An occasional blood pressure measurement in cats provides information on how efficient the heart is and how elastic the blood vessel walls are.
For some time now, blood pressure measurements have also been possible in cats and have even become common practice in many veterinary practices. This is because permanently elevated blood pressure can pose serious health risks for cats.
Elevated blood pressure in cats
The causes of high blood pressure are usually due to other illnesses, e.g. kidney damage or hormonal disorders, which occur more frequently with age. By measuring blood pressure, these can be detected and treated at an early stage before further damage occurs. On the one hand, the heart is at risk as it has to pump against the increased resistance. This can also lead to circulatory problems, weakness, breathing difficulties and movement disorders. In addition, the kidneys are often affected by the consequences of increased blood pressure.
The vet can use various medications to treat the cat: vasodilators, which help in acute cases, as well as so-called beta-blockers for the long-term reduction of blood pressure, which are also given to heart patients in human medicine in a similar form. Finally, there is the possibility of positively influencing the disease through a low-salt diet and possibly reducing excess weight.
Blood pressure measurement in cats
The vet usually applies the cuff to the root of the cat's tail and pumps it up until the blood flow is briefly interrupted. The pressure is then reduced again, allowing the blood to flow back and a pressure gauge can be used to read how high the blood pressure is. It is important during the procedure that the cat is not too excited, as this could result in falsely high values.