High Blood Pressure In Dogs: Causes And Treatments

High blood pressure in dogs: causes and treatments

High blood hypertension or blood pressure occurs when blood pressure values are higher in the normal range.

This condition can be caused by another disease, in which case it is called secondary hypertension. When the condition is not a consequence of another disease, it is called primary or idiopathic hypertension.

High blood pressure symptoms in dogs

The symptoms vary depending on the severity of the painting. The following are just some of the most common symptoms shown by dogs with high blood pressure: seizures, disorientation, blindness, dilated pupils, retinal detachment, eye bleeding.

Blood can also occur in the urine, urine protein, nose bleeding, swollen or shrunk kidneys, heart blows. There may be weakness, either on one side of the body or in the legs and involuntary oscillation (balance) of the eyeballs.

Causes of high blood pressure in dogs

Like hypertension in humans, the cause of primary hypertension in dogs is unknown. However, there have been cases in which reproductive dogs with hypertension have produced offspring with hypertension, so it seems likely to be a genetic component.

So how frequent this form of hypertension is? It is certainly known, the values found widely vary in different studies. The guide prepared by the American School of Internal Veterinary Medicine (ACVIM) recognizes that between 0.5 and 13 percent of dogs suffer from high blood pressure.

The ages of dogs with hypertension ranged between 2 and 14 years.

Secondary hypertension, which represents 80 percent of all cases of hypertension, may be due to a variety of factors, which include obesity, kidney disease, hormonal fluctuation and hyperthyroidism.

Diabetes can also be a cause of hypertension, although it is uncommon in dogs. If you suspect that your dog suffers from hypertension, go to the consultation so that your veterinarian can provide adequate diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Blood pressure is often measured in pets in the same way as in humans. An inflatable bracelet will be placed in the dog’s leg or tail, and the standard blood pressure measurement instruments will control the pressure. It is important to keep the dog still enough time to get a precise reading.

Hypertension in dogs is classified according to the risk of damage to organs (all of its acronym of English), according to the following standards:

140/99 to 159/95 – prehipertensive (low risk of Tod), the intervention is not strongly recommended in these readings.

160/119 to 179/100 – Hypertensive (moderate risk of Tod), treatment should be sought to limit the risk of damage to the organs.

≥180 mm Hg /120: severely hypertensive (high risk of Tod), immediate treatment should be sought to limit the degree of other more serious complications.

They are usually taken from five to seven measures. The first measurement will be discarded and the dog’s excitation level will be taken into account during the procedure. If the results are very different, the procedure must be repeated.

High blood pressure treatment in dogs

Priority, it is necessary to establish the treatment of the underlying cause of high blood pressure. Otherwise, the dog will probably take medications to control blood pressure indefinitely.

The medicine of choice is a blocker of calcium channels or a beta blocker. As for the dog’s diet, the veterinarian can recommend foods with low sodium content.

Blood pressure must be regularly monitored, and your veterinarian can order some laboratory tests to measure your dog’s reactions to the medication.