05/27/2026
We have the great privilege of working closely with so many incredible practitioners. Collaboration and shared resources make all the different - the more support behind each patient, the better the outcome 💙
Here's your Work-Up Wednesday for the week!
(Photo not of actual patient but you'll get the point.)
Patient: 12 year-old spayed Domestic Shorthair
Presented for: Hyper-vocalization
History: This patient had always been a chatty cat but had slowly become more vocal and unsettled. Her owners did absolutely everything for her in terms of enrichment, husbandry, and what their regular veterinarian recommended. After a year of trialing four different behavior medications and working with a cat behavior analyst, her owners were still at a loss with her in constant distress (vocalizing, pacing, and not sleeping).
Where we come in: During a patient's initial behavior consult, if appropriate, it is helpful for Dr. Emmons to get a full physical exam as we would with a patient establishing for wellness/routine care. Upon this patient's physical exam, Dr. Emmons noted significant dental disease as well as a fractured canine, and a pain response during the extension of her right hip. Those findings were helpful, but knowing a symptom of hypertension can be restlessness and vocalization, Dr. Emmons also did a baseline blood pressure on the cat. What she found was an astounding systolic 210mmHg (normal is
