cat eye

RE: cat eye

Kate Richardson — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 22:11:25 GMT

Frusemide not a great idea if has kidney disease

RE: cat eye

John Flynn — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 22:02:17 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]But will the blood pressure reading mean anything in such a frit cat?[/quote]

I think that depends on the reading.

Anything over 300mmHg I'm usually fairly confident to be genuinely hypertensive for instance.

I'm often surprised how "normal" many cats blood pressure is even when taking it seems a tall order; if I'm getting it at 140mmHg I'll be guessing that it ain't hypertensive needing medicated.

If it's genuinely not possible to measure the BP, it's usually not a cat that is going to be taking amlodipine tablets regularly anyway in my limited experience, so the question has become more academic. Having said that, I'd happily start an acutely blind cat with suspected retinal hemorrhage/detachments on amlodipine without measuring BP if not an option.

I've been pleasantly suprised on giving acutely blind hypertensive cats amlodipine and have found the majority (I reckon I've treated less than a dozen such cats overall) to have regained sight and not lost it again - I wonder if promptness of treatment is the biggest factor? What do others think about giving a furosemide injection at the same time on initial presentation - I don't but have always wondered whether is a sensible additional measure or not?

RE: cat eye

Busybee — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:27:29 GMT

That's the question! But if it's unexpectedly low (unlikely, I know), then I guess we can rule it out....?

RE: cat eye

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:25:06 GMT

But will the blood pressure reading mean anything in such a frit cat?

RE: cat eye

Busybee — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:22:41 GMT

Thanks Kate! That's an idea, I could certainly try - the further away from the bitey end the better!

RE: cat eye

Kate Richardson — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:20:13 GMT

I would agree highly likely- can you get bp from tail? If not then after discussion of risks then yes I would try low dose amlodipine 0.625mg Sid

RE: cat eye

Busybee — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:14:41 GMT

Thought I'd tag onto the end of an old post rather that starting a new one as hopefully there's a quick answer to this....

We have an 11yr old cat in the clinic, diagnosed hyperthyroid and CKD and on Felimazole and Semintra. He now has a suspected UTI (urine appeared pyuric on cysto) and his azotaemia and phosphorus have worsened markedly since January. He is staying in on IVFT whilst we await the culture results on Monday. Unfortunatly he is pretty unhandleable! I needed to sedate him today to replace his catheter. This evening he appears bilaterally blind with bilateral mydriasis, negative menace and minimal PLR. On a (quick and limited!) opthalmological exam, his retinas don't appear in focus though I cannot see any obvious haemorrhages. I am highly suspicious of hypertensive retinopathy causing bilateral retinal detachment, though the optimist in me is hoping this is all sedation recovery..... However, there is no way we will be able to get a blood pressure measurement done on this cat.
Does the majority agree with me and if so, would I be very wrong to add in amlodipine to the mix without an actual proof of hypertension?

Re: cat eye

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:16:19 GMT

[quote user="Robert Lowe"]

It would be really unusual to have sudden onset bilateral lens luxation and loss of vision.

[/quote]

True but I have seen it and dont forget that according to the clinical history this may be longer standing than we're assuming. I would however also believe detached retinas due to hypertension are the most likely cause of the visual compromise in an older cat. And I'm never offended, I'm always happy to be proved wrong I just think that sometimes we miss the woods for the trees and although I hate the phrase - need to think outside the box.

Re: cat eye

Robert Lowe — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:59:23 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]The OP states that the 'film' observed is in the botton half of the anterior chamber - this would not fit with retinal detachment alone but would fit lens luxation.[/quote]

True enough. However, lens luxation alone shouldn't preclude a view through to the fundus unless they are cataractous lenses or causing severe corneal oedema. It would be really unusual to have sudden onset bilateral lens luxation and loss of vision. Retinal detachment would still be the most likely condition. I don't want to query the OPs findings but I wonder if the anteriorly displaced retinas in combination with the pupil mydriasis is giving a visual illusion of the retina being in the anterior chamber.

Marvellously, I suspect that I am going to offend someone either way now

Re: cat eye

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:54:44 GMT

[quote user="Robert Lowe"]

I would agree strongly with the other suggestions that this is a hypertensive detachment. The retinas can look like a grey film and are usually slightly more obviously ventrally. Control of the blood pressure may allow reattachment and occasionally restoration of vision but I always warn owenrs that any vision restoration may only be temporary.. Lens luxation would be highly unusual.

[/quote]

The OP states that the 'film' observed is in the botton half of the anterior chamber - this would not fit with retinal detachment alone but would fit lens luxation.

Re: cat eye

Robert Lowe — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:23:48 GMT

Re: cat eye

Claire Godfrey — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:58:26 GMT

Ah, Thank you very much, thought about blood pressure monitoring but the film was throwing me!

The owner has noticed the cat possibly bumping into things but she seems to cope well in house as nothing has moved and doesn't go outside!

Will try to get BP measurement

Re: cat eye

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:28:43 GMT

Sounds like lens luxation to me, likely the retinas are detached as well, hypertenison most likley cause. If it is the lenses the cat may get glaucoma so consider lendectomy. If you get the BP down to normal with some amlodypine the retinas sometimes re-attach. Investigations for cause of hypertension of course are in order.

Re: cat eye

Kate Richardson — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:56:57 GMT

Hypertension was my first thought as well although not sure how that fits with the film. Can you post a picture? Is there any weight loss? Also consider anterior uveitis. Is she showing any obvious visual deficits? Menace responses can be hard to assess/interpret in cats.

Re: cat eye

Bob Russell — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:39:33 GMT

Yup, probably secondary to hyperthyroidism especially if the heart rate is over 200!

Re: cat eye

Amanda Nicholls — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:26:36 GMT

Have you checked BP? with a heart murmur I would be suspicious for hypertension.