A urinalysis is an important diagnostic tool that can help your veterinarian to detect and treat health problems, often before they become serious problems. Most veterinarians recommend a urinalysis, a fairly inexpensive test, as part of your dog’s annual physical exam.
A urinalysis is sometimes recommended when results of an x-ray, blood test or physical exam points to a potential problem or abnormality with your dog’s urinary system.
How Samples are Collected
in most cases your veterinarian is the best person to collect the clean urine sample from your dog. Your vet can employ techniques to collect a sterile sample from your dog. Your veterinarian will collect urine samples using free catch, catherization or by drawing directly from the bladder. You can help the situation by keeping your dog from using urinating for the couple hours before your appointment.
Once you arrive at your doctor’s office carry your small dogs from your car to the hospital and walk larger dogs quickly so you can discourage them from urinating somewhere outside before they get into the doctor’s office. By doing this you can make the urine collection process complete sooner. If your dog shows up in the vet’s office with an empty bladder it may take hours and hours to get an adequate urine collection.
What Gets Tested with a Urinarlysis
Your veterinarian can obtain useful information about your dog through a urinalysis.
They will look at the color: Cloudiness or color irregularities in your dog’s urine can indicate the presence of blood in the urine or other abnormalities.
Kidneys are tested: Using a specific gravity test veterinarians are able to determine how well your dogs kidneys are functioning and whether they are dehydrated or are excreting too much water.
Substance detection: Chemical test strips can detect the presence of blood, protein, glucose, or other substances.
Microscopic exam: A microscopic examination of the urine allows your vet to look for blood cells, bacteria, and crystals. Crystal formation can be associated with urinary tract inflammation and infection. Urinalysis can help determine which types of crystals are present which allows the veterinarian to develop the most effective treatment plan for your dog.
Disease detection: A urinalysis helps detect diseases such as diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders, liver disease and cancer.
Urinary Tract Infections: A urinalysis can detect this condition.
When to Get a Urinalysis
Besides getting a urinalysis done at your dog’s annual physical exam, there are also other symptoms that would trigger the need for urinalysis.
1. Straining to urinate. If your dog is straining to urinate you should take him to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Your dog may be suffering with a urinary tract infection or a blocked urinary tract. It can be extremely painful for your dog and is potentially life-threatening.
2. Drinking an excessive amount of water
3. Frequent urination
4. Licking at urinary tract openings
5. An unusually strong odor
6. Discolored urine
7. Blood in the urine – This can be a sign of a serious problem. It can mean a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, inflammation, or cancer.
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