Dr. Sarah Caney, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine, is asking all vet nurses to take part in what she hopes will be the biggest online feline hypertension survey conducted so far, with the aim of getting an accurate insight into how vet teams currently assess blood pressure in cats.

Everyone taking part in the survey will receive a fob watch to thank them for their participation.

Sarah is leading the project, which is supported by Ceva Animal Health, alongside Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, fellow RCVS Feline Medicine Specialist and Professor in Feline Medicine at The University of Edinburgh.

Suzanne Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at Ceva, said: “There are many barriers to ensuring that all older cats and those with relevant concurrent diseases receive screening for hypertension.

"The survey will help us better understand what those barriers are and how these challenges can be addressed positively to improve animal welfare.

"It is also an issue that requires the whole practice team to come together to deliver a better outcome for their patients.

"We are therefore very keen to find out how all members of the practice team view these important issues and want to encourage all vets and veterinary nurses to share their perspective on the challenges they face in carrying out blood pressure measurements.” 

Sarah is emphasising the importance of keeping feline patients calm and relaxed during blood pressure assessments: “The so-called ‘white coat effect’ or situational hypertension, has been observed in both people and animals.

"The survey will also explore the tools and techniques veterinary professionals use to minimise the impact of blood pressure assessments on their patients and will help us to develop some best practice approaches.”

The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/FelineHypertensionSurvey.

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