Objectives: Meloxicam therapy may benefit cats with degenerative joint disease, and retrospective studies suggest it could slow kidney disease progression and increase survival. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the renal effects of low-dose meloxicam treatment (0.02 mg/kg/day) over 6 months in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: Twenty-one cats with stable International Renal Interest Society stage 2 or 3 CKD were recruited and randomized to placebo or meloxicam groups. Cats were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months, including blood pressure, chemistry, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinalysis, urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC), urine transforming growth factor-beta (β):creatinine ratio, urine clusterin, urine cystatin B and serum inosine.

Results: No statistical difference was observed in systolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, SDMA, GFR, urine transforming growth factor-β:creatinine ratio, urine clusterin, urine cystatin B or serum inosine in cats receiving meloxicam vs placebo. Mean UPC was greater in the meloxicam group (0.33) than the placebo group (0.1) at 6 months (P = 0.006). Four cats had meloxicam discontinued owing to potential (mainly gastrointestinal) adverse effects.

Conclusions and relevance: No decline in renal excretory function was observed when meloxicam was administered to cats with CKD. However, gastrointestinal adverse effects were observed, and cats that received meloxicam had greater proteinuria at 6 months than cats that received placebo. As proteinuria is associated with negative outcomes (progression of azotemia and hypertension) in cats with CKD, this finding suggests that meloxicam should be used with caution in cats with CKD and UPC monitored. Until further research is available, clinicians should weigh the risk of potential increased proteinuria against quality of life benefits when considering meloxicam for analgesia in cats with renal disease.

Dr Grauer is a consultant for Boehringer Ingelheim, IDEXX, Kindred Bio and Vetoquinol. Drs Farace, Yerramilli and Peterson are full-time employees of IDEXX and part of the team of scientists who have developed most of the biomarkers reported in the manuscript, and are inventors on the patent application for these biomarkers and the assays that measure them. There is no conflict of interest to report for Drs KuKanich, George or Roush, or Mrs Sharp.