally I don`t think it is either the inside or the outside but rather the `underside`!
Some people find that it is easier to obtain blood if your pet lays on his side.  I have never had a problem getting blood from Jake when he is sitting up. What ever works best for you is fine. I tend to find that `pricking` the lip towards the back ( nearer the molar teeth) gives me the best drop of blood. I also use the soft clix pen,
set to number 5. Some people don`t like to use the pen, just a lancet. One of the main reasons is the pen makes a noise when it is `fired`. 
One trick I use here is to slide my index finger under his top lip. 
This makes the area I am about to poke taut. 
One quick `poke` with the pen and we are almost there.....
Mostly the drop of blood has to be `teased` out.
A gentle squeeze around the `poked` area should produce a large droplet of blood.
When you get the hang of it the whole blood testing process
takes literally seconds..Honest!

Mom do I get a treat when you get done squeezing.
Jakes Glucometer is a Glucotrend 2
(by Accu Check)
It allows you to remove the test strip to apply the drop of blood before
re-inserting it in to the machine, although not all meters will allow
you to do this. You will need to refer to your manufactures handbook on
the correct usage of your meter. Here you can see the blood covering the whole of the test area. Now all that remains to be done is to put the
test strip in the meter and wait for the result. At this point the most
important thing to remember is to make a huge fuss of your dog and tell
him what good boy he is!  :O)


Thank You Jake for being such a good-looking model!
Thank you Gill for taking time to take pictures and writeup how to proceed.

More Blood Testing Picture Tutorials

**Disclaimer**
We are not  veterinarians.
This information is provided to help you with caring
for your diabetic pet and is not meant to replace
your veterinarian's own advice.