Feline Hypotension Awareness Month

This May is Feline Hypertension Awareness Month or FHAM. Hypertension (or high blood pressure) affects one in five cats over the age of nine, and have become known as ‘the silent killer’ as it often shows no physical signs until a major problem arises.

Prevention is better than cure! To help us look out for the early signs of the condition, we recommend checking your senior cat’s blood pressure once yearly to help us with early diagnosis. Prolonged high blood pressure can cause irreversible damage to your cat’s brain, eyes, kidneys or heart, so the earlier it is picked up the better. Hypertension can also often be associated with other disease, such as chronic kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, so it is important to have these regular checks to ensure we are providing the best care.

Taking a blood pressure reading involves using a cuff, just like when your doctor or nurse takes your own, which is inflated and deflated so we can take a reading. Most cats tolerate this very well and it only takes a couple of minutes to give us all the information we need. The nursing team at Milton Keynes Veterinary Group perform blood pressure checks at our Cat Clinics, held at our Stoke Road surgery on Tuesday and Thursdays each week. If we do pick up any issues, they will refer you to a veterinary surgeon to discuss the options available for you and your feline friend.

Through May and June we will be offering blood pressure checks to cats over the age of seven free of charge – please contact us on PetsApp or by phone if you would like more information or to book an book an appointment and our Client Care team will be happy to help! You can also find more information using the following link: https://catbloodpressure.com/