Persistent haematuria and proteinuria due to glomerular disease in related Abyssinian cats

Abstract

Eight cases of glomerular disease in young, related Abyssinian cats are described. Haematuria was the most consistent feature. Six cats developed the nephrotic syndrome. The short-term prognosis was good for cats with haematuria and fair for cats with the nephrotic syndrome as oedema resolved in three of the six cats. Light microscopic examination of renal biopsies from three cats was considered normal or revealed only mild abnormalities. In the three cases subjected to necropsy, histological abnormalities included mild mesangial hypercellularity and adhesions between the glomerular tuft and Bowman's capsule consistent with a focal proliferative glomerulopathy. Further investigation into this glomerulopathy will require ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies to characterise the glomerular abnormality and genetic analyses to investigate its potential to be an inherited disease. Glomerular disease, potentially a familial one, should be considered in the investigation of persistent haematuria or proteinuria in Abyssinian and related cats.

Fig 1

Renal specimen collected from case one at necropsy demonstrating focal mesangial hyperplasia and adhesions between the glomerular tuft and Bowman's capsule (2 μm section, PAS).

Fig 2

Renal biopsy of case three demonstrating no significant glomerular changes and focal tubular anisokaryosis (5 μm section; H&E).

Fig 3

Renal specimen collected from case six at necropsy demonstrating intra-cytoplasmic protein reabsorption granules, tubular proteinosis and hyaline casts (2 μm section, PAS).

Fig 4

Genetic relationship between Abyssinians with glomerular disease. Number=assigned number for pedigree analysis, □=male, ○=female, ⋄=unknown. Filled symbols represent known cases of glomerular disease. Open symbols represent cats where the health of the cat is unknown. Cross-striped symbols represent cats with normal urinalysis results. Hatched symbols represent cats with CRF. REP=cat has been replicated on the diagram.