EveryCat Health Foundation
https://everycat.org/
2022 CaP-K Grant Awards
5 Grants Funded Totalling $209,925
EveryCat Health Foundation, in a special funding opportunity co-sponsored by Nestlé Purina Petcare and Mars Petcare, is funding grants that address the effect that dietary phosphorus and calcium to phosphorus ratio have on renal health in cats as well as biomarkers to detect early renal disease.
Topics of Interest:
- The Impact of Dietary Phosphorus and Calcium (CaP-K) on Feline Kidney Health
- Early Renal Disease Biomarkers
The overall goal of such research is to provide evidence that will lead to scientific consensus on safe levels and types of dietary phosphorus for feline diets. High-priority areas that have been identified and will be given special consideration include:
- Investigation of factors that influence phosphorus bioavailability and metabolism including source and form of phosphorus in foods.
- Identification of biomarkers of renal injury (i.e., especially markers that detect early kidney changes before irreversible damage occurs).
- Identification of in vitro assays that correlate with in vivo function of phosphorus sources.
“Kidney disease is the number one cause of death in older cats, but its cause is unknown. EveryCat Health Foundation has teamed up with two giants of the pet food industry, Nestlé Purina Petcare, and Mars Petcare, to fund health studies investigating these critical areas that improve the quality and longevity of every cat’s life,” states Drew Weigner, DVM, EveryCat Health Foundation’s Past President.
2022 grants awarded are as follows:
A longitudinal multi-matrix metabolomics approach for the identification of biomarkers of early feline renal disease. $41,601
Principal Investigator(s): Sylvie Daminet, Department of Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent. CaP-K22-002
Current tests for kidney disease in cats are typically diagnostic only after 70% of the kidney is damaged. This study uses metabolomics to identify and characterize small molecules in the blood and urine to design novel tests that diagnose kidney disease in earlier stages, before irreversible damage occurs.
Identification of urinary extracellular vesicle-derived microRNAs as sensitive and specific biomarkers for early-stage feline chronic kidney disease. $23,000
Principal Investigator(s): Candice P. Chu, Lillian Aronson; University of Pennsylvania. CaP-K22-008
In cats, elevations of current diagnostic tests occur only once severe kidney disease exists. In humans, alterations in the micro-RNA of kidney cells occur in patients with early renal disease. This study investigates and characterizes micro-RNA in cats with various stages of kidney disease to see if it can be used as an accurate diagnostic test for early kidney disease before irreversible damage occurs.
Effect of caloric content on phosphorus balance and kidney function in healthy cats. $44,099
Principal Investigator(s): Carmen Pineda, Ignacio Lopez, University of Cordoba (Spain). Cap-K22-011
The levels of phosphorus and calcium are closely related to the progression of kidney disease, where phosphorus increases as the disease progresses. This study investigates whether reduced caloric intake decreases phosphorus levels in cats.
Phosphoric acid implications to renal health and urine supersaturation for struvite and calcium oxalate in cats. $49,000
Principal Investigator(s): Aulus Cavalieri Carciofi, Maria Eduarda Gonçalves Tozato. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)(São Paulo State University) CaP-K22-012
Phosphorus metabolism is intimately related to the progression of kidney disease and the formation of kidney stones in cats, yet many cat foods contain a phosphoric acid additive to decrease the formation of kidney stones. This study investigates the effect of phosphoric acid on the occurrence of kidney disease and kidney stones in cats.
Screening for early feline chronic kidney disease: Unraveling the mystery of nonazotemic disease. $52,225
Principal Investigator(s): Marleen Brans, DVM; Dominique Paepe, DVM, PhD, DECVIM; Emmelie Stock, DVM, PhD, DECVDI. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University. CaP-K22-013
Cats develop kidney disease long before elevations in current diagnostic tests which indicate irreversible damage. This proposal uses a simplified “gold standard” test to characterize early kidney disease and update the international criteria. It also investigates two novel methods to identify cats with early kidney disease, before severe damage occurs.