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Video Dr. Jim Humphries - 60% OF SENIOR DOGS
SUFFER FROM SILENT DISEASE
Canine Hypertension numbers may be
increasing due to better screening
 Veterinarian
News Network - For people,
avoiding high blood pressure entails eating
right, getting enough exercise, avoiding
high risk activities such as smoking and
drinking, and hopefully getting the right
combination of genes. Since our dogs rarely
indulge in any high risk activities, why are
veterinarians concerned about hypertension
in our pets?
Measuring blood pressure is a standard
practice in most human doctors' offices and
has been for many years. It is also a fairly
simple and straightforward procedure,
ultimately giving the M.D. an accurate and
repeatable vital sign. For our pets,
however, the measurement is not as easy.
First, for many years, there has not been a
good, reliable, non-invasive method of
measuring blood pressure in pets. Second,
the body shape of our dogs and cats make it
more difficult to get accurate, reproducible
readings, and finally, it has historically
not been an important enough vital sign to
worry about in pets.
Recent research is now showing that high
blood pressure, or hypertension, is much
more common in pets than previously thought.
Some studies have shown that up to 93% of
dogs with kidney problems also suffer from
an increased blood pressure. Luckily,
primary hypertension, which is very common
in people, is less common in pets. The good
thing about this is that treating the
underlying problem can often help alleviate
the blood pressure increases. However, high
blood pressure in our pets rarely shows any
outward signs. A dog who suddenly loses his
vision is perhaps the most common clinical
sign of hypertension.
As technology has advanced, devices for
easily taking a blood pressure reading on
our pets have also advanced. Now, many
veterinarians keep a Doppler, non-invasive
blood pressure monitor as part of their
standard equipment. Although the skills for
measuring blood pressure increase every
year, it is important to remember that a
single blood pressure measurement should
never be used to determine if your pet has
high blood pressure. Veterinarians will take
into account the stress of the visit as well
as other factors to help you determine what
steps to take to protect your pet.
If your pet is over 9 years old, ask your
veterinarian about measuring his or her
blood pressure. Visit
www.myvnn.com to see videos about
how blood pressure measurements have
advanced in veterinary medicine.
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