Kidney & Urinary Tract Terminology

A gradual, irreversible loss of kidney filtration, waste excretion, and urine concentration ability over months or years.

An umbrella term encompassing disorders affecting the feline urinary bladder and urethra, including feline idiopathic cystitis, bladder stones, and urethral plugs.

The production and excretion of an abnormally large volume of urine.

Abnormally increased thirst and excessive water consumption.

The presence of red blood cells in the urine, giving it a pink, red, or brownish discoloration.

A physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine to evaluate kidney function and the lower urinary tract.

A sensitive renal biomarker produced by cellular metabolism and excreted by the kidneys, detecting kidney function loss earlier than traditional creatinine.

A waste byproduct of normal muscle breakdown excreted exclusively by the kidneys; the primary blood biomarker for renal filtration and IRIS staging.

A metabolic waste product of dietary protein digestion and liver metabolism, excreted primarily by the kidneys.

A quantitative laboratory test measuring the ratio of protein to creatinine in urine to diagnose and quantify renal glomerular protein loss.

A surgical incision into the urinary bladder, most frequently performed to remove bladder stones (uroliths) or biopsy bladder tumors.

The microscopic functional filtration unit of the kidney that filters waste products and water from the blood while retaining vital proteins.

The fibromuscular tubular conduit that conveys urine from the bladder neck to the outside of the body.

A distensible, muscular reservoir organ in the caudal abdomen that stores urine produced by the kidneys prior to urination.