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Vets urged to offer feline blood pressure checks
More than 40 per cent of cats enrolled in Ceva Animal Health's Mercury Challenge were hypertensive.
One in five cats from nine years of age may suffer from high blood pressure.

Ceva Animal Health is calling on veterinary practices to offer feline blood pressure checks as part of a UK-wide testing and awareness event.

The ‘Know Your Numbers’ Campaign takes place 6-12 September, and veterinary professionals are being urged to focus on the importance of feline blood pressure checks amongst cat owners whose pets are seven years of age and older. 

It comes after Ceva Animal Health’s Mercury Challenge revealed that more than 40 per cent of cats enrolled in the initiative were hypertensive, with a blood pressure about 30 per cent higher than the blood pressure value found in healthy cats. The mean age of hypertensive cats was found to be 13 years old.

To help generate conversations between veterinary professionals and cat owners, CEVA has put together some ‘Know Your Numbers Week!’ facts, which include: 
  • It is estimated that one in five cats from nine years of age may suffer from high blood pressure, many of which are undiagnosed.
  • Four organs may be damaged due to high blood pressure in cats – eyes, brain, kidneys and heart.
  • A cat is generally thought to be hypertensive when its systolic blood pressure is above 160mm Hg1.
  • Best practice is to discard the first blood pressure reading and then take the average systolic blood pressure from five further readings.

Nicki Glen, marketing project manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Know Your Numbers Week! is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of the risks of feline hypertension, which is known as the ‘silent killer’ as it often develops insidiously without any early signs, and the importance of regular blood pressure checks in cats seven years of age and older to help detect, treat and control the condition."

Ceva's initiative coincides with the human health campaign, which has been running for 21 years.

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here. 

Click here for more...
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Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com