High blood pressure in cat

[Keely Parr]

Karma was diagnosed with high blood pressure (180) and amlodipine was recommended. I was thinking of trying the herb Hawthorne instead which I use for myself and which the book Herbs for Pets recommends. Any suggestions? I do not have his bloodwork back as of yet.

thank you,
Keely

 

[Dr. Sara]

It is extremely rare, according to feline specialists, for cats to have true primary hypertension (high blood pressure with no underlying cause). When cats are closely examined, virtually all hypertensive cats have one of the common causes, such as chronic kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, and rarely adrenal tumors. Because of this, the underlying cause should be addressed, ideally with holistic prescribing.

If you wish to use a herbal approach, remember that it is quite hard to monitor a cat's blood pressure by evaluating their clinical signs. Many people can tell when their blood pressure (BP) is elevated. Cats probably know when their BP is up, but cats are not so good at sharing information. There are serious possible consequences to uncontrolled high BP. Cats can develop retinal problems, circulation issues in the brain, and kidney and heart damage. Because of this, regular BP checks will be essential to ensure that the BP normalizes with any treatment.

Herbal and TCM practitioners choose herbs based on the totality of symptoms, and taking into account any underlying disease states. I hope this helps!

 

[Keely Parr]

Hi Dr. Sara:

thank you for your post. My cat does have chronic kidney disease with the high blood pressure being secondary.

keely