Site Accessibility Features: Skip to page menus
Site Menus Section Skip to page content
Blood pressure refers to the pressure against the walls of arteries during the time the heart contracts and empties itself of blood, and during the time the heart relaxes and fills with blood.
When the heart contracts, this is known as systole, and the systolic pressure is the maximum pressure against the walls of the arteries.
When the heart relaxes, it is known as diastole, and diastolic pressure is the minimum pressure against the walls of the arteries.
Measuring blood pressure in your dog is like measuring your own blood pressure.
These measurements will be taken over a period of a few minutes, with the results being averaged out.
Systemic hypertension describes high blood pressure throughout the body: a sustained elevation in systolic pressure of 140mmHg or greater, in diastolic pressure of 90mmHg or greater, or both. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine recommends that treatment be initiated when systolic pressure remains over 160 mmHg persistently.
Dogs can experience temporary elevations in blood pressure due to stress, including being in a veterinary hospital. It is important to take several readings and to create as quiet an environment as possible. Most often, having the dog’s owner present helps relieve some of the stress involved. Hypertension in dogs is often due to an underlying disease and is called secondary hypertension. If no underlying disease is present or can be identified, then it is called primary hypertension.
Hypertension is more common in older dogs, consistent with the development of an underlying disease such as chronic kidney disease, or excessive levels of steroids produced by the adrenal glands in dogs with Cushing's syndrome. Younger dogs may develop hypertension if they have kidney disease due to infection (such as leptospirosis) or a developmental kidney abnormality.
The signs of hypertension include:
The cause of primary hypertension is unknown. Secondary hypertension accounts for a majority of hypertension in dogs, and can be attributed to kidney disease, adrenal gland disease (Cushing’s syndrome), diabetes mellitus (less common), pheochromocytoma (adrenal gland tumor and very uncommon), or central nervous system disease (rare).
Treatment of hypertension depends upon the underlying cause, if any. If the dog develops a serious complication related to hypertension, like acute kidney failure or bleeding into the eye, they may need to be hospitalized. In general, once any underlying condition is appropriately managed, medication and nutrition are important to normalizing blood pressure.
Medications that are commonly used to manage hypertension in dogs include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs), beta blockers, diuretics, and calcium-channel blockers. Additional medications may be required, depending on the response to initial therapy. Therapeutic nutrition is generally accepted as an important part of long-term management.
The treatment goal for a dog with hypertension is a systolic pressure of 160mmHg or less. Periodic laboratory testing will be required to monitor for medication side effects and progression of disease. Regular blood pressure measurements will also need to be taken to ensure treatment continues to be successful.
Potential complications of hypertension in the dog include:
The course of hypertension in dogs depends on the underlying cause. When blood pressure is well managed, the risk of potential complications is minimized. Medication for hypertension is generally a lifetime undertaking and may be adjusted over time, as needed.
© Copyright 2025 LifeLearn Inc. Used and/or modified with permission under license. This content written by LifeLearn Animal Health (LifeLearn Inc.) is licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written consent of LifeLearn. This content does not contain all available information for any referenced medications and has not been reviewed by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, or Health Canada Veterinary Drugs Directorate. This content may help answer commonly asked questions, but is not a substitute for medical advice, or a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by a veterinarian. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your pet’s health. Last updated on Mar 3, 2025.
Site Sidebar: Skip to end of sidebar
Search Articles
Filter By Species
View All
We are currently seeing regular, urgent care and surgical appointments using curbside service only. We are still restricting lobby traffic at this time and are keeping our door locked. Please call our office at 803-469-6077 for additional instructions. Upon arrival please remain in your vehicle and one of our staff will come out to greet you as soon as possible Due to limited staffing you may get our voicemail system when you call. Please leave a message as we check this frequently during the day. We hope to be back to normal lobby hours and services in the near future.
1230 Wilson Hall Road Sumter, South Carolina, 29150
Phone: 803-469-6077 Email: contact@advancedvethospital.com
© 2025 Advanced Veterinary Hospital. Provided by Covetrus | Powered by LifeLearn WebDVM