EMERGING PATHOGENS AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN CATS

"PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN CATS FROM PRIMARY CARE PRACTICES IN SOUTHERN ITALY"-Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has high morbidity and mortality in feline patients. The study of prevalence and risk factors associated with this disease is of great interest. Among various risk factors associated with feline CKD, some emerging infectious pathogens were recently investigated. Serum creatinine (sCr) along with serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC) and blood pressure (BP) measurements are proposed by the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) to stage and substage CKD in dogs and cats. The aims of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of CKD in cats attending primary care practices in Reggio Calabria (Calabria) and Messina (Sicily) provinces and to evaluate risk factors for CKD diagnosis. One hundred and eleven cats diagnosed with CKD according to IRIS guidelines (KD) and 104 healthy cats or cats with miscellaneous clinical abnormalities but with CKD ruled out by clinico-pathological investigation (NKD) were compared. Overall 30 variables were analyzed and, for the first time Leishmania infantum, Leptospira spp., and feline morbillivirus (FeMV) infections were investigated as risk factor for feline CKD. A high prevalence of CKD (52%) was observed, with higher prevalence in male cats (OR= 2.727) and cats with reduced body condition score (BCS) (OR= 2.117), pale mucous membranes (OR= 6.742), ocular (OR= 1.509) or oral (OR= 2.535) lesions, anemia (OR= 2.492), or increased urea values (OR=7.35). Moreover, increased urea values (OR= 55.8) and anemia (OR= 2.609) were associated with advanced CKD (IRIS stage 2-4) and prevalence of proteinuria (OR= 3.56) and inappropriate USG was higher in male cats (OR=2.481) with 42% of entire male cats affected by proteinuria (OR=2.79). No statistical differences were found in KD cats about age, breed, environment, poor muscle condition score (MCS), increased phosphorus, increased total thyroxine (tT4), increased serum amyloid A (SAA) values and for the infectious pathogens investigated. In conclusion, diagnosis of CKD has to be addressed in any adult cat, irrespective of age or reason for consultation but overestimation of proteinuria should be considered in entire male cats. A high prevalence of the investigated pathogens was found but this cross-sectional study did not show any associations between any of them and feline CKD.