Case 16 — Diagnosis

This case is no diagnostic challenge. The dog has systemic hypertension secondary to renal disease/failure. In humans, a diastolic systemic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or greater is considered a hypertensive crisis. This dog had a diastolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg and had bilateral retinal hemorrhage and neurologic signs compatible with brain hemorrhage. Consequently, she has critical systemic hypertension.

This dog was treated twice for renal failure — once at the referring veterinarian’s and once at the UCD VMTH. Once systemic hypertension was diagnosed it was treated, first with diltiazem (calcium channel blocker) and then with prazosin (alpha receptor blocker). Neither worked.