Identification of Cats at a High Risk for Developing Chronic Kidney Disease

Unmet Need: Effective strategies to identify cats that will benefit from early intervention to prevent onset of CKD

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is the most common metabolic disease of domesticated cats and a clinically important cause of mortality in aged domestic cats. Despite the high prevalence of kidney disease, the underlying reasons why some cats are remarkably prone to this disease are still unknown. Availability of a method to identify cats at a high risk to develop CKD would allow for early intervention through dietary and lifestyle changes and could greatly improve a cat’s lifespan.

The Technology: Genetic test to identify cats at risk of developing CKD.

Researchers at WSU have developed a genetic test to identify cats at a high risk of developing CKD. This test is based on altered genetic architecture and is strongly associated with at-risk cats based on experimentally induced kidney disease and a retrospective study of field cases of CKD.

Applications:

• Veterinary clinics

• Feline breeders

• Veterinary pharmaceutical companies

Advantages:

• Based on this test, pet owners, breeders, and veterinarians can establish strategies that would stop, prevent or reverse CKD

• Action can be taken before kidney damage has occurred

Patent Information:

Provisional Patent application filed