Indirect Arterial Blood Pressure Measurement in Nonsedated Irish Wolfhounds: Reference Values for the Breed
Arterial blood pressure measurements were obtained from 158 healthy Irish wolfhounds using the oscillometric technique to establish reference values for the breed. In contrast to other sight hounds, Irish wolfhounds have low arterial blood pressure. Mean systolic pressure for the group was 116.0 mm Hg. Mean diastolic pressure was 69.2 mm Hg, and the mean value for mean arterial pressure was 87.8 mm Hg. Blood pressure measurements were higher in older wolfhounds than in young dogs. There was no difference between systolic and mean arterial blood pressures in lateral recumbency compared to standing position. However, diastolic pressure was slightly lower when standing. Calm dogs had lower pressure than anxious wolfhounds. There was a significant interaction between the effects of age, gender, and mood on systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure values.
Introduction
Arterial blood pressure is an important circulatory parameter, and blood pressure measurement is an invaluable component of the diagnosis and management of animals with life-threatening injury or disease, especially those with cardiovascular disease. In dogs, normal arterial blood pressure is highly breed and age dependent.1–3 For this reason, blood pressure values obtained from canine patients should be compared to breed- and age-specific normal data.
It is unfortunate that Irish wolfhounds are predisposed to several serious cardiac disorders, including dilated cardiomyopathy and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias;45 but because of the high prevalence of heart disease in this breed, blood pressure measurement takes on added importance. Yet, reference arterial blood pressure data from normal wolfhounds is currently unavailable. The Irish wolfhound is a giant breed and a sight hound breed; therefore, it is particularly inappropriate to interpret blood pressure measurements from wolfhounds based on a reference range derived from smaller, less athletic breeds. This study was done to provide reference blood pressure values from nonsedated, healthy Irish wolfhounds of various ages. The effects of age, weight, gender, and degree of anxiety on blood pressure were also evaluated.
Materials and Methods
Population Studied
Two-hundred four Irish wolfhounds attending national and regional shows were screened to identify dogs with normal cardiovascular examination and normal electrocardiogram. Medical histories provided by the owners were used to exclude animals with clinical signs possibly related to cardiovascular disease as well as those receiving medications or nutritional supplements with a possible effect on arterial blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Measurement
Indirect blood pressure was measured from the coccygeal artery using a fully automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer.a The cuff width used was 40% to 50% of the tail base circumference. Blood pressure measurements were obtained in standing position in 115 of the dogs and in right lateral recumbency in 104. In each position, the owner was present at the dog’s head to comfort the animal. Most dogs stood or lay quietly without manual restraint, and none was sedated. Two to three blood pressure readings were obtained from each position and averaged. If the readings differed appreciably (>5%), additional readings were obtained, and those widely divergent from the others (>5%) were discarded. Also, heart rate was manually determined by cardiac auscultation or by femoral pulse palpation after each automated blood pressure measurement. Blood pressure readings were rejected when the manually determined heart rate differed by >5% from the automated heart rate recorded by the sphygmomanometer.
Mood Assessment
To evaluate the possible effect of fear and excitement on the blood pressure data, a mood assessment was made by a single observer (Dentino). Each dog’s mood during blood pressure measurement was characterized as either calm or anxious. Dogs were considered anxious if they trembled, flinched, or required manual restraint.
Statistical Analyses
A Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine whether age and weight data was normally distributed in this group of Irish wolfhounds.6 This test was also used to evaluate normality of the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure values obtained in each position. Simple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate possible relationships between age and blood pressure variables and between body weight and blood pressure variables.78 In addition, dogs were divided into age groups representing immature dogs (≤24 months) and mature dogs (>24 months). Simple linear regression analyses were then done to evaluate a possible relationship between age and blood pressure within each age group.78 Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether there was an effect of age, body weight, gender, or mood on heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, or mean arterial pressure. For the ANOVA, the effect of age was evaluated using age groups (immature and mature). Possible interactions between the effects of position, age, gender, and mood were also examined with the ANOVA. Similarly, a possible interaction between the effects of age and body weight on the blood pressure measurements was evaluated.
Statistical analyses were done with commercially available software.b Results were considered significant when P<0.05.
