|
|
Back
Epidemiological
study of blood pressure in domestic dogs
Bodey, A. R., Michell, A. R. Abstract
broadcast on www.provet.co.uk
|
This information is provided by
Provet for educational purposes only.
You should seek the advice of your
veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the
diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.
Abstract
Previous experience has shown that a noninvasive (indirect) technique using an
oscillometric monitor in conjunction with a tail cuff makes routine clinical
blood pressure measurement practicable in dogs. The relationship between
indirect and direct readings has been evaluated in both anaesthetised and
conscious dogs (Bodey and others 1994, 1996). In this study, more than 2000
pressure measurements were taken from 1903 dogs. It was found that systolic is
the most variable pressure parameter and that it depends on age, breed, sex,
temperament, disease state, exercise regime and, to a minor extent, diet. Diet
was not a significant determinant of diastolic and mean arterial pressure. Age
and breed were the major predictors for all parameters. Heart rate was
primarily affected by the temperament of the animal, though other factors also
play a part in prediction. The distribution of systolic, diastolic, mean
arterial pressure and heart rate across the dog population approximates to a
log normal distribution. On the basis of these results it is possible to
describe normal ranges for canine blood pressure; definition of hypertension,
though, demands attention to age and breed normal values. The existence of
statistically defined hypertension in an individual or breed does not imply
adverse effects justifying therapy. Among the secondary causes of
hypertension, such as diabetes, obesity and hyperadrenocorticism, hepatic
disease was a new addition also undocumented in humans. The hypothesis that
dogs, though classic model animals for hypertension, are resistant to its
development found support from the modest increase in mean pressure values
observed among dogs with renal disease, notably those with substantial
reduction of glomerular filtration rate. The existence of breeds such as
deerhounds with average pressures in the borderline range for hypertension in
humans (and many individuals, therefore, well above) suggests that dogs may
also be resistant to some of the adverse effects of high blood pressure.
Reference
JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE , 37(3):116-125 1996
Updated January 2016
|