My cat's SDMA is up, but other kidney values are down. Is this stable?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would basically call that stable as long as Tony is feeling well. I would be sure that your vet has done a urinanalysis to check for protein and have checked his blood pressure. There are medications to control those things and thus prevent further kidney damage. Otherwise the plan sounds reasonable. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tony. I agree that he is in the early stages of kidney failure based on the lab results you have provided. Kidney disease can cause low levels of potassium so it is good that you are supplementing him. Kidney values can fluctuate up and down a bit, but you want to assess trends over time to see how he is doing. SDMA and creatinine are more sensitive indicators than BUN. I would ask if his phosphorus level is in the target range for his degree of kidney disease (based on the IRIS staging) and make sure he has had his blood pressure measured recently. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Tony is experiencing early kidney disease. Yes a prescription diet has been shown to help with chronic kidney disease and there is a chance it could lower the SDMA and other kidney values. It will help with progression. I would be sure your Vet has checked a urine sample for protein and infection as well as a blood pressure. There are medications that can and should be started if those things are abnormal. I wish you and Tony the best!

Kudos to you for being such a diligent owner to your senior kitty! SDMA is technically a more sensitive measure of early kidney disease so the fact that it is still normal is excellent news. You’re right that the BUN and creatinine are borderline high, however mild dehydration can do this too. Therefore, if I see values like that in conjunction with highly concentrated urine and a normal SDMA, I’m not going to do anything except to continue monitoring. If the urine is dilute, there is protein in the urine, etc. then I investigate further. All in all, I agree that there is not much cause for concern but I’d recheck in 3-6 months. Best wishes to you and Tony!

Hello. This actually sounds pretty darn good! The only thing to add is to make sure Tony takes in as much fluids as possible & make sure you stay on top of those kidney rechecks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

From what the blood results are showing your cat is not having any important renal issue at this stage. Hyperthyroidism is well controlled as well. It will be good anyway to keep monitoring renal parameters (Urea and Crea) but adding also the so called SDMA which can indicate early stage renal failure (more sensitive than the other two). I think is a good idea to increase anyway the amount of wet food he is having, and if he likes sardines, of course that is a good option. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello. It is possible that the new food is helping the creatinine levels, but regardless of the reason, this is good news. Remember, blood work is a snapshot of what is happening at the moment the blood was drawn. Twilight may have been a little more dehydrated at the last blood draw, & creatinine is a very sensitive marker of kidney function, more so than the BUN. So, be happy that the number is better today. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.