Results
Blood pressure data from 158 clinically normal dogs was obtained and statistically analyzed. The Irish wolfhounds used for data collection included 56 intact males, seven castrated males, 82 intact females, and 13 spayed females. The dogs ranged in age from 2 months to 116 months, with a mean of 34 months. Body weights ranged from 17 to 81 kg, with a mean of 58 kg.
Age, body weight, heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and mean arterial pressure data was normally distributed. There was a significant linear relationship between body weight and blood pressure values, with higher values in heavier dogs (P=0.016, systolic pressure; P=0.0027, diastolic pressure; P=0.049, mean arterial pressure). However, in the ANOVA, when age and body weight were used together in the model, age was more significant, and there was no interaction between body weight and age.
There was a very highly significant effect (P<0.0001) of age on the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure measurements with higher blood pressure values in the older (mature) dogs [Table 1]. Among the entire group of wolfhounds, there were significant linear relationships (P<0.001) between age and systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures. However, age did not correlate strongly with any of the blood pressure variables (r=0.3, systolic blood pressure; r=0.4, diastolic blood pressure; r=0.3, mean arterial blood pressure). When only the mature wolfhounds were considered, the correlation between age and blood pressures remained significant (P=0.0071 for systolic pressure; P<0.0001 for diastolic pressure; P=0.0006 for mean arterial pressure). However, with immature dogs, there was not a significant linear relationship between age and blood pressure values.
There was no effect of position on systolic blood pressure (P=0.63) or on mean arterial pressure (P=0.15). However, diastolic pressure was slightly, yet significantly, less when blood pressure was measured in standing position (68.0 mm Hg; standard error, 1.1) compared to measurement in lateral recumbency (71.3 mm Hg; standard error, 1.1) (P=0.036).
Systolic blood pressure was slightly, yet significantly, greater in the male wolfhounds than in the females (119.0±1.5 mm Hg versus 115.0±1.1 mm Hg; P=0.039). However, gender did not have a significant effect on the diastolic and mean arterial pressures (P=0.182 and P=0.364, respectively). Dogs that were calm had systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures that were significantly less than those of anxious dogs [Table 2].
The interaction between age, gender, and mood was highly significant for systolic blood pressure (P<0.001). The interaction between these three effects was also significant for diastolic pressure (P=0.023) and for mean arterial pressure (P=0.0023). Because of the significant interactions between mood, gender, and age, the blood pressure values for this group of normal Irish wolfhounds are displayed as box and whisker plots in Figures 1 through 3. Figure 1 shows normal systolic blood pressure for each combination of effects. Similarly, normal diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure data is shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively.
Discussion
Results and Implications
For arterial blood pressure measurements to be of maximal clinical value in dogs, the pressure measurements must be interpreted with respect to a normal reference range of values. Yet, it has become increasingly apparent that in dogs, as in humans, systolic and diastolic blood pressures are highly variable and a single reference range of values is inappropriate.129–11 The canine species is remarkably heterogeneous, and within this species normal blood pressure values differ significantly among various breeds and breed groups.1–39 Previous studies have indicated that, as a group, sight hounds have higher blood pressure than dogs of other breed groups.13 Irish wolfhounds are considered sight hounds;12 yet surprisingly, the results of this study show Irish wolfhounds to have lower arterial blood pressure values than other sight hound breeds and other giant breeds.13 The indirect (i.e., oscillometric) technique used in this study tends to yield lower systolic pressure measurements than the direct measurement technique. However, significant underestimation of true systolic pressure with oscillometric sphygmomanometry typically occurs only at systolic values higher than those observed in this group of Irish wolfhounds.213 Because the oscillometric method was used, the relatively low diastolic pressure values obtained from these Irish wolfhounds may actually be slightly higher than true diastolic pressure measured directly.213
A highly significant effect of age on blood pressure was found in this group of healthy Irish wolfhounds. This finding is consistent with most studies of blood pressure in other breeds that have shown arterial blood pressure values that increase with age in healthy dogs.129 Although there is a direct relationship between the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures and age in the Irish wolfhounds, linear regression equations have not been provided because the correlations were not strong enough to justify use of these equations to predict blood pressure. It is known that during maturation, the cardiovascular system evolves from a low-resistance, high-output system to a higher resistance, lower blood-flow system.14 It is likely, therefore, that the relationship between blood pressure values and age is different for immature Irish wolfhounds than for mature wolfhounds. This is, in fact, supported by the observed absence of a linear relationship between pressures and age in the wolfhounds ≤24 months old. It has been suggested also that in dogs, as in humans, arterial blood pressure may begin to decrease in the very elderly.12 Thus, lack of strong correlation between age and blood pressure observed in this study of healthy Irish wolfhounds may reflect deviations from linearity in the immature and in very elderly animals.
