How to tell if the cat has pressure problems? How to spot hypotension problems in your cat and what to do to fix them.
It seems that our cat is not always the usual, because it appears to us much more tired and sluggish than normal? This apparent fatigue could be due to a drop in pressure, also known as ‘hypotension’. We will see what is the role of lattetemia and what consequences it has on the health of the cat. In practice we will see what it means when the cat has low blood pressure, how it is measured and from what signals to notice it: everything you need to know about hypotension in the cat.
Low blood pressure in the cat: what it means
Low blood pressure indicates blood pressure values that are different from the norm, i.e. lower. Certainly it is a less worrying condition than both feline and canine hypertension this is because a lowering of pressure certainly has much less serious consequences than its opposite. It is perfectly compatible with a state of health all in all good, although the values are not normal. In fact, it is not considered a pathology, but it can be among the main causes of collapse.
Measuring the pressure of the cat
How to convince our four-legged friend to stand still to be ‘visited’? A really difficult undertaking, despite being a completely painless and short operation. But cats hate to be visited, and the moment of the veterinarian can be a source of great stress for them.
Usually the instruments used use two modes: the Doppler and the oscillometric method. It is a kind of ‘pump’ that is placed around the tail or front leg. In the first method, a probe is associated with the sleeve, on which gel will be sprinkled to better ‘feel’ the pulse of the blood.
In the HDO oscillometric method, on the other hand, the measurement is automatic and the values appear directly on a display. It is the preferable method because the test can be carried out directly from the cat’s carrier, without even bothering to get out of it.
Hypotension in the cat: what does lactatemia have to do with it
When we talk about lactatemia, we refer to the concentration of lactic acid or lactate. It is produced by muscles, red blood cells and brain cells after exertion, when the cells are not oxygenated enough.
Some studies have confirmed that the evaluation of the value of lactatemia is indicative in the hypothetical cat: when the value is low the cat risks much less than one with a high lactatemia. Although it cannot be called a general ‘rule’, it may happen that the first cat has a better chance of survival.
