Signs of Hypertension in Cats
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is fairly common in humans, but you don't hear a lot about it in cats. However, cats can develop hypertension at any age and it can be brought on by other feline problems like kidney failure or hyperthyroidism.
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Cautionary Signs
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If your cat experiences kidney failure or hyperthyroidism, you should also watch for signs of hypertension. They don't always go hand in hand, but you can consider the other illnesses to be warning signs for hypertension. It is rare that there isn't another disease or condition that brings on hypertension in cats. It's a simple test to have your cat's blood pressure checked at the veterinarian's office.
Possible Symptoms
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Because of the relationship between hypertension and other conditions, there are a wide variety of symptoms your cat may experience. These include: lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, retinal detachment, seizures, collapse, excessive thirst and excessive urination. Essentially, these are symptoms of other conditions. A complete list of all possible symptoms for hypertension would show conflicting symptoms, such as loss of appetite and increase of appetite, because each is caused by a different underlying condition. The most common symptom that cats seem to experience is associated with their eyes. Either the pupils don't contract when exposed to light or the eyes may become blood filled.
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Diagnosing Hypertension
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If you suspect your cat has hypertension, have the veterinarian take the cat's blood pressure or use other tests to determine if hypertension exists. Many cats with hypertension also have heart murmurs, so the veterinarian will probably use echocardiography to check on the cat's heart.
Medication
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Treatment will most likely be oral medications, though severe situations might require intravenous drugs. Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, is one of the more common drugs prescribed for feline hypertension.
Prognosis
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In the short term, hypertension in cats can be treated and controlled. The long-term effects of hypertension on cats are still unknown. The major determiner will be the underlying medical condition that brought on the hypertension. For instance, some cats may go blind for a short time, or not recover their sight at all. Older cats are less likely to have a good prognosis.
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