Blood Pressure Measurement Techniques in Cats at Veterinary Clinics in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Hypertension is increasingly recognised as a clinically significant condition in cats, particularly those with concurrent chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or cardiac disorders. Accurate non-invasive blood pressure measurement is therefore a critical skill in small animal veterinary practice. In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South South Nigeria, the growing companion animal veterinary sector has not yet established standardised blood pressure measurement protocols for feline patients. This study compared the accuracy and repeatability of two non-invasive blood pressure measurement techniques, Doppler ultrasonographic and oscillometric methods, in 50 adult domestic shorthair cats presented at private veterinary clinics in Port Harcourt. Measurements were taken in a quiet room after a five-minute acclimatisation period, using a standardised limb cuff placement protocol. Three consecutive readings were obtained with each method per session, and measurements were repeated at two separate visits. Doppler measurements showed significantly lower intra-session coefficient of variation compared with the oscillometric method, indicating better repeatability. The two methods showed moderate agreement assessed by Bland-Altman analysis, with the oscillometric method overestimating systolic pressure by a mean of 8.3 mmHg. Doppler measurement was more successful in cats with poor peripheral perfusion. White coat hypertension was suspected in 12 percent of animals based on repeated measurements. These findings support the adoption of Doppler ultrasonography as the preferred method for routine blood pressure assessment in cats at Nigerian veterinary facilities. Keywords: blood pressure, cats, Doppler, oscillometric, Port Harcourt.