To mark Feline Hypertension Month in May, IVC Evidensia is sharing a severe case of feline hypertension which was found following a cat health check at Summerhill Veterinary Centre in Fakenham.
Poppy's case - feline hypertension
Dilated eyes in a cat
Poppy, who at the time was 18 years old, was presented for a routine cat health check, but the RVN noticed that she had bulging, prominent eyes, which is a sign of exophthalmos.
Further questioning and investigation with the owner revealed that Poppy has been more disorientated and vocal at home, something her owner had put down to old age.
High blood pressure in a cat
The nurse discussed with the owner to refer Poppy to a vet immediately for clinical examination and advice was given to monitor the cat’s blood pressure, which revealed extreme hypertension.
After being prescribed medication, Poppy continued to show improvement, but was also advised on osteoarthritis care. Thankfully, when examining Poppy’s eyes there were no longer any exophthalmos, and her pupil size was normal and responsive to light.
Cat blood pressure monitoring
From the original blood pressure monitoring, Poppy’s vision was greatly improved and the quality of life for both owner and cat improved immensely.
Poppy’s owner commented:
“Poppy's 19 years old and my beloved companion. It was heartbreaking to witness her going blind, bumping into things and being generally disorientated and distressed, also with permanently dilated pupils.
“After the first week of medication Poppy's vision returned and her eyes reacted to light again. It's been marvellous to witness this, as she now ventures out into the garden again and can jump
accurately from the floor onto furniture, also seems generally happier and to have a bit more energy.”
How to measure cat blood pressure safely
Following this case study, Nadine Fletcher (Head Veterinary Nurse at Summerhill Veterinary Centre) and her nursing team shared their three top tips for feline blood pressure measurement:
Preparing your cat for a health check
- Most stress can occur before the appointment so ensure the owner has been advised on how to minimise that stress
- Ensuring the cat is secure in the car - that the basket does not rock back and forth, that the car is as quiet as possible
- Lifting the basket out of the car to the vet practice - hold the basket tight to your body to prevent it swinging around with the cat thrown about inside
- Try and have all your equipment ready and have a room that is quiet and preferably away from noisy areas of the practice
- If you do not have separate dog and cat waiting areas then perhaps leave the basket in the car with the owner until you are ready to call into consult area. Use pheromone products sprayed onto a towel and cover the basket with the towel to make the cat feel secure - we give these towels out to the clients as they book in at reception
Use the base of the cat's tail to measure blood pressure
- Most cats tolerate this much better than the leg
De-sensitise the cat to the blood pressure cuff
- Allow the cat to get used to the cuff being present by allowing them to curl up in their basket or on a comfy bed on the consult table and settle
- Once settled and acclimatised to the room and the cuff, then de-sensitise the cat to the cuff being inflated.
- Get the cat comfortable to the cuff before you start blood pressure measurements
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