PULLMAN, Wash. — With a swab of their cat’s cheek, pet owners can now determine if their cat is at high risk of developing one of the most common chronic diseases years before any clinical signs emerge, and it could allow them to take measures to prolong their cat’s life.
The advancement is made possible by a genetic test that detects predisposition to progressive chronic kidney disease that has been developed by veterinarians at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The test, known as Feline Apoptosis Inhibitor Macrophages, or FAIM, will be available to veterinarians and cat owners.
Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that causes deterioration of the kidneys and often results in kidney failure and death; about 30 to 50 percent of cats older than age 11 have some form of the disease. It can lead to cardiovascular disease, anemia, and hypertension. In extreme cases, it can cost thousands per year to manage cats with chronic kidney disease, for which there is no cure.
The test is made possible by a genetic variation that affects the productivity of a protein responsible for kidney repair. WSU associate professor Dr. Nicolas Villarino and collaborators from WSU’s Program in Individualized Medicine (PrIMe) identified the genetic marker in 2016.
Now, pet owners and veterinarians can explore if the disease is likely to develop in their cat and patients and address it before their pet’s kidneys begin to deteriorate.
Catching the disease early means cat owners can cut out certain foods and medications to maintain their pet’s health and slow the disease’s progression.Dr. Nicolas Villarino, associate professor
WSU College of Veterinary Medicine
“Catching the disease early means cat owners can cut out certain foods and medications to maintain their pet’s health and slow the disease’s progression. That’s the big problem with this disease; you don’t know it is coming until it is too late,” Villarino said. “Once it is identified, there’s no way back, and those cats will likely require lifelong medical therapy.”
The test will soon be available online through WSU’s PrIMe.
Once owners receive their sampling kit in the mail, they can swab their cat’s mouth and send their sample to the service center on the WSU Pullman campus.
Samples are processed using droplet digital PCR testing.
