Just like humans, cats can have high blood pressure or hypertension. This “silent killer” can sneak up on you since most cats do not show obvious outward signs of a problem. Vets normally don’t test for this on a routine examination. Cats also can have situational hypertension due to the fear and stress of being in the animal hospital.
Blood pressure is the force exerted by our circulating blood on the walls of the blood vessels. In pets, we primarily look at the systolic pressure or the pressure when the heart is taking a beat. We like to look at the mean arterial pressure and not so much the diastolic pressure. Hypertension is a sustained elevation in the systolic blood pressure.
“At our clinic, we like to perform routine checks of a pet’s blood pressure — if the pet allows this to be done.”
Many factors affect blood pressure, including the brain, heart, kidneys, blood vessels and many tissue factors. Besides situational hypertension, there is idiopathic hypertension, a fancy way of saying we do not know the exact underlying cause. This is also called primary hypertension and is likely due to increased vascular rigidity or tone. This accounts for approximately 13 to 20 percent of hypertension cases.
When we suspect hypertension, we also run other tests, including a complete blood panel and urine analysis. Although hypertension can cause a kidney problem, most commonly we see hypertension as a result of kidney disease. We find high blood pressure in about 19 up to 65 percent of cats with kidney disease. Some cats also have hypertension from an overactive thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism and, in some cases, from diabetes.
Most cats with hypertension are older — usually 9 years old or greater.
At our clinic, we like to perform routine checks of a pet’s blood pressure — if the pet allows this to be done. Cats can be quick and challenging to perform this test on. We use a special blood pressure instrument, but any abnormality we detect can be confirmed by a specialist using ultrasound and internal pressure measurements. A single elevated measurement may not mean your pet has hypertension. We are very concerned if we find a mean systolic pressure of 160mm Hg or more. Any value from 140 to 160 can be considered prehypertensive, and your pet should be monitored closely.
If you have any concerns about your pet, please call your veterinarian. Bring your pet in for at least one routine physical per year with possible lab tests and a blood pressure check. It is much easier to treat hypertension if it is caught early.
Dr. Ron Resnick has been in practice for more than 32 years and previously operated two veterinary hospitals. He taught at Harvard University and graduated from Tufts University, considered the best veterinary school in the world. He operates an animal hospital in Simi Valley.
