Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to diagnose obesity in cats using a blood test
By Kobayashi, Miki et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Seijo Kobayashi Veterinary Clinic, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Establishing diagnostic criteria for feline obesity using a highly sensitive serum amyloid A assay.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 29 cats aged 3 to 14 years were examined to establish better ways to diagnose obesity. The study found that overweight cats had higher levels of certain fats and enzymes in their blood compared to healthy cats. Specifically, those with more severe obesity showed even higher levels of these markers. The researchers proposed new criteria for diagnosing obesity in cats, suggesting that if a cat shows elevated fat levels and certain enzyme levels, it may indicate a more serious health issue. Early detection can help prevent related diseases.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The global increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity is associated with several chronic diseases. Obesity is characterized by systemic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress caused by excessive fat accumulation. This study aimed to establish diagnostic criteria for pathological obesity in cats using a highly sensitive serum amyloid A (SAA) assay. METHODS: In this study, 29 client-owned cats (3-14 years old) with varying body condition scores (BCS) were included. These cats underwent medical checkups and were not treated for any specific diseases. They were divided into three groups: healthy control, simple obesity, and obesity disease. The plasma levels of metabolites, hormones, and enzymes were measured. RESULTS: In the simple obesity cats, body weight, BCS, and plasma triglyceride (TG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were significantly higher than those in the healthy control cats. In the obesity disease cats, BCS was significantly higher than that in the simple obesity cats, and plasma TG and SAA concentrations and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities increased significantly compared to those in the simple obesity cats. Adiponectin concentrations in the obesity disease cats were significantly lower than those in the healthy control cats. DISCUSSION: The novel criteria for feline obesity (overweight cats exhibiting two or more of the following symptoms: hyperlipidemia and high ALT and SAA levels) were based on biomarker values that were significantly higher than those in the simple obesity cats. These novel criteria may help detect pathological obesity at an early stage. Early and accurate diagnosis can prevent age-related diseases including obesity.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40678493/