It is only fairly recently that vets have been able to measure feline Blood Pressure (BP). Cat’s
arteries are small, and the blood flow through them is not audible with a stethoscope (like
humans), so measuring feline BP had to wait for the development of Doppler Crystal Probes to
be invented. These identify the movement of the arterial walls and convert it to sound, so NOW
we can ‘hear’ when blood flow resumes in the artery after the paediatric inflating cuff is released.
Hence BP can be identified.
Until recently, we thought that cat BP only rose to dangerous
levels once their kidneys were already damaged.
However, it appears there is a subset of cats who get
high BP BEFORE the kidney damage. Since management
of BP is one of the best ways to prolong kidney function,
then managing it before any damage is discernible
should mean we have cats’ kidneys lasting a very long
time. Excellent news!
Finding out if your cat has hypertension is now pretty
easy with a routine Blood Pressure measurement, especially
if your cat is over the age of 8 years or has renal
insufficiency – kidney
damage. However,
sometimes the first clue
is due to the effects of
high BP on other systems
– cats can develop heart
murmurs, retinas (in the
eye) can detach so the
cat goes blind. Or cats
can have strokes or fits
from high BP. Eventually,
untreated, there will be
enough damage to the
kidneys that they will lose
function. So treatment is
important.
Here is the BUT: treatment
requires once or
even twice daily medication
for your cat – for as long as it lives. Hypertension
(high BP) does not go away. It is worse to treat BP intermittently
rather than not at all, so starting on medication
is a big commitment. There are a number of approaches
– if your cat has hypertension, she will, of course, require
her own customised plan! There are tablets – which need
to be divided to 1/8 or 1/4 (Amlodipine / Norvasc (T)),
or the same drug can be made into an ointment and
rubbed inside the ear (transdermal cream). Or you can
ignore the problem until there is a clinical issue, and then
treat the hypertension. Some cats don’t want to ever be
treated, or the financial burden can be high. It is possible
just to treat the kidney issues with change of diet once
the damage is done, and still extend the useful life of
kidneys.
So in summary: each cat
is different, high blood
pressure (now we can
measure it and cats are
living long enough to
develop it!) is quite common.
Information is worth
having, whether treatment
is elected or not.
So next time you see Dr
Kim – ask whether your
cat needs a BP check. It
may keep your cat with
you, and enjoying a high
quality of life, for a much
longer time! or book now
0400 756 331.
Great Website, with all the right information :
www.pets.ca/encyclopedia/hypertension_cats.htm
