Blood Pressure Measurement in the Dog

An indirect method of blood pressure measurement was evaluated in 169 dogs, including 114 that were hospitalized because of a variety of diseases, 10 clinically normal dogs presented for neutering, and 45 privately owned, clinically normal dogs. Measurements correlated well with values obtained by simultaneous direct arterial puncture. Normotension was considered to be 130 to 180 mm of Hg, systolic, and 60 to 95 mm of Hg, diastolic. As a group, 20 dogs with advanced renal disease had significant (P less than 0.001) hypertension, compared with the groups of clinically normal dogs. Of 94 dogs with a variety of diseases exclusive of renal disease, 10 had hypertension and 2 had hypotension.