Hypertension in dogs is usually secondary to underlying disease and causes irreversible damage to eyes, kidneys, brain, and heart if unmanaged.
Hypertension causes silent target organ damage that accumulates before clinical signs are apparent. Sudden blindness from retinal detachment is often the first owner-recognized sign - preceding this with appropriate blood pressure management protects vision that, once lost, rarely returns. Regular blood pressure screening in dogs with known hypertension-predisposing diseases (CKD, Cushing's disease) enables treatment initiation before irreversible damage occurs. The welfare argument for blood pressure monitoring is straightforward: it prevents blindness, renal progression, and neurological signs that are themselves significant welfare burdens.