This is hopeful news for cat guardians; a promising new diagnostic test which may pick up the early signs of kidney disease in cats.
Since chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of feline deaths, the importance of having a method available which can catch the signs in its earliest stages cannot be over- emphasized. Currently, when the symptoms are noticeable the disease is well advanced.
When a commercially viable test of this magnitude is accessible to veterinarians, it may help to prolong cats lives by months or perhaps even years. Through the use of proactive measures such as regular veterinary monitoring and further testing, along with feeding an appropriate diet to cats with this condition feeding, these measures can more effectively slow down the progress of kidney disease.
Unfortunately, however, at this time the only diagnostic test for feline kidney disease is a blood test measuring creatinine levels. Creatinine is a chemical that is created by the breakdown of muscle tissue, making it difficult for the kidneys to clear when they have become impaired. What is problematic with the existing test is that creatinine levels generally do not become abnormal until at least 70 percent of the kidney’s ability to filter waste from the blood has been lost.
But there is some promising news on the horizon for cat guardians and their kitties. A new biomarker called “SDMA” has been developed by researchers from Oregon State University, joined up with IDEXX Laboratories, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. This biomarker could potentially become the basis of a new diagnostic test which can catch the early stages of kidney disease in cats.
What makes this finding so remarkable is that, in their research, scientists were able to demonstrate that this biomarker was able to identify kidney disease 17 years before the already available standard testing and, incredibly according to the university’s press release in one particular case, four years ahead of time.
Once a cat is diagnosed with kidney disease, it can be managed with a low protein1 and low phosphorous diet in addition to adding special antioxidants, L-carnitine, certain triglycerides and an Omega3 supplement. A professor at Oregon State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Jean Hall said,
“Damage from [kidney disease] is irreversible, but this is an important advance, in that we should be able to identify the problem earlier and use special diets to slow the disease.”
The study of 32 healthy cats unearthed the SDMA biomarker and was published in the Veterinary Journal. This discovery may also be of benefit to canines as they age since they are also at risk of contracting kidney disease. According to the university, the scientists intend continue on with their research into this new biomarker in order to gain more information and learn more about its full potential in the field of early kidney disease detection.
Alternatively, according to Lyn Thomson, Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), DipHom, too little protein in the diet can lead to excessive weight loss that can be extremely detrimental to a cat’s general health (external link). Cats find low protein diets less palatable and often moving a cat to a raw, high quality protein diet from a renal prescription diet leads to improved appetite.
“Restricting the phosphate content of the diet appears to be quite beneficial in protecting the kidneys from further damage in cats with chronic renal failure. Phosphate can be restricted by removing high phosphate foods from the diet and using a phosphate binder if the blood phosphate concentrations are high despite being on a lowered phosphate diet.”
This writer is both extremely heartened and excited about this promising news concerning the potential of an earlier and more accurate method of detecting feline kidney disease. What do you think? Tell us your opinion in a comment.
Note:
- There is a rather extensive controversy among veterinarians in the treatment of feline kidney disease. While many veterinarians continue to prescribe low protein diets as the “gold standard”, others are very concerned about the muscle atrophy in cats resulting from low protein diets.
“…Cats find low protein diets less palatable and often moving a cat to a raw, high quality protein diet from a renal prescription diet leads to improved appetite.” This would seem to be in direct opposition to anything generated by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and of course, no one knows for sure which, if either, is definitive. I would guess that cats are so prone to kidney disease/failure because they are obligate carnivores. Animal flesh is probably the hardest thing to digest, and in time, the kidneys would have a hard time processing and eliminating the toxins present in factory-farmed, drug-laden animal products. Just an uneducated guess on my part.
This is great news! I have only had one cat that had kidney failure. I hope to never go through that terrible pain ever again. Here is hoping that this test can help identify kidney failure much sooner. When our cat, Copper, was diagnosed we put him on a prescription diet. It obviously wasn’t very appetizing and very expensive. Hopefully this diagnoses being caught earlier will help lengthen our fur children’s lives. With that said, I wish the companies that make the food would make it more palatable and drop the cost because right now many people are struggling to survive themselves. Lowering cost would be of benefit to both cats and their human family.
This year, I lost my beloved Bigfoot to kidney disease. I was shocked at how little the vets knew about the process of the disease. And how little they know of many of the symptoms related to the disease. It will take me years to get over it. The process was awful. The big question is why is it so common? I’m sure it is in the convenience foods we feed our companions. In Bigfoot’s case, I would let him eat anything he was willing, which was not much. He was an adult cat when he came to live with me and very set in his ways, including what foods he was willing to eat.
He will always be in my heart. This is a photo in his last few months of life. There are many photos of him on this website.
R.I.P. Sweet Boy.
I feel for you DW. It hurts.
This is such an important question. It almost seems that when a domestic gets to around his/her teens in age, kidney disease is the common killer and I don’t think that should be accepted or be happening.
Its not been three months. Very raw still. I head for him every time I come up the stairs. Except he is not there.
I am afraid it will go on for a very long time. For me, only now, about 20 years after my Missie died on the road can I think about her without being tearful. We are all different but when a cat captures your heart it is long journey before it is released.
I am so sorry for your loss.We love them so much,and our hearts break when we lose them.I hope you find peace in time.
So very sorry about Bigfoot DW, we experienced this in the late 90’s with our beloved Felix, it’s something we dread ever having to live through again. RIP Bigfoot x
RIP sweet boy! I have had to give sub-Q injections of Ringer’s solution for my treasured cat who was diagnosed with CRF. It gave us 7 months of fairly good quality time together. No loved one who goes on ahead ever leaves my heart, my soul, or my consciousness; I hope you share my conviction that we will be reunited with our loved ones again in due time.
Yes, I do. And thank you.
I’m so sad for you Dorothy.
R.I.P Bigfoot xx
Let’s hope that this test does pan out. It would be great to catch the earliest warning signs to be able to begin earlier interventions to slow its progress.
Of course what would be even better is to find better ways to even prevent the onset of this disease.
Genetics play a huge part in the onset of kidney disease and certain breeds have a greater risk for kidney disease. This said, as they age, even mixed breed cats can be plagued with kidney problems.
I truly believe that Excellent nutrition, eliminating dry food from cats’ diets, along with special dietary supplements such as the Omega3 products may go a long way to help reduce the earlier onset of kidney disease, especially in those breeds at greater risk
Hill’s Pet Nutrition were heavily involved and they speak of how “we should be able to identify the problem earlier and use special diets to slow the disease.”
It would be great if we could find a test for picking up on kidney disease at a much earlier stage. However I’m not sure whether to be sceptical or not about the SDMA biomarker story.
Thanks for this Jo. This is potentially important because as you say the current diagnosis is too late to take proactive steps.
Kidney disease in elderly cats is a massive problem. It makes me wonder why it is so prevalent.