Idexx Laboratories launches new kidney disease test for cats and dogs

Idexx Laboratories has launched a new test that can detect chronic kidney disease in dogs or cats months or years earlier than traditional methods.

The new renal function test, Idexx SDMA, is based on the detection of a revolutionary new veterinary renal biomarker, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), that offers a high sensitivity for detecting the disease.

It is capable of identifying renal disease in dogs up to nine months earlier than previous methods, while in cats the detection time can be up to 17 months earlier.

This allows for the earlier and more effective treatment of the disease, with the fact that SDMA is also unaffected by muscle loss, allowing clinicians to assess the true extent of the disease more accurately.

Jonathan Ayers, president and chief executive officer of Idexx Laboratories, said: "Idexx SDMA is a result of our commitment to lead the industry in sustained research investments that serve to advance veterinary medicine. It represents a significant achievement in veterinary diagnostics."

SDMA was recently adopted into the International Renal Interest Society guidelines as a biomarker for the early detection of chronic kidney disease.