Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common and serious health issue in cats, leading to poor health and shorter lifespans. Of the 373 million pet cats worldwide, 40% of those over 10 years old will develop CKD, making it the leading cause of disease and death. Current diagnostic tests for CKD measure overall kidney function, but are insensitive, usually detecting the disease after the damage is advanced. By this point, the kidneys have suffered significant permanent damage, making it difficult to identify any underlying causes, limiting treatment options and severely impacting the cat’s quality of life. This project aims to change that by finding specific markers that can detect kidney damage early, rather than just measuring kidney function. Our goal is to use advanced scientific methods to identify and measure the levels of these markers in cats’ blood and urine and conduct studies to determine how reliably these markers indicate early CKD. We’ll also investigate their ability to monitor disease progression or improvement in the advent of new therapies and see how they perform compared to current methods. This diagnostic test for early detection of CKD could transform our understanding and treatment of this disease in cats. The ability to detect kidney damage in real-time will enable veterinarians and researchers to identify causes of kidney damage and develop targeted therapies. This test will help veterinarians diagnose sooner, improve care and slow disease progression, thus helping cats live longer, healthier lives.
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