Winn Feline Foundation: Three New Feline Health Studies, and Resources for Cat Owners and Veterinarians
“I feel like crap. Can’t you do something about it?” was all Peaches could tell us as her chronic kidney failure progressed. New studies of biomarkers for CKD and other conditions funded by Winn will help other cats who suffer from this condition.
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The Winn Feline Foundation, the only foundation focused exclusively on feline medical research financial support that helps to advance the body of medical knowledge about cats, is awarding $94,968.00 in grants for studies that will help determine biomarkers in the areas of diagnosing and monitoring the progression of such disease states as painful degenerative joint disease (DJD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and osteoarthritis (OA) in cats.
A biomarker is a measurable indicator of the presence or severity any disease, not only those mentioned above. It doesn’t look for the disease itself but for a particular effect a disease has on the body’s blood or organ function, often measured by testing urine. A simple and common example of a biomarker is a blood test which finds a high concentration of white blood cells, known to be a critical part of the immune system’s response to infection, to diagnose that there is an infection somewhere in the body, even though no outward signs show anything at all.
Many felines are diagnosed with some form of renal failure at some point in their lives, either at the end of their lifespan or, tragically, much younger, and recent studies have shown that degenerative joint disease is far more common in cats than anyone ever thought. In both cases the diseases develop as a cat grows older and because they deal with pain and discomfort well and because cats are masters at hiding illness they are sometimes not diagnosed until it’s the condition is untreatable and sometimes not at all. Once it’s diagnosed it can be difficult to tell the progress of the disease and determine appropriate treatment for the same reason. Determining biomarkers for the presence and progress of these conditions will give veterinarians a much more exacting method of determining what’s wrong with a cat who’s not giving up any clues about how they feel.
Pead more about all of these studies in this press release.
About health studies for cats and Winn Feline Foundation
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) states that in the United States there are millions more owned cats than owned dogs, yet cats visit veterinarians less frequently than dogs. Studies have shown that older cats visit the veterinarian less often than younger cats and that owners of indoor cats are less likely to place a priority on veterinary care than owners of outdoor cats.
The Winn Feline Foundation is a non profit organization established in 1968 that supports studies to improve cat health, funding over $4 million in health research for cats at more than 30 partner institutions world wide through the support of dedicated donors and partners. Winn-funded research has led to improvements in cat food, the science behind most vaccines your cat receives, and progress in the fight against FIV, leukemia, diabetes, FIP, heart disease and a host of other illnesses in cats.
Resources for you and your veterinarian
Winn supplies cat health information from experts, including the results of grants for feline health research. While your own veterinarian is always your best source for information on your own cat’s health issues, Winn has a library of comprehensive articles written by veterinarians and researchers.
The Winn Feline Foundation has been instrumental in many of the advances in feline medicine and surgery in recent decades. Veterinarians benefit from the improved diagnostic methods and treatments for feline diseases that result from Winn-funded research.
Veterinary Honor Roll
Winn offers a special donation to honor veterinarians who have provided outstanding health care to their feline patients. The Veterinary Honor Roll offers a unique opportunity to both honor your veterinarian and give a gift that will resonate for years to come. For a minimum donation of $100 your honored veterinarian will be acknowledged on the website and receives a letter of notification and a framed certificate* suitable for proud display in the veterinary hospital.
The Ricky Fund for Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
In June 2002, the Winn Feline Foundation announced the creation of The Ricky Fund, set up to accept donations specifically for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) research. Steve Dale, nationally syndicated pet columnist and radio show host, worked with Winn to create this fund in memory of his Devon Rex cat, Ricky.
The Bria Fund for Feline Infectious Peritonitis
In November 2005, the Winn Feline Foundation announced the creation of the Bria Fund to accept donations for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) research. FIP is a fatal disease primarily seen in young kittens, with no cure and no effective treatment.
Visit the Winn Feline Foundation website to read more about these programs and other work from Winn.
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