IDEXX launches first dual-species point-of-care NT-proBNP test for cardiac disease in cats and dogs

IDEXX has launched the Catalyst proBNP Test, which the organization describes as the first and only dual-driven, in-clinic test for N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a biomarker applied to assess cardiac disease in cats and dogs. The test runs on the organization's Catalyst platform, which is intended to deliver laboratory-level precision with immediate outputs.

Closing A Diagnostic Gap In General Practice

Cardiac disease affects an estimated 1 in 6 cats and 1 in 10 dogs, but the disorder is frequently underassessed in general practices, according to IDEXX. Much of that gap comes down to admission and workflow: Definitive cardiac workups often depend on echocardiography or referral to a cardiologist, resources that aren't available in each practice.

Sonya Gordon, BSc, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM, professor of cardiology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said cardiac disease can be difficult to detect early because clinical signs are often subtle or absent completely.

"NT-proBNP testing provides valuable, cost-effective insight to help veterinarians identify patients with clinical or subclinical heart disease, support preanesthetic screening, and determine when additional cardiac evaluation is warranted," Gordon said in an IDEXX announcement. "A quantitative NT-proBNP assay at the point of care is an important advancement, bringing objective cardiac biomarker information closer to the patient and enabling immediate integration with the physical examination, history, and other diagnostic findings."

Where The Test Fits in Clinical Workflow

According to IDEXX, the test is designed to support some common in-clinic scenarios, like detecting subclinical heart disease in cats, informing preoperative risk assessment, and evaluating the likelihood of healthcare-relevant heart changes in healthy small- and medium-breed dogs showing a heart murmur. In both species, the organization says NT-proBNP outputs support differentiating cardiac from noncardiac causes of respiratory distress, a distinction that shapes whether a patient requires cardiac workup, management, or referral vs management for a primary respiratory challenge.

Outputs integrate in the VetConnect PLUS alongside a patient's presenting diagnostic history, with built-in interpretive guidance meant to support doctors in reading the NT-proBNP value in context rather than in separation. IDEXX is positioning the test as an postponement of an existing cardiac portfolio that already involves reference laboratory testing, electrocardiography, well-developed imaging, and artificial intelligence-driven diagnostic devices.

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About IDEXX

IDEXX is a worldwide leader in pet medical care innovation. This company's diagnostic and software products and solutions create clarity in a complex and emerging world. IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., a member of the S&P 500, is a leader in pet medical care innovation, serving veterinarians globally with solutions. IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. engages in the advancement, production, and distribution of products and solutions for the animal veterinary, livestock and poultry, dairy, and water testing markets. It operates via the following segments: Companion Animal Group (CAG), Water Quality Products (Water), Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy (LPD), and Other. The CAG segment offers diagnostic and data management-driven products and services for the companion animal veterinary industry, involving in-clinic diagnostic services, outside reference laboratory solutions, and veterinary software and services. The Water segment provides innovative testing services for simple, rapid, and precise identification and quantification of different microbiological parameters in water.

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