HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN DOGS
I wrote about cat Hypertension and how it can easily cause blindness. You might consider suspecting something is not right with your cat if your pet “has a heart murmur or any of the liver-kidney-related clinical signs such as an increased water intake or urination, vomiting and weight loss. Other signs include seizures, fainting episodes, or nose bleeds.”
The following is from an article by VCA Animal Hospital.
Blood pressure refers to the pressure against the walls of arteries during the time the heart contracts (systolic pressure-maximum pressure) and empties itself of blood as well as during the time the heart relaxes-diastolic pressure) and fills with blood. Measuring blood pressure is like our own experience, however, more challenging with a pet’s lack of cooperation or distress at its surroundings. The vet must get a pet to lay calming (Maurice refused) on its side. The doppler method requires the vet to shave a small area at your pet’s ankle or wrist and a small probe will be taped in place. Then a cuff is applied and is inflated. As the cuff deflates, your vet will listen for the systolic pressure to be recorded. This procedure unfortunately does not allow for easy or reliable testing of the diastolic pressure. It is important to take several readings because of the dog’s stress level. If the dog has a primary health issue like chronic kidney disease, then the hypertension is secondary hypertension. If there are no underlying issues, then it is primary hypertension which is rarely the case. The three most common triggers are kidney disease and adrenal gland disease, followed by diabetes mellitus.
Potential complications in a dog having high blood pressure include *sudden blindness bleeding inside the globe of the eye, and persistently dilated pupils *detached retinas *nervous system signs like depression, head tilt, seizures, disorientation, wobbly or uncoordinated movements (called Ataxia), circling, weakness or partial paralysis or short, rapid, back-and forth movements of the eyes (called nystagmus) *increased drinking and urinating with the progression of chronic kidney disease *stroke (cerebral vascular accident) *blood in the urine (called hematuria) *bleeding in the nose and nasal passages *heart murmurs or abnormal heart rhythms.
Hypertension is more common in older dogs which are more prone to have other medical problems or have excessive steroid levels produced by the adrenal glands as in Cushing’s syndrome.
Prescribed medication like angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin ll receptor antagonists (ARBs) and therapeutic nutrition help in long term management. “The treatment goal for a dog with hypertension is a systolic pressure of 140mmHg or less, and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg or less. Periodic laboratory testing will be required to monitor for side effects of medication and progression of the disease.”
