Ragdoll cats and kidney disease

Paepe D, Saunders JH, Bavegems V, et al. Screening of ragdoll cats for kidney -disease: a retrospective evaluation. J Small Anim Pract. 2012; 53: 572-7.

A very popular cat breed worldwide is the Ragdoll. Ragdoll breeders often advise clients to watch for future renal disease in their cats. Most of these questions center around potential chronic interstitial nephritis and polycystic kidney disease (PKD). There is minimal scientific evidence regarding risk of renal disease in this breed. The Veterinary Medical College at Ghent University in Belgium performed a retrospective evaluation of Ragdolls screened for renal disease over an 8-year period. The screening methods included abdominal ultrasonography, measurement of serum creatinine and urea concentrations, and genetic testing for the PKD-1 mutation. The study population was made up of 244 Ragdoll cats: 172 females and 72 males.
 
In this study, 8.6% of the screened cats showed ultrasonographic abnormalities that could be compatible with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The suspected CKD cats were significantly older and had significantly higher urea and creatinine concentrations compared to cats with normal ultrasound results. Ragdolls are one of the breeds that have been outcrossed with Persians, so Ragdoll cats could be at risk for PKD. The researchers found a PKD prevalence of less than 3% in the study cats, considerably lower than the 31-42% prevalence of PKD described in European studies of Persians and related cats. Only one PKD-positive and one suspected PKD-positive Ragdoll cat were noted in the last 7 years of the study. This could mean that PKD screening before breeding is effective at eradicating PKD in this breed. All genetically tested cats tested negative for PKD.

In conclusion, almost 10% of this healthy Ragdoll population had ultrasonographic findings compatible with CKD, and PKD occurs at a low prevalence in Ragdoll cats in Belgium and the Netherlands. [VT]

See also: Heiene R, Rumsby G, Ziener M, et al. Chronic kidney disease with three cases of oxalate-like nephrosis in Ragdoll cats. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. 2009; 11: 474-80.

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Paepe D, Saunders JH, Bavegems V, et al. Screening of ragdoll cats for kidney -disease: a retrospective evaluation. J Small Anim Pract. 2012; 53: 572-7.

A very popular cat breed worldwide is the Ragdoll. Ragdoll breeders often advise clients to watch for future renal disease in their cats. Most of these questions center around potential chronic interstitial nephritis and polycystic kidney disease (PKD). There is minimal scientific evidence regarding risk of renal disease in this breed. The Veterinary Medical College at Ghent University in Belgium performed a retrospective evaluation of Ragdolls screened for renal disease over an 8-year period. The screening methods included abdominal ultrasonography, measurement of serum creatinine and urea concentrations, and genetic testing for the PKD-1 mutation. The study population was made up of 244 Ragdoll cats: 172 females and 72 males.
 
In this study, 8.6% of the screened cats showed ultrasonographic abnormalities that could be compatible with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The suspected CKD cats were significantly older and had significantly higher urea and creatinine concentrations compared to cats with normal ultrasound results. Ragdolls are one of the breeds that have been outcrossed with Persians, so Ragdoll cats could be at risk for PKD. The researchers found a PKD prevalence of less than 3% in the study cats, considerably lower than the 31-42% prevalence of PKD described in European studies of Persians and related cats. Only one PKD-positive and one suspected PKD-positive Ragdoll cat were noted in the last 7 years of the study. This could mean that PKD screening before breeding is effective at eradicating PKD in this breed. All genetically tested cats tested negative for PKD.

In conclusion, almost 10% of this healthy Ragdoll population had ultrasonographic findings compatible with CKD, and PKD occurs at a low prevalence in Ragdoll cats in Belgium and the Netherlands. [VT]

See also: Heiene R, Rumsby G, Ziener M, et al. Chronic kidney disease with three cases of oxalate-like nephrosis in Ragdoll cats. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. 2009; 11: 474-80.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Investigating the Genetic Causes of HCM

Meurs, K.M., et al., Analysis of 8 sarcomeric candidate genes for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. J Vet Intern Med, 2009. 23(4): p. 840-3.

The most common heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). A causative mutation has been identified in two breeds, the Maine Coon (MC) and Ragdoll that involve the cardiac myosin binding protein C gene (MYBPC3). HCM is thought to be inherited in other breeds as well. The objective of the study was to evaluate a subset of cats from additional breeds with HCM including the British Shorthair (BSH), Norwegian Forest Cat (NWF), Siberian, and Sphynx and to also examine MC cats known to be affected with HCM but lacking the known mutation. Fourteen affected cats among these breeds were evaluated. A causative mutation was not identified in the eight candidate genes studied, although several single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected. The study concluded that mutations within these cardiac genes do not appear to be the only cause of HCM in these breeds. Further evaluation of additional cardiac genes is considered warranted. (VT)
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Meurs, K.M., et al., A substitution mutation in the myosin binding protein C gene in ragdoll hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Genomics, 2007. 90(2): p. 261-4.
>> PubMed Abstract

Meurs, K., et al., A cardiac myosin binding protein C mutation in the Maine Coon cat with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hum Mol Genet, 2005. 14(23): p. 3587-3593.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Meurs, K.M., et al., Analysis of 8 sarcomeric candidate genes for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. J Vet Intern Med, 2009. 23(4): p. 840-3.

The most common heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). A causative mutation has been identified in two breeds, the Maine Coon (MC) and Ragdoll that involve the cardiac myosin binding protein C gene (MYBPC3). HCM is thought to be inherited in other breeds as well. The objective of the study was to evaluate a subset of cats from additional breeds with HCM including the British Shorthair (BSH), Norwegian Forest Cat (NWF), Siberian, and Sphynx and to also examine MC cats known to be affected with HCM but lacking the known mutation. Fourteen affected cats among these breeds were evaluated. A causative mutation was not identified in the eight candidate genes studied, although several single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected. The study concluded that mutations within these cardiac genes do not appear to be the only cause of HCM in these breeds. Further evaluation of additional cardiac genes is considered warranted. (VT)
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Meurs, K.M., et al., A substitution mutation in the myosin binding protein C gene in ragdoll hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Genomics, 2007. 90(2): p. 261-4.
>> PubMed Abstract

Meurs, K., et al., A cardiac myosin binding protein C mutation in the Maine Coon cat with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hum Mol Genet, 2005. 14(23): p. 3587-3593.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Read More