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At home blood pressure machine
- Thread starter Katpet
- Start Date
Hello, and welcome!
From the little bit I picked up about these last year when Poppycat's health situation was worsening, you'll really want to do your research including how to use the one you select. I got the impression they're a bit tricky to use.
From the little bit I picked up about these last year when Poppycat's health situation was worsening, you'll really want to do your research including how to use the one you select. I got the impression they're a bit tricky to use.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks so much! Lots to learn yet!
I've been looking for the same device myself for years, and all I have gathered so far is that the ones which we can possibly afford are quite inaccurate or unreliable. The ones we can rely on are very expensive or not easily affordable.
The same brand can manufacture an entry level model which looks very much like the top class model, but they don't work the same.
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- #5
Thanks. And don’t we already have enough expenses!
I looked at them too and came to the same conclusions that
Antonio65
did.
Antonio65
did.
"Tricky to use" is so true! One of our cats has to have her blood pressure taken twice a year so we borrowed the vet's blood pressure machine once because the substitute vet couldn't get her to calm down enough after having blood drawn. I did get three readings but it took a long time and was incredibly stressful for both me and the cat. There's no way I'd attempt this again! Ireland's used to twice-daily puffs from an inhaler and then transdermal medicine in her ear... but the blood pressure machine really freaked her out. Apparently some cats handle it much better (the vet techs swore it's easy!) but not ours.
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- #8
Thanks. You made an interesting comment regarding the order in which blood draws and BP measurements are obtained. As in human medicine, BPs are taken FIRST, following a period of rest and procedures done AFTER. That’s pretty well standard practice- or should be. Why not optimize the environment by not distressing kitty with a poke! So I’ll keep looking. Our vet declined my borrowing their machine in case of urgent use in the clinic. We have a vet tech whose business offers at home pet nursing care - BPs included. Maybe I won’t keep looking
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Hi the most reliable method is the parks Doppler with a flat infant probe and headphones. You also need the conduction gel. It isn’t cheap and it’s hard to find used ones. Iowa take some training to get good at it. You also need a cuff that is about 40% size of the cats leg. The entire setup could run around $1100.00. If you can find one used, maybe under $500.00 but they are hard to find.
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- #10
Thanks! I hadn’t heard of the Doppler method.
My vet's office uses this approach. For the first two times I saw them use it, it took forever to get the heartbeat through the doppler machine, before using the blood pressure cuff/reader. It is loud, unless the operator uses headphones (my vet's do not), but it is helpful to learn the process by hearing the machine when they don't use headphones. The third time, using the same vet tech, she got the heartbeat very quickly and that made the process much more efficient. Here is an article about all of the BP machines.
Measuring Blood Pressure | American Association of Feline Practitioners (catvets.com)
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- #12
Thank you for the link! In human critical care we use Doppler technology for vascular assessments - I just didn’t make the leap to BPs!
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The substitute vet may not have realized she had to do both the BP and then the poke! I can see why your vet's office didn't want to let their machine out... I had to borrow the machine late in the day and then return it by 8:30 a.m. Given what others are saying about the cost of the machines, the vet tech's services might be a serious bargain! If I'd known what an awful experience it would be to do the blood pressure myself I would have gladly paid to bring Ireland back for a vet tech to just do the blood pressure.Thanks. You made an interesting comment regarding the order in which blood draws and BP measurements are obtained. As in human medicine, BPs are taken FIRST, following a period of rest and procedures done AFTER. That’s pretty well standard practice- or should be. Why not optimize the environment by not distressing kitty with a poke! So I’ll keep looking. Our vet declined my borrowing their machine in case of urgent use in the clinic. We have a vet tech whose business offers at home pet nursing care - BPs included. Maybe I won’t keep looking
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- #15
We’ve tried on a number of occasions to check her pressure in the clinic (the tech always does them) but my baby (almost 20 y.o.) is quite, as the staff say, feisty. I thought it might be easier at home. I’ll follow up and let you know how we do/don’t make out!! Happy spring wherever you are 
Good luck!! Apparently some cats do very well when their own hoomans do the work. Ireland was most emphatically not one of those cats but fingers crossed that your cat is!We’ve tried on a number of occasions to check her pressure in the clinic (the tech always does them) but my baby (almost 20 y.o.) is quite, as the staff say, feisty. I thought it might be easier at home. I’ll follow up and let you know how we do/don’t make out!! Happy spring wherever you are
You will still likely need to 'compare' the readings you get on a home machine to ones used in the vet's office. Ideally, you would get a similar type machine - doppler vs. High Definition Oscillometric (HDO), or even a traditional oscillometric one. You could also consider an in-home measurement with a tech - the same person each time.
I can get Feeby's BP taken in the vet's office by using the same tech every time, and they have even taken us to 'off the beat and path' exam rooms that are often quieter than the regular exam rooms. Using the same tech has proven to be beneficial as they become familiar with each individual cat, not only their idiosyncrasies, but placement of the equipment to make it more efficient.
I can get Feeby's BP taken in the vet's office by using the same tech every time, and they have even taken us to 'off the beat and path' exam rooms that are often quieter than the regular exam rooms. Using the same tech has proven to be beneficial as they become familiar with each individual cat, not only their idiosyncrasies, but placement of the equipment to make it more efficient.
~ I did not know there was such a device ... 
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- #19
I didn't either until the vet heard a heart murmur during our cat's annual exam. She now has blood tests and blood pressure checks twice a year.~ I did not know there was such a device ...
