Blood pressure

How do you measure a dog's blood pressure?

To measure your dog's blood pressure, you need a special blood pressure monitor for animals, which you can buy in veterinary practices or online. The device consists of a cuff that is placed around your dog's forearm or the base of the tail and a measuring device that displays the values. The cuff is inflated with air and then slowly deflated while the device measures the blood pressure.

It is important that you calm and relax your dog before the measurement, as stress and tension can distort the values. You should also not feed or walk your dog shortly before the measurement. It is best to measure the blood pressure several times in succession and calculate an average value.

What values are normal?

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and consists of two values: the systolic value, which indicates the pressure when the heart contracts, and the diastolic value, which indicates the pressure when the heart relaxes. In dogs, blood pressure values between 130 mmHg as the upper value (systole) and 70 mmHg as the lower value (diastole) are normal. Blood pressure values vary slightly from breed to breed. Males have higher blood pressure values than females. With increasing age, dogs generally have higher blood pressure than younger dogs.

What are the causes and symptoms of high or low blood pressure in dogs?

High or low blood pressure in dogs is usually a symptom of another disease. There are three types of hypertension:

• Situational hypertension: high blood pressure levels can occur situationally, e.g. in stressful situations. The blood pressure is not permanently high, but only at that particular moment. When the situation is over, the blood pressure drops back to normal.
• Secondary hypertension: The most common cause of high blood pressure in dogs is another disease that leads to high blood pressure. In over 80 percent of all cases of hypertension, the cause is an underlying disease. Diabetes mellitus, obesity, an increased calcium content (medically: hypercalcemia), as well as kidney and liver diseases lead to high blood pressure values. Various medications also influence blood pressure and are possible triggers for hypertension.
• Idiopathic (primary) hypertension: This type of high blood pressure occurs without an underlying disease. The blood pressure values are elevated without any recognizable cause. Idiopathic hypertension is less common than secondary hypertension.

The symptoms of high blood pressure in dogs can vary depending on the severity and organs affected. Possible signs include

• Increased heart rate
• Circulatory problems
• Listlessness and weakness
• shortness of breath
• Nosebleeds
• Increased urine output
• Changes in the eyes, such as bleeding in the retina, retinal detachment or blindness

Low blood pressure in dogs is usually a symptom of shock, which can be caused by blood loss, dehydration, heart failure or a serious infection. The symptoms of low blood pressure in dogs are

• Weak and rapid pulse
• Pale mucous membranes
• Cold extremities
• Loss of consciousness

How do you treat high or low blood pressure in dogs?

The treatment of high or low blood pressure in dogs depends on the underlying cause. If another condition is causing the hypertension or hypotension, this will need to be treated. For example, kidney disease can be treated with a special diet, medication or dialysis. Diabetes mellitus requires insulin therapy and dietary adjustments.

In addition to treating the underlying disease, blood pressure-lowering or blood pressure-increasing medication can also be administered to normalize the values. These medications usually have to be taken for life and can have side effects. It is therefore important to check your dog's blood pressure regularly and adjust the dosage of the medication accordingly.

You can also take some measures to positively influence your dog's blood pressure. These include:

• A balanced diet low in salt and fat
• A healthy body weight
• Sufficient exercise
• Stress reduction