Vets urged to highlight importance of feline BP checks
Vets and vet nurses are being urged to highlight the benefits of feline blood pressure checks with owners of cats aged seven and over.
The move follows on from Ceva Animal Health’s Mercury Challenge — the largest international feline hypertension initiative, which encouraged vet practices around Europe to take blood pressure measurements from over 10,000 cats, 4,000 of which were from the UK.The results showed more than 40 per cent of cats enrolled in the Mercury Challenge were hypertensive, with a blood pressure about 30 per cent higher than the blood pressure value found in healthy cats.This high percentage suggests feline hypertension may be even more common than suspected, especially in the ageing cat population.
Known as the ‘silent killer,’ hypertension often develops gradually without any early signs.
Unfortunately, when clinical signs occur, it is often too late and consequences can be dramatic.
The eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain can be severely affected.An early diagnosis is crucial to prevent serious damage. Once diagnosed, hypertension can be easily and efficiently treated with the daily administration of an appropriate treatment.
Jodie Tanner, vet at Lime Tree Vets in Staffordshire, who participated in the Mercury Challenge says:“We were taken aback at the number of hypertensive cats that lacked clinical signs or target organ damage. These hypertensive cats would have previously gone undetected prior to us screening our older patients and they would probably have only presented when they had advanced target organ damage, such as blindness.
“Measuring blood pressure in cats is now incorporated into our bespoke preventive health care plan.”