A significant effect of body weight on the blood pressure values was found in this study. Yet because all of the Irish wolfhounds evaluated in this study had a normal body condition score (none was underweight or overweight), it is probable that the effect of body weight and blood pressure actually reflects the relationship of age and body weight. This is supported by results of the ANOVA, which showed age to be more significant than weight and also showed no interaction between these effects.
In this study, position during blood pressure measurement did not have an effect on the systolic and mean arterial pressure values. Although the mean diastolic pressure value was slightly less in standing position, the degree of difference (68.0 mm Hg versus 71.3 mm Hg), while statistically significant, is unlikely to be of major clinical importance. Nonetheless, when blood pressure measurements are obtained from the same Irish wolfhound on multiple occasions, position during measurement should be consistent.
Anxiety has been shown to affect arterial blood pressure in human patients.1516 There is conflicting data, however, in the veterinary literature regarding effects of anxiety and temperament on blood pressure measurements obtained from conscious dogs.11117 The data from this study indicates that systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures are higher in nervous Irish wolfhounds.
An unexpected finding from this study is the apparent interaction between age, gender, and mood on each of the blood pressure variables. This interaction indicates that gender, age, and anxiety have interrelated effects on the blood pressure values obtained from Irish wolfhounds. In other words, anxiety affects pressure differently in older females than in younger females, younger males, or older males. There appears to be an overall age difference, with older wolfhounds having higher blood pressure values than younger wolfhounds, with the exception of the older, calm females that have lower pressures similar to younger dogs. For this reason, blood pressure measurements obtained from Irish wolfhounds should be interpreted according to the specific reference ranges for gender, age, and mood shown in Figures 1 through 3.
Limitations of the Study
In 1733, Stephen Hales noted that one of the most consistent features of arterial blood pressure is its variability.18 In humans, both seasonal and diurnal variation have been observed with higher pressures during the day and during the winter months.21920 Diurnal variation in blood pressure has also been observed in dogs.10 In mongrel dogs, peak blood pressure values have been noted to occur at 8:00 am and at 7:00 pm.10 In this study of Irish wolfhounds, blood pressure data was obtained only during the day and only during the spring and summer. This possibly limits applicability of the data to blood pressures measured at night or during the winter months.
Blood pressure has also been reported to vary from moment to moment in dogs, possibly because of variations in mood and activity, but also because of spontaneous vasodilations in skeletal muscle.11 Higher measurements have been observed at the beginning of a series of readings on a single occasion,921 and at the first occasion of blood pressure measurement when measurements are repeated on several occasions.9 Because the Irish wolfhounds used to generate blood pressure data for this study were not acclimated to the procedure by prior training sessions or by incorporation of a period of relaxation prior to measurement,21–23 it is possible that the pressure values reported here are slightly greater than values that might have been obtained from acclimated dogs. However, in a clinical setting, blood pressure measurements are often obtained without prior acclimation or without relaxation periods. Nonetheless, consideration should be given to the presence or absence of prior blood pressure measurement in an Irish wolfhound when comparing to data reported in this study.
Some authors have recommended that a series of five to 10 blood pressure readings be obtained when evaluating arterial blood pressure using the oscillometric method.2 Other studies have used a lower number of readings to obtain an averaged value.2425 The rationale for obtaining a series of readings, rather than a single reading, is to allow recognition of obviously spurious readings (i.e., readings that exceed three standard deviations from the series mean). However, if two to three closely matched readings are obtained and the automated and manual heart rates also match, additional measurements are unlikely to improve accuracy. In this study, the relatively low number of blood pressure readings per dog (i.e., two to three) used to determine a mean value may have added variability to the data, thereby increasing the ranges of reference values. However, the reference ranges obtained are appropriate to clinical situations in which an average of three readings or less is frequently used.
