Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) in Cats

Every cat owner or breeder wants to know that his or her cat is healthy. Obtaining knowledge about the kind of genetic diseases that are harmful is key for ensuring your feline’s long-term wellbeing.

Your trusted DNA testing company GTL offers a wide variety of animal DNA testing services, including testing for genetic diseases such as Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a hereditary disease that affects a variety of cat breeds. Despite our knowledge about the disease there is currently no cure available, yet thanks to DNA testing we now have a way of detecting the disease. By knowing a cat carries the gene, breeders can exclude that cat from mating with other cats, thus avoiding having more affected cats.

PKD can now easily be detected by means of the PKD DNA test, offered to you by GTL’s DNA testing services.

What is PKD?

Medically, the inherited disease does not typically present itself with strong clinical symptoms and can therefore go unnoticed until it is at an advanced stage of renal failure. Bilateral manifestation (both kidneys) and cysts are all features of the heritable variety of the disease. This disease usually appears when the cat is one year old, however onset may be unpredictable. Once the disease sets in, the number of cysts is too high for a vet to drain individually. This means that the advice generally given is for the pet to be put down.

PKD1 is the most common form of PKD and is mainly an autosomal dominant inherited condition. This means that a PKD1 positive cat has a 50% likelihood of giving birth to PKD1 positive offspring.

At present, polycystic kidney disease accounts for a staggering 40% of the affected Persian cat population, and has since spread to other breeds.

What are we offering?

Since PKD may be fatal, it is highly recommended that cat owners and breeders get their cats tested. The PKD DNA test is an important test that is available for several cat breeds such as: Exotics, Himalayans, Persians and other Persian related breeds.

At GTL, we provide convenient DNA testing for PKD and confirm with accuracy whether your cat is a PKD gene carrier.

The test is carried out according to standardized hygienic measures and is completely safe and painless. DNA testing can be performed in the comfort of your home by means of our buccal (cheek) swab tests. Click here for more information.

GTL’s DNA testing is cost effective and results are ready within £44 days upon receipt of your samples.

Prevention is Key! Order your DNA tests today or if you have any queries, have our customer care team get in touch.


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