Urine is a normal physiological waste excreted from the body. Urine is a product obtained as a result of filtration of a portion of blood by the kidneys. The normal color in dogs is light yellow, reminiscent of fresh straw. Depending on what your pet ate the day before, the color of the urine may change.
The color of urine depends on the presence of a specific component in its composition - urobilin, which is a derivative of bilirubin, a rather toxic substance. This is precisely why the importance of removing urine from the body is connected.
With a large amount of liquid, a diluted portion of urine has virtually no color, while concentrated urine is bright yellow, almost honey-colored. Changes in the color of urine can be observed in dogs every day and this should not cause panic in the owner.
Discoloration of urine in a rich yellow color for several days is not a pathology, especially in the absence of additional symptoms. But if the concentrated amber tint to the urine lasts for several days, you should consult your veterinarian.
Not only saturated color of urine, but also almost transparent urine can indicate the development of pathology in the body. It is important to know what can cause a change in urine color and what treatment methods exist.
The color of your urine will tell you about your health status.
If the owner of a four-legged friend regularly monitors the color of his urine, he has every chance of recognizing diseases at an early stage of their development. This is due to the fact that the kidneys respond to the onset of the disease even before its first symptoms appear.
Urine color reflects health status
A change in the color of urine can mean various abnormalities in the body:
- dark yellow urine. Liquid of this color can be either normal or signal unfavorable external factors or individual characteristics of the animal. This color is characteristic of low fluid intake or excessive physical activity. To return the color to normal, it is recommended to give the animal enough to drink and reduce exercise;
- beet color. When you see such a shade, you should not immediately panic; you should remember what foods the dog ate the day before. If the dog could eat beets, then it was she who caused such changes. It is better to be wary if, in addition to the shade of the secreted fluid, the dog has poor appetite, bowel dysfunction, depression and other unusual symptoms;
- orange tint. Sometimes a change in the color of urine to orange occurs after the dog has tasted commercial cat food. However, this happens quite rarely, in other cases the reason lies in the development of jaundice, infectious diseases, as well as in early liver dysfunction;
- colorless. If the urine looks more like regular water, it is an indication that it is being over-produced. This symptom is typical at the beginning of the development of diabetes mellitus, especially if there is severe thirst;
- dairy. White urine in a dog warns of a high content of leukocytes. This symptom is typical for pyelonephritis and other inflammatory diseases;
- bloody urine. Blood in the urine often indicates the onset of prostatitis, cyst rupture, urolithiasis, piroplasmosis, tick bites and other problems.
Note! Red urine in mature females may indicate the onset of estrus.
Why does urine turn dark?
A dark, brownish tint of urine indicates the presence in the body of infectious pathogens and a number of diseases, which, for the most part, are associated with disruption of the functioning of the genitourinary system.
Urolithiasis disease
With this disease, the dark shade of the liquid is due to the fact that a little blood gets into it. Due to the presence of blood in the ureters, metabolic processes are disrupted, and stones begin to form in the kidneys.
Piroplasmosis
The disease occurs as a result of a dog being bitten by an ixodid tick. Piroplasmosis is a dangerous disease that, without timely assistance, can be fatal. Symptoms of the disease:
- lack of appetite;
- heat;
- drowsiness, apathy;
- dark shade of urine.
Additional Information! Darkening of the fluid is observed in dogs with cystitis. This is an inflammation of the bladder, which develops as a result of pathogenic microflora entering it or the animal being hypothermic.
If dark urine is detected, you must immediately take your pet to a veterinarian
Normal urine characteristics
A dog has a hot nose: causes and what to do
Urine, or urine, is the product obtained after blood is purified and filtered by the kidneys. Its shade can be affected by the foods included in the daily diet. The reason why dogs have bright yellow urine is influenced by the urobilin content. This component is a derivative of bilirubin, a toxic compound that must be completely eliminated from the body. The higher its concentration in urine, the more red it is colored.
If your puppy has yellow urine, then this is normally colored urine.
The natural color of urine is yellow or straw. To make a more accurate determination of the shade, some of the liquid is poured into a transparent glass and placed in front of a white surface (you can use paper).
Every day, urine may vary slightly in color, but if it becomes dark or discolored over the course of several days, this may indicate the onset of many diseases.
What causes urine to turn dark?
There may be several reasons why a dog has dark urine, here are the most common ones.
Urolithiasis disease
Vomiting blood in a dog: causes of nausea
One of the reasons for darkening of urine is urolithiasis, which is also characterized by prolonged urination. The dog has difficulty emptying the bladder, and the process itself is delayed indefinitely.
Important! The dark color is caused by an inflammatory process occurring in the internal organs.
Darkening in this case is caused by blood entering the urine, which turns red or brown. At the same time, metabolic processes are disrupted, which leads to the development of stones in the bladder.
Often, stagnation of emptying can occur due to prolonged abstinence, which is typical for rare walks. The animal has to endure a lot of time, which causes inflammation and the beginning of many diseases.
Piroplasmosis
Piroplasmosis is a dangerous disease caused by ixodid ticks. While the parasite sucks the dog's blood, the pathogens of this disease can penetrate through its proboscis, and infection begins. While the domestic dog feels tired and can sleep a lot, active laying of larvae occurs in his body.
Ixodid ticks are carriers of piroplasmosis
Important! The development of piroplasmosis can be suspected by the animal’s poor appetite, high temperature, dark urine, as well as by the dog’s apathy and drowsiness.
If there is a suspicion of this disease, and the dog has been bitten by ticks, it is recommended to consult a specialist for a detailed diagnosis and treatment. Otherwise, the animal may die. And those individuals that were saved often suffer complications to the brain, kidneys and heart.
Information to help your veterinarian make a diagnosis
If your dog is urinating blood, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible and begin treatment.
At the initial appointment, it is especially important to inform:
- Nutritional history. What food do you give (including treats), and have you changed your feeding recently?
- Preventive measures: vaccinations, treatments against parasites, dates and names of drugs.
- How long ago did the symptoms appear and how did they change over time?
- Drinking regime. How well does the dog drink water? Has the thirst increased recently?
- Is your pet taking any medications?
- Have you had similar symptoms before? And if there were, then you need to provide detailed information about the treatment and diagnosis of the disease.
- Frequency of urination. Can he bear it until he goes for a walk?
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Bright yellow urine in dogs
Yellow poop in a dog: causes of orange poop
If your adult dog or puppy has yellow urine that resembles orange juice, you should consult a professional. This symptom is characteristic of dangerous disorders associated with the hepatorenal system. Among them:
- damage to red blood cells. When an animal is exposed to poisons, serious changes in the functioning of internal organs often occur. The causes of brown urine in a dog in this case may be piroplasmosis, leptospirosis and other diseases;
- pathological processes occurring in the bile ducts. Analysis in this case may show the presence of helminths, malignant tumors or stones;
- severe form of dehydration. It can occur in extreme heat, limited drinking and improper living conditions for the animal. The dog is lethargic, has a poor appetite and shows all the signs of apathy. This condition is characterized by dark yellow urine;
- diseases associated with the gallbladder. The presence of inflammatory processes and stones in the gall bladder in the early stages can be suspected by the rich yellow color of the urine;
- pancreatitis that occurs for various reasons.
Diagnosis and treatment of a pet
To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo general and biochemical urine and blood tests, as well as undergo an ultrasound and x-ray. If necessary, the veterinarian may prescribe other tests to help identify the cause of the disease.
Treatment methods will depend on the type of pathology:
- Piroplasmosis
. In severe cases, filtration and blood transfusion are used. Babesia is destroyed with antiprotozoal drugs.
- ICD
