Effect of Cuff Placement on Blood Pressure Measurement in Conscious Healthy Dogs

Abstract

Blood pressure determination is a very helpful aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of several diseases in small animal medicine. Non-invasive methods for blood pressure measurement are currently the most rapid and practical alternative in the clinical setting, however only few studies have dealt with selecting the best cuff position for its determination. The aim of the study was to determine the best site for cuff placement (limbs and tail) during noninvasive blood pressure in healthy subjects. Arterial blood pressure was measured by use of an oscilometric system in 22 clinically healthy dogs. Five consecutive measurements were obtained from five different sites: left and right median arteries, left and right tibial cranial arteries and coccygeal artery then were compared. Significant differences were found in systolic blood pressure measured from the right hind limb. Heart rate, age, and weight were not found to have a significant influence on arterial blood pressure. We suspect that the long duration of the procedure was the culprit, leading to stress, which as a result, led to higher blood pressure on the mentioned limb. Based on our results, we concluded that all limbs as well as the tail are suitable sites for routine blood pressure determination, as long as the procedure is completed within a rational time period.