BY DR. KAREN ZELINSKI
Patient: Korina is a 16-year old female spayed cat. She lives
indoors and goes to the veterinarian regularly for check-ups.
History: Korina’s owner noticed that she bumped into the
wall and slid off the couch a few times during one week.
Korina has a history of mild kidney problems for two years.
She eats a special diet to help control her kidney problem.
Her owner became worried about her vision and made an
appointment to take Korina to the veterinarian.
Exam: The doctor gave Korina a thorough physical exam. He found that her pupils were
dilated and unresponsive to light. She did not follow his hand when it was waved near
her face. The veterinarian checked her retina, which is the light sensitive tissue at the
back of the eye. Korina’s retina was fuzzy, indicating that it had become detached from
the back of the eye. The veterinarian recommended further tests including blood work
and blood pressure.
Test Results: Korina’s blood tests showed that her kidney values were stable. However,
her blood pressure was very high. Her systolic blood pressure was 220, which is very
high for a cat. Normal feline blood values are 120 to 160.
Treatment: Korina was started on an oral medication to lower her blood pressure. She
was reexamined one week later and her left eye had improved. Her left pupil was
responsive to light (the pupil usually becomes small when a bright light is shined in the
eye). The veterinarian examined the retinas in the back of her eyes and found that the left
retina had partially re-attached. The right eye had not improved. Korina’s blood
pressure had decreased dramatically to 160.
Outcome: Korina’s right eye did not become visual again. However, she was able to get
around very well with vision in her left eye. She has had her blood pressure checked
every few months for the past six months and it has remained stable.
Discussion: When an older cat loses their vision abruptly, the blood pressure should be
checked to look for hypertension. High blood pressure in cats can cause the retina to
detach from the back of the eye and vision will be lost. If the blood pressure is corrected
quickly, there is a chance that the retina may be able to re-attach and save the cat’s
vision. If too much time passes with high blood pressure, the retinas will be damaged
and the eyes will not become visual again.
High blood pressure can occur unexpectedly in any cat, but it is more commonly linked to
kidney disease in older cats. The kidneys control the body’s fluid balance and make
certain hormones that affect blood pressure. When the kidneys are not working properly,
the body’s system for maintaining proper blood pressure does not work and high blood
pressure can occur. Loss of vision is often one of the first signs of this problem in cats
with kidney disease.
There are many older cats with kidney problems; but it is unpredictable which of those
cats will suffer from hypertension too. Therefore, regular check-ups in older cats are
extremely important and owners of older cats should be on the look out for problems and
have their cat checked as soon as they notice something is wrong.
Ask the Vet is not intended to be a substitute for the regular veterinary care a licensed veterinarian
provides through routine physical exams, and should only be used for personal, educational and
informational purposes only. Responses do not establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship,
and are not intended as veterinary medical advice.
Patient: Korina is a 16-year old female spayed cat. She lives
indoors and goes to the veterinarian regularly for check-ups.
History: Korina’s owner noticed that she bumped into the
wall and slid off the couch a few times during one week.
Korina has a history of mild kidney problems for two years.
She eats a special diet to help control her kidney problem.
Her owner became worried about her vision and made an
appointment to take Korina to the veterinarian.
Exam: The doctor gave Korina a thorough physical exam. He found that her pupils were
dilated and unresponsive to light. She did not follow his hand when it was waved near
her face. The veterinarian checked her retina, which is the light sensitive tissue at the
back of the eye. Korina’s retina was fuzzy, indicating that it had become detached from
the back of the eye. The veterinarian recommended further tests including blood work
and blood pressure.
Test Results: Korina’s blood tests showed that her kidney values were stable. However,
her blood pressure was very high. Her systolic blood pressure was 220, which is very
high for a cat. Normal feline blood values are 120 to 160.
Treatment: Korina was started on an oral medication to lower her blood pressure. She
was reexamined one week later and her left eye had improved. Her left pupil was
responsive to light (the pupil usually becomes small when a bright light is shined in the
eye). The veterinarian examined the retinas in the back of her eyes and found that the left
retina had partially re-attached. The right eye had not improved. Korina’s blood
pressure had decreased dramatically to 160.
Outcome: Korina’s right eye did not become visual again. However, she was able to get
around very well with vision in her left eye. She has had her blood pressure checked
every few months for the past six months and it has remained stable.
Discussion: When an older cat loses their vision abruptly, the blood pressure should be
checked to look for hypertension. High blood pressure in cats can cause the retina to
detach from the back of the eye and vision will be lost. If the blood pressure is corrected
quickly, there is a chance that the retina may be able to re-attach and save the cat’s
vision. If too much time passes with high blood pressure, the retinas will be damaged
and the eyes will not become visual again.
High blood pressure can occur unexpectedly in any cat, but it is more commonly linked to
kidney disease in older cats. The kidneys control the body’s fluid balance and make
certain hormones that affect blood pressure. When the kidneys are not working properly,
the body’s system for maintaining proper blood pressure does not work and high blood
pressure can occur. Loss of vision is often one of the first signs of this problem in cats
with kidney disease.
There are many older cats with kidney problems; but it is unpredictable which of those
cats will suffer from hypertension too. Therefore, regular check-ups in older cats are
extremely important and owners of older cats should be on the look out for problems and
have their cat checked as soon as they notice something is wrong.
Ask the Vet is not intended to be a substitute for the regular veterinary care a licensed veterinarian
provides through routine physical exams, and should only be used for personal, educational and
informational purposes only. Responses do not establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship,
and are not intended as veterinary medical advice.
| Case Study - My Cat Keeps Bumping Into Things! |
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| Dr. Karen Zelinski is affiliated with Animal General Veterinary Hospital at 725 River Road, Edgewater. She graduated from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. Dr. Zelinski has two Dalmatians and three cats. |
