Epidemiology

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders all characterized by similar clinical signs including hematuria (macroscopic and microscopic), dysuria, stranguria, pollakiuria, inappropriate urination (periuria or signs of irritative voiding outside of the litter box), and partial or complete urethral obstruction (Kruger et al., 1991; Osborne et al., 1996a).

Doreen M. HOUSTON
DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM

Dr. Houston graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1980, spent 4 years in private practice in Thunder Bay, Ontario and then returned to the OVC for further education (Internship, Residency and DVSc in Internal Medicine). She became a Board Certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in 1991. Doreen joined the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in 1990 and climbed the ranks to Full Professor in 1995. During her tenure in academia, Doreen received numerous teaching awards. In July 1996, Doreen left academia to become part of the team at Veterinary Medi-Cal (Royal Canin) Diets in Guelph, Ontario. She is currently the Clinical Trial Research Director for Medi-Cal Royal Canin Veterinary Diets in Canada. Dr. Houston is the author of several published papers, book chapters and a textbook.

Denise A. ELLIOTT
BVSc (Hons), PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVN

Denise Elliott graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor in Veterinary Science with Honors in 1991. After completing an internship in Small Animal Internal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, Denise moved to the University of California- Davis where she completed a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine, a fellowship in Renal Medicine and Hemodialysis, and a residency in Small Animal Clinical Nutrition. Denise received board certification with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 1996 and with the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in 2001. The University of California-Davis awarded a PhD in Nutrition in 2001 for her work on Multifrequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Healthy Cats and Dogs. Denise is currently the Director of Scientific Affairs for Royal Canin USA.

1. Epidemiology

Incidence, prevalence and proportional morbidity rate are all terms used to describe the frequency of disease.

- The incidence rate of FLUTD is defined as the number of new cases of FLUTD occurring in the population during a defined time interval (often annual). The incidence of disease is useful to epidemiologists because it is used as a measure of the risk of disease. The incidence rate of FLUTD has been estimated at approximately 0.85% in the USA (Lawler et al., 1985). In the United Kingdom, the incidence rate was estimated at 0.34 to 0.64% (Fennell, 1975; Walker et al., 1977; Willeberg, 1984).

- The prevalence of FLUTD is defined as the total number of pets with FLUTD in the population at a specific time. Prevalence differs from incidence in that it does not convey information about risk.

- The ratio of FLUTD cases to all cases seen in a clinic or hospital in a given time period is the proportional morbidity rate (PMR). The PMR of FLUTD in North America has been estimated at 1.5 - 8% (Bartges, 1997; Lund et al., 1999; Lekcharoensuk et al., 2001a).