Diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease

Welcome back! Now that we've covered the basics of chronic kidney disease, let's talk about how it's diagnosed. This information can help you understand the tests your veterinarian recommends and why they're important.

Veterinarians diagnose CKD using a combination of blood tests, urine tests, and sometimes imaging like X-rays or ultrasounds. Blood work checks for waste products which build up when the kidneys aren't filtering the blood properly. A urine test or urinalysis is equally important. A urinalysis evaluates how concentrated your cat's urine is and can identify the presence of protein or blood in the urine. In some cases, a urine culture may be needed to check for certain types of infections.

Routine screening is key to catching kidney disease as early as possible. We always recommend running routine blood work at wellness checkups, however, it is even more important if your cat is over the age of seven years old. Early detection gives you the best chance to slow the progression of CKD and improve your cat's quality of life.

In the next module, we'll discuss the stages of CKD and what symptoms you might notice at each stage. Understanding these stages will help you prepare for the journey ahead.