Did you know hypertension (high blood pressure) is a relatively common and potentially life threatening disease in cats?
This condition can be dangerous, and responsible for a variety of disorders that adversely affect a cat’s eyesight, kidney function, or cardiac function. Similar to humans, during the early phase of hypertension, your cat may show no outward clinical signs or changes to clue you in on the problem. Cats with advanced hypertension will typically exhibit problems associated with the systems that are affected by the condition: the ocular system (sudden blindness or retinal hemorrhaging); the renal system (poor appetite, weight loss, increased drinking and urination); the neurologic system (seizures, disorientation); and the cardiovascular system (difficulty in breathing). Hyertension can also indicate the presence of a potentially deadly underlying systemic diseases such as renal failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes. Fortunately, with timely and appropriate veterinary monitoring and treatment, feline hypertension—whatever its cause—is almost always manageable. …show more content…
A small cuff is placed at the base of the tail or on a paw, then a small doppler probe is held just below the cuff. The doppler detects blood flow through the tail, heard as the pulse. The cuff is slowly inflated, which temporarily restricts blood flow (heard as silence on the doppler). As the cuff is slowly deflated, the operator will listen for return of the sound of the pulse and notes the pressure measured at that time. A series of readings are usually taken and
This condition can be dangerous, and responsible for a variety of disorders that adversely affect a cat’s eyesight, kidney function, or cardiac function. Similar to humans, during the early phase of hypertension, your cat may show no outward clinical signs or changes to clue you in on the problem. Cats with advanced hypertension will typically exhibit problems associated with the systems that are affected by the condition: the ocular system (sudden blindness or retinal hemorrhaging); the renal system (poor appetite, weight loss, increased drinking and urination); the neurologic system (seizures, disorientation); and the cardiovascular system (difficulty in breathing). Hyertension can also indicate the presence of a potentially deadly underlying systemic diseases such as renal failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes. Fortunately, with timely and appropriate veterinary monitoring and treatment, feline hypertension—whatever its cause—is almost always manageable. …show more content…
A small cuff is placed at the base of the tail or on a paw, then a small doppler probe is held just below the cuff. The doppler detects blood flow through the tail, heard as the pulse. The cuff is slowly inflated, which temporarily restricts blood flow (heard as silence on the doppler). As the cuff is slowly deflated, the operator will listen for return of the sound of the pulse and notes the pressure measured at that time. A series of readings are usually taken and