It should be pointed out that the reference blood pressure values reported in this study were obtained from Irish wolfhounds attending, and usually competing in, national and regional shows. These dogs may be more athletic or may be on a different diet than typical pet wolfhounds, and these factors possibly had effects on the blood pressure measurements obtained. However, previous studies have shown little effect of exercise score or diet on blood pressure in healthy dogs of other breeds.1
Finally, the show environment where blood pressure data was obtained may have had an effect on the measurements. Previous work in healthy dogs has shown the variability of blood pressure data obtained from dogs at shows to be comparable to variability of data obtained in the home environment.13 Furthermore, blood pressure data obtained from dogs at shows has been shown to be less variable than data obtained in a clinical setting.13 Slightly greater variability in the clinical setting compared to shows may reflect increased apprehension of dogs in the hospital. Therefore, in the clinic, mood of the dog (calm versus nervous) should be assessed and considered when comparing blood pressure measurements to the normal values reported here.
Conclusion
Normal Irish wolfhounds have systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures that are relatively low compared to other sight hounds and other breed groups. Blood pressure values are higher in nervous wolfhounds, and there is a direct correlation between age and blood pressure. However, because there is also a significant interaction between the effects of age, gender, and mood on systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure, these characteristics should be considered when interpreting blood pressure measurements obtained from dogs of this breed.
Dinamap; Critikon, Tampa, FL
SAS Version 8e; SAS Institute, Cary, NC
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the statistical advice of Mr. James R. zumBrunnen, Associate Director of the Franklin A. Graybill Statistical Laboratory at Colorado State University. The authors also thank the Irish Wolfhound Club of America for facilitating and supporting this work.
![Figure 1—. Box and whisker plots of systolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 healthy Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a systolic blood pressure value obtained from a nervous, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 80 to 140 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (110 to 130 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/p524fig1.jpeg)
![Figure 1—. Box and whisker plots of systolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 healthy Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a systolic blood pressure value obtained from a nervous, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 80 to 140 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (110 to 130 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/full-p524fig1.jpeg)
![Figure 1—. Box and whisker plots of systolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 healthy Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a systolic blood pressure value obtained from a nervous, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 80 to 140 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (110 to 130 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/inline-p524fig1.jpeg)
Citation: Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 38, 6; 10.5326/0380521
![Figure 2—. Box and whisker plots of diastolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a diastolic blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 50 to 90 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (58 to 72 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/p524fig2.jpeg)
![Figure 2—. Box and whisker plots of diastolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a diastolic blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 50 to 90 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (58 to 72 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/full-p524fig2.jpeg)
![Figure 2—. Box and whisker plots of diastolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a diastolic blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 50 to 90 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (58 to 72 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/inline-p524fig2.jpeg)
Citation: Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 38, 6; 10.5326/0380521
![Figure 3—. Box and whisker plots of mean arterial pressure (MAP mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a mean blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 72 to 98 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (74 to 90 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/p525fig3.jpeg)
![Figure 3—. Box and whisker plots of mean arterial pressure (MAP mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a mean blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 72 to 98 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (74 to 90 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/full-p525fig3.jpeg)
![Figure 3—. Box and whisker plots of mean arterial pressure (MAP mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a mean blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 72 to 98 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (74 to 90 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).](/view/journals/aaha/38/6/inline-p525fig3.jpeg)
Citation: Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 38, 6; 10.5326/0380521
Box and whisker plots of systolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 healthy Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a systolic blood pressure value obtained from a nervous, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 80 to 140 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (110 to 130 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).
Box and whisker plots of diastolic arterial pressure (mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a diastolic blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 50 to 90 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (58 to 72 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).
Box and whisker plots of mean arterial pressure (MAP mm Hg) in 158 normal Irish wolfhounds measured by oscillometric sphygmomanometry at the base of the tail. Boxes show the 25% to 75% percentiles, and cross-lines represent median values. Stars identify outlying values, and whiskers represent the range. The appropriate mood, age, and sex category should be used when comparing blood pressure data obtained from Irish wolfhounds to reference ranges shown. For example, a mean blood pressure value obtained from a calm, ≤24-month-old male will, if normal, lie within the range of 72 to 98 mm Hg indicated by the whiskers on the box corresponding to this subgroup. However, a value lying within the box (74 to 90 mm Hg) is representative of 25% to 75% of healthy wolfhounds in this age, gender, and mood category (F=female; M=male; Nerv=nervous [i.e., anxious] dogs; age in months).
Contributor Notes
