— Original reporting
The Silent Epidemic: Why Feline Kidney Disease Is Being Caught Too Late
By Marta Bauer
New longitudinal data suggests that by the time most cats show symptoms of chronic kidney disease, they've already lost more than two-thirds of function. A look at the emerging biomarkers changing early detection.
## The overlooked disease\n\nChronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 1 in 3 cats over the age of 10, yet remains one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in companion animal medicine...\n\n### SDMA and the shift in screening\n\nSymmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) has emerged as a more sensitive early marker than traditional creatinine tests, flagging kidney decline up to 17 months earlier in some cases.\n\n> "Waiting for creatinine to rise is waiting too long." — Dr. Elena Ruiz, DVM