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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #210: Feline Systemic Hypertension

Cat veterinary case - Easy - September 29, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. Cleo, a fourteen-year-old cat, suddenly bumps into the same chair she has walked around for years.
  2. Her pupils are widely dilated, and examination confirms severe loss of vision in both eyes.
  3. Fundic examination reveals retinal haemorrhages and areas of retinal detachment.
  4. After quiet acclimatisation, repeated Doppler systolic pressure readings are between 205 and 220 mmHg.
  5. A second set of technically consistent readings remains markedly elevated while Cleo is calm.
  6. The sustained pressure elevation and compatible retinal damage identify a systemic vascular disorder causing target-organ injury, not just an isolated stress reading.

Diagnosis

Feline Systemic Hypertension

Sustained high arterial pressure with retinal injury supports systemic hypertension. Retinal detachment explains the sudden visual loss, but is a consequence rather than the full diagnosis. The underlying cause of the hypertension still needs investigation. Remember: Sudden blindness in an older cat warrants blood-pressure assessment as well as an eye examination.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this cat case supports the provided diagnosis, Feline Systemic Hypertension, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: Cleo, a fourteen-year-old cat, suddenly bumps into the same chair she has walked around for years.
  2. Clue 2: Her pupils are widely dilated, and examination confirms severe loss of vision in both eyes.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: Fundic examination reveals retinal haemorrhages and areas of retinal detachment.
  2. Clue 4: After quiet acclimatisation, repeated Doppler systolic pressure readings are between 205 and 220 mmHg.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: A second set of technically consistent readings remains markedly elevated while Cleo is calm.
  2. Clue 6: The sustained pressure elevation and compatible retinal damage identify a systemic vascular disorder causing target-organ injury, not just an isolated stress reading.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this cat case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Feline Systemic Hypertension?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Feline Systemic Hypertension?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.