HENDERSON, Nev., July 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As with so many other conditions, early detection for kidney disease in cats is critical for getting early treatment. Henderson, Nevada, veterinary clinic for cats, A Cat Hospital, wants to let cat owners know about a new breakthrough test, the SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) test by IDEXX Laboratories, a test that can detect kidney disease in pets months, if not years, earlier than previous screening techniques have been able to.
Henderson Nevada's A Cat Hospital is excited about the doors a new treatment, the SDMA kidney test, opens for them when it comes to detecting and treating feline kidney disease early. "This is a big deal," says Dr. Auge, "because it means we can begin treating felines for their kidney disease while they still have some kidney function rather than waiting until the disease is advanced before we even realize what's going on."
The sooner veterinarians begin offering treatment for kidney disease the faster they can begin taking proactive steps that prevent the condition from worsening. Early intervention with feline kidney disease, like most diseases, is instrumental in helping to slow the progress or delay many of the symptoms of the disease.
"Since chronic kidney diseases affects one in three cats and it is one of the leading causes of death and suffering for cats and dogs alike, this test is a huge advance for veterinary medicine," says Dr. Auge.
Before the SDMA kidney test, doctors had to rely on blood creatinine measurements in order to diagnose the disease. Unfortunately, creatinine couldn't be used as a reliable measurement until the disease had advanced substantially (generally only after kidney function had been lost by 75 percent). Once the disease has progressed to this point, the loss of kidney function is generally irreversible.
"As a veterinarian," says Dr. Auge, "this news is incredibly exciting as it means we can improve the lives of even more cats by detecting this condition earlier and starting the treatment process at the beginning, when there is a lot of good that can be done, rather than discovering the problem only after it's too late to make a difference."
About A Cat Hospital
A Cat Hospital is a place where cats can go and get veterinarian care and treatment (and boarding) without worries or the stress of dealing with dogs when they are most vulnerable. The state of the art animal health clinic for cats is located on N. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson, Nevada where it provides general veterinarian care, preventative care and vaccinations, boarding, and emergency medical treatments.