The 08A is a very cost-effective home use blood pressure monitor. It’s designed for pet owners to quickly check their own pet’s blood pressure from home, without having to bring them to the vet, which can cause unncessary stress (and artificially high readings). We do not recommend it for professional use because it will never meet the standards of reproducibility found in £2000+ clinical grade electronic blood pressure monitors.

Dr Dyce compared the 08A Vet to the equipment in a local veterinary practice. She took multiple readings and checked to see whether there was agreement between the ~£2000 BP monitor, and the £80 Contec 08A to test the Contec 08A Veterinary Blood Pressure Monitor and report back with honest findings. She had this to say:

I thought the machine was good quality for the price point, it felt like a legitimate piece of medical equipment. Catherine had said on the phone that I might be disappointed, being a vet and using other blood pressure machines in practice, but I thought for £80 the 08A Blood Pressure Monitor felt good quality. It was easy to set up and use, if I’m honest, I didn’t use the instructions at all. It worked exactly how I expected, straight out of the box. 

Dr Amy Dyce BSc (Hons) BVM&S MRCVS Locum Veterinary Surgeon

9/10 customers find the 08A Vet a breeze to work with. Every now and again, however, a new customer will get inconsistent readings. We are always here to help and support, but it can sometimes be a challenge to figure out the issue over the telephone if the client is unable to send a video. We mentioned this to Dr Dyce in case she could identify any problem with the device, and here’s what she said:

I can understand why Catherine said some clients have struggled with the equipment. The instructions seemed detailed but as someone who finds large blocks of text a bit intimidating, I definitely appreciate the videos on the website. I feel like I would encourage owners to buy one if they had, say, a hyperthyroid cat, but I would book them a nurse consult to have an in-person demonstration on how to use it. I can see why you struggle to trust whether lay people are reading the results or using the equipment correctly.

Dr Amy Dyce BSc (Hons) BVM&S MRCVS Locum Veterinary Surgeon

We were delighted to hear that the Contec machine could compete with the professional unit that was used for comparison, and thought the feedback on the instructions and usage would be helpful to our diligent customers. As a reminder, we do have an instructional video showing a qualified veterinary nurse using the machine and another one demonstrating how to apply the cuff.

Tips For Success!

After hearing customer feedback and taking Dr Dyce’s findings into account, here are a few things to consider to ensure success with your machine:

• Try to always fit the cuff in the same place on the animal’s leg
• Try to always tighten the cuff to the same degree. It may help to put a mark on the fabric to show where the end of the cuff should be aligned each time to ensure consistency.
• Remember that stress can alter heart rate and interfere with reading accuracy. It may take a few days of practise for you to apply the cuff correctly and for your animal to get used to the process.
• Movement can affect the accuracy of the reading. Again, practise the process until you are both accustomed to it and find a comfortable resting position for your animal that ensures minimal movement.
• Please always contact us with any issues or questions we have- we are always happy to help!
• As suggested by Amy, it may be worth investing in an appointment with a veterinary nurse to do a hands-on demo with the machine to make sure you are confident and competent. The initial outlay versus the long term benefits of monitoring in your own home (not to mention the financial savings) make the effort well worth it.