Feline
Feline CKD: Using SDMA, UPC, and Blood Pressure to Tighten IRIS Staging
Chronic kidney disease staging in cats is still creatinine-centered, but the high-yield clinical work happens in the disagreement: low body condition with higher SDMA, borderline UPC, and blood pressure that shifts risk before azotemia looks dramatic.
What to look for first
Thin geriatric cats can have creatinine values that under-call renal dysfunction because creatinine generation is muscle-mass dependent. When SDMA remains elevated on repeat testing, treat the discordance as a reason to reassess stage, hydration, body condition, and trend rather than anchoring on a single creatinine value.
UPC is a risk signal, not a checkbox
Borderline proteinuria should trigger confirmation, not overreaction. Recheck UPC with an inactive sediment, pair it with systolic blood pressure, and look for progression across serial values. A single borderline result in a stressed cat should not carry the same weight as a persistent trend.
Practical protocol move
For Stage 2 cats with SDMA/creatinine discordance or confirmed borderline UPC, tighten the follow-up interval. Quarterly rechecks often catch phosphate, blood pressure, and proteinuria drift earlier than biannual monitoring.
References
References
Voyage Dispatch · thevoyage.ai/forvets/knowledge/feline-ckd-sdma-upc-iris-staging · published Jun 4, 2026 · verify dosing against the current formulary before prescribing
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