Advances in diagnosing and staging chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disease in dogs and cats. The prevalence of CKD in cats increases with increasing age with up to 30% of cats over the age of 15 years being affected. The prevalence for CKD in dogs varies widely depending on age and population studied with prevalence reported as low as 0.37% in U.K. practices, 5.8% in four U.S. veterinary teaching hospitals and 10% in geriatric dogs. Although CKD is a progressive disease, early diagnosis and management may modify the rate of progression and improve patient quality and quantity of life.