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| Dr. Roberta Relford |
One thing both dog and cat
owners need to be aware of is chronic kidney disease. It occurs in both
species. Catching it early is optimum, of course. To that end, IDEXX, one of
the most trustworthy laboratories in the county, has created a new test
specifically designed to discover the disesase.
Roberta Relford, DVM, Ph.D, DACVIM, DAVCP,
Division President and Chief Researcher was the main researcher for the
development of the test. Dr. Relford is the
Division Vice President of Pathology, Internal Medicine, and Strategic
Operations IDEXX Reference Laboratories. She graduated from Auburn University
in 1982 and was a small-animal practitioner for 4 years. She obtained an MS in
pathology at Mississippi State University and a PhD in pathology from Texas
A&M University, where she also pursued a residency in small-animal internal
medicine. Dr. Relford is board-certified in internal medicine by the American
College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and in clinical pathology by the
American College of Veterinary Pathologists. She lectures on topics including
clinical pathology, internal medicine, infectious diseases, cytology, and
platelet disorders.
Dr. Relford was the main
researcher who helped develop the SDMA test and she is the CMO at IDEXX
Laboratories.
Chronic kidney disease is a leading cause of
suffering and death in cats and dogs. In fact, one in three cats and one in ten
dogs will develop some form of kidney disease over their lifetime. Unfortunately,
by the time veterinarians typically diagnose it, at least 75% of kidney
function has already been permanently
lost.
Thanks to a breakthrough kidney function test,
veterinarians have detected the disease earlier in thousands of cats and dogs
since the test was made commercially available in July. SDMA is identifying
over two times the number of pets with early CKD than traditional methods. In
other words, without the SDMA test, one out of every two cats and dogs with
early stage CKD would have been missed by traditional testing methods.
The SDMA test can potentially add years to pets’
lives, and Roberta Relford, DVM, MS, PhD, speaks to the impact of the test as well as
the technology behind it and the importance of
screening your pets earlier than veterinarians were able to do before.
Dr. Relford
agreed to be interviewed in order to share this discovery with
PerPETuallySpeaking’s readers:
1. Briefly,
what is chronic kidney disease? I know that it kills far too many companions.
Chronic kidney disease is the
leading cause of suffering and death in cats. In their lifetime, 1 in 3 cats
and 1 in 10 dogs will develop the disease. As pets get older, the likelihood
they will develop kidney disease increases. In fact, more than half of cats
over age 15 are afflicted. Until recently, veterinarians could not detect
kidney disease until very late stages, when the kidneys have lost most of their
function permanently. At this point, effective treatment options are limited.
The sooner the disease is
caught, however, the better – early identification and proper adjustments in
diet and treatment may help your pet to live longer and have a better quality
of life.
Chronic kidney disease
compromises the kidneys’ ability to maintain fluid balance in the body; produce
certain hormones; regulate many electrolytes in the body; and excrete waste
products via urine. Signs of chronic kidney disease can include weight loss,
increased urination and thirst, vomiting and decreased appetite. However, dogs
and cats may show no signs of illness until the disease is advanced.
2. IDEXX
SDMA™ is the gold standard. How long has this new test been in development?
The test arrived on the market
following an extensive pilot launch involving over 600 veterinary practices and
after eight years of research and clinical studies that culminated in the
publication of 27 peer-reviewed scientific and clinical publications to date.
3. Are all
veterinarians using it now or are some still using the old test?
The IDEXX SDMA test is
available to all veterinarians in the U.S., Canada and Europe. This is
fantastic news because the test can detect kidney disease when much of a pet’s
kidney function is still intact. This gives you and your veterinarian the
chance to take action and give your pet the best shot for a healthy, happy,
long life even with kidney disease.
4. Can
owners ask for this test to be run?
Pet owners should feel
empowered to ask for the IDEXX SDMA test to be run at your pet’s regular
checkup. Today, 2 in 5 veterinarians in the U.S. are already including IDEXX
SDMA in their routine testing, at no added cost. If your veterinarian is not
offering the test, you may ask him or her to send your pet’s samples to IDEXX’s
Reference Laboratories.
5. Is
there anything you would like to say?
What heart disease is to
humans, kidney disease is to pets – a leading cause of suffering and death.
Now, the IDEXX SDMA kidney screening test gives pet parents and their
veterinarians the chance to take action and give their pet the best shot at the
happiest, longest life possible – even with kidney disease.
This is why keeping up with
your pet’s regular checkups and asking your vet for the IDEXX SDMA screening is
so vital.
For more information on IDEXX
SDMA and kidney disease in pets, visit www.pethealthnetwork.com/sdma
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