medusa Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 When my old cat Merlin was having her heart problems I joked with the vet about taking a cat's blood pressure with a tiny version of the kit that you use with humans (you know, inflatable cuff which goes around the upper arm and which cuts the blood off once it reaches above your blood pressure) but it turns out that it's completely true. They really do have a teeny tiny version of a blood pressure machine for cats, except that it's hard to hear the blood returning to the blood vessels with a stethoscope so they use a tiny doppler scanner receiver. With animals their blood pressure is usually done by a cardiologist, purely because it's such a complicated process on smaller animals. It took Vicky Ironside (Merlin's cardiologist) only a couple of minutes to do her BP, but it was an important reading as it turned out that she had really bad hypertension and a racing heartbeat too. She lived perfectly happily and without symptoms for over 3 years with her heart medication BTW, although her kidneys failing got her in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 It happened again last night and this morning she seems ok again. We're off to veterinary hospital in Rotherham shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 That's brilliant With a bit of luck you'll get someone who knows how to handle the tiny little blood pressure cuffs that they use with cats, and your cat will be patient with the vet That's a much better and treatable option than if it was a CVA. Did you have to put your cat on special diet? have just come back from vet and Amber has blood pressure and onset of kidney disease and has been prescribed tablets - shes got to go for check up in 3 months. Vet says not worst shes ever seen but not best either but all other tests such as liver and diabetes were normal and she said Amber was quite good for her age. I know shes old but I will look after her while she still has a quality of life but won't let her suffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Glad to know Amber's doing better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 Glad to know Amber's doing better. Thanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 Can anybody give me advice on low salt diet for cat with kidney problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 You'll almost definitely need to feed her a low-protein kidney-friendly diet. Not sure about the low sodium diet side of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingers Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 My cat is 18 and has had kidney disease for aprox 5 years. He has a tablet everyday (they are flavoured so easily taken). He also has a special diet , but as far as I am aware this type of food is only available from the vets (prescription diet). Your vet should advise you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katei Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I have had a cat that was blind due to hypertension. Her blood pressure was maintained through medication and she coped very well with her loss of sight. She would even go upstairs under her own steam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 thanks Katie and Gingers - shes on medication now and her sight keeps coming and going, hoping we've caught it in time and that once medication kicks in her sight will stabilise but vet says can't guarantee this. 5 years after diagnosis wow, amber will be 21 then. She's 16 now, 17 in April Will keep you posted and once again thanks to everybody on this thread for your help and kind thoughts:thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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