SYSTEMIC HYPERTENSION AND PROTEINURIA IN DOGS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS

Objective-To determine prevalence and severity of systemic arterial hy pertension and proteinuria in dogs with naturally developing diabetes mellitus (DM) and to determine whether these abnormalities were relate d to age, sex, duration of DM, or degree of control of glycemia. Desig n-Case series and cohort study. Animals-Fifty dogs with naturally deve loping DM. Procedures-Blood pressure was measured in all 50 dogs. Thir ty-eight dogs were evaluated once, and 12 were evaluated sequentially. Thirty-five were evaluated for proteinuria by determining protein-to- creatinine ratio in urine (n = 35) or by electrophoresis of urine (33) . Results-Hypertension was detected in 23 on the basis of a systolic p ressure > 160 mm HG (12 dogs), a diastolic pressure > 100 mm HG (21), or a mean pressure > 120 mm HG (23). All dogs with systolic hypertensi on had concurrent diastolic and mean hypertension, and 19 of 21 dogs w ith diastolic hypertension had concurrent high mean pressure. Ten of 1 2 dogs reevaluated at subsequent visits had no change in blood pressur e. Blood pressure remained consistent in 3 dogs tested at different ti mes during the day on a single visit. Duration of DM and presence of p roteinuria were significant predictors of hypertension. Seven of 35 (2 0%) dogs had an increased protein-to-creatinine ratio in their urine. Albumin concentration and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were significant ly higher in urine from diabetic dogs, compared with healthy, nondiabe tic dogs. Hypertension was associated with an increased albumin-to-cre atinine ratio. Clinical Implications-Systemic hypertension and protein uria may be common in diabetic dogs, but the clinical importance of th ese findings are, as yet, unknown.