Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Accuracy of test strips for blood urea nitrogen in dogs and cats
By Berent, Allyson C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Reliability of using reagent test strips to estimate blood urea nitrogen concentration in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A study involving 116 dogs and 58 cats looked at how well reagent test strips can estimate blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, which can indicate kidney function. The results showed that these test strips are generally reliable, with a high accuracy rate for dogs and a good rate for cats, although there were some false results. For dogs, the test strips correctly identified most cases of kidney issues, while for cats, there was a slightly higher chance of misclassification. It's important to confirm any test strip results with standard lab tests for the most accurate diagnosis.
People also search for: dog kidney function test strips · cat kidney disease symptoms · how to check BUN levels in pets
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical accuracy of reagent test strips used to estimate BUN concentration in dogs and cats. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 116 dogs and 58 cats. PROCEDURE: Blood samples were collected at the time of admission to the hospital. Estimates of BUN concentration obtained with reagent test strips (category 1 [5 to 15 mg/dL], 2 (15 to 26 mg/dL], 3 [30 to 40 mg/dL], or 4 [50 to 80 mg/dL]) were compared with SUN concentrations measured with an automated analyzer. For dogs, category 1 and 2 test strip results were considered a negative result (nonazotemic) and category 3 and 4 test strip results were considered a positive result (azotemic). For cats, category 1, 2, and 3 test strip results were considered a negative result (nonazotemic) and category 4 test strip results were considered a positive result (azotemic). RESULTS: On the basis of SUN concentration, 40 of the 174 (23%) animals (20 dogs and 20 cats) were classified as azotemic. One dog and 2 cats had false-negative test strip results, and 1 dog had a false-positive result. Sensitivity and specificity were 95% (20/21) and 99% (94/95), respectively, for dogs and 87% (13/15) and 100% (43/43), respectively, for cats. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that reagent test strips are a reliable method for rapidly estimating BUN concentrations in dogs and cats. Because test strip results are only semiquantitative and there remains a potential for misclassification, especially in cats, urea nitrogen concentration should ultimately be verified by means of standard chemistry techniques.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16266012/