Abstract

Background Measured indirect blood pressure (BP) results in cats in a clinical environment might be affected by stress and characteristics of the cats.Hypothesis To investigate the influence of clinical setting, cat characteristics, and life situation on BP and pulse rate (PR) in healthy cats.Animals Ninety-four healthy Domestic Shorthair, Birman and Norwegian Forest cats.Methods Blood pressure measured by high-definition oscillometry in 3 settings: cat placed in its own carrier with veterinarian present; cat placed in carrier with owner alone present; and cat placed on table with veterinarian present. Statistical analyses were performed using mixed linear models.Results Systolic BP (SBP) did not differ among settings. Higher mean arterial pressure (MAP), diastolic BP (DBP), and PR were found when measurements were performed with cat placed on table, rather than in carrier. Coefficients of variation (CVs) higher for SBP, MAP, DBP, and PR when measured with cat placed on table than in carrier. Birman cats had lower BP than other breeds. Systolic BP, MAP, DBP, and PR increased with age. Cats allowed outdoors had lower PR than cats living strictly indoors.Conclusion and Clinical Importance No difference in SBP was found among settings, but measuring BP with the cat placed on the examination table gave higher MAP, DBP, PR, and CV than measuring BP with the cat in its carrier. Breed affected BP, with lower BP in Birman cats than other breeds. Blood pressure increased with age. Pulse rate was lower in cats allowed outdoors than cats living strictly indoors.

Keywords

Birman; breed; oscillometry; pulse rate

Published in

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
2021, Volume: 35, number: 2, pages: 801-811
Publisher: WILEY

SLU Authors

• Hanås, Sofia

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Ström Holst, Bodil

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Ljungvall, Ingrid

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Tidholm, Anna

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Albano Animal Hospital

• Olsson, Ulf

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Häggström, Jens

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Höglund, Katja

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Clinical Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16096

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/111514