Food Enrichment Effects on Feline Blood Pressure
Date
2018-05
Authors
Hackbarth, Lauren
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Carnevale, Joyce
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Abstract
Since stress can influence conditions including increased susceptibility to upper respiratory infections and response to anesthesia, managing anxiety is a primary concern in veterinary practices. To make veterinary experiences more positive for felines, veterinarians implement methods, such as offering food during examinations, as a means for lowering stress-induced high blood pressure. This study questioned the efficacy of offering food to decrease feline blood pressure. After undergoing blood pressure instrumentation, the blood pressures of 17 cats were measured both prior to and during food consumption. Based on a paired T – test (t = 0.206), food had no effect on feline blood pressure; the blood pressures measured for these cats were all high but within the treatable range. The blood pressure instrumentation impacted the stress levels of these cats with cats being more reactive to clipping and cuff placement than to Doppler sound (p = 0.014). No relationship between temperament in the cage or exam room and blood pressure measurements was found. Additional studies limiting feline stress during blood pressure instrumentation, such as placing the cuff on the right front limb without clipping hair first, are the next steps in testing the effect of food on feline blood pressure.
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