High blood pressure in dogs

High blood pressure in dogs is usually caused by an underlying disease, but it may occur on its own. It can cause serious damage to organs that are sensitive to elevated blood pressure, including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. Older dogs are more likely to suffer from this condition.

High blood pressure or systemic hypertension, occurs when your dog’s blood pressure is continuously higher than normal. Because symptoms of high blood pressure are sometimes hard to notice, routine health checks with your vet are important to detect early problems.

Overview

What is high blood pressure in dogs?

Blood pressure refers to the pressure of the blood against the artery walls, it’s measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

A dog with a constant blood pressure of 140mmHg or above 160mmHg is considered to have high blood pressure.

The most common causes of high blood pressure in dogs are:

Kidney disease
Cushing’s disease
Diabetes (less common)
Adrenal gland tumour called pheochromocytoma (very uncommon)

Symptoms

Symptoms of high blood pressure in dogs

Some dogs with high blood pressure may not show obvious signs.

If hypertension is associated with an underlying disease, you may notice some or all of the following symptoms in your dog:

Lethargy or weakness
Reduced appetite
Losing weight
Increased drinking
Increased urination
Sudden blindness
Blood inside the eye
Seizures
Head tilt
Tripping while walking

Risk

Are some dogs more at risk of high blood pressure than others?

Older dogs are more prone to this disease, which is consistent with the development of underlying conditions such as chronic kidney disease and Cushing’s disease.

Obese dogs are also at a higher risk.

Younger dogs may develop hypertension if they have kidney disease due to infection (such as leptospirosis) or a developmental kidney abnormality.

Diagnosis

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Your vet will take into account all of the clinical signs and perform a blood pressure test.

Blood pressure test: a cuff is placed around a leg or the tail and attached to a measuring device. Your dog needs to be as calm as possible to have this done.
Getting an accurate blood pressure reading on animals can be difficult. Pets can experience temporary elevations in blood pressure due to the stress of being at the vet practice. This is why your vet may need to request several visits for blood pressure measurement before diagnosing systemic hypertension.

Once hypertension is confirmed, your vet may recommend the following tests to determine if other problems are present:

Eye examination: Your vet will look specifically for signs of blindness, blood inside the eye, and damage to the retina.
Blood test: Usually includes routine complete blood count and biochemistry profile, but can also include specific tests to look into things such as kidney function.
Urine test
Radiographs: Abdominal and/or chest x-rays.
Ultrasound scan: To assess the shape and structure of the abdominal organs.

Vet treatment

What is the treatment for high blood pressure in dogs?

Your vet could recommend one or more of the following, based on your dog’s specific needs:

Medications to lower blood pressure, such as enalapril or benazepril, amlodipine or others like telmisartan
Treatment of any underlying conditions
Treatment of any side effects of hypertension, such as eye and heart disease

Home treatment

How can you help your dog with high blood pressure?

Minimise stressful events: this can include avoiding crowded places or unfamiliar dogs if these are a stressful trigger for your dog.
Avoid a high salt intake, such as human food and certain treats. Unlike in humans, a complete salt restriction is often not necessary. Talk to a vet about possible dietary recommendations depending on your dog’s underlying condition.
Train your dog to have their blood pressure taken. This can be done at home. Ask your vet to borrow a cuff or purchase one yourself.

Prevention

How to prevent high blood pressure in dogs

Keep up to date with annual health checks with your vet. As your dog ages, consider including routine blood and urine tests and a blood pressure measurement.
Keep your dog at a healthy weight. Talk to a vet nurse if you need help with helping your dog lose weight.

When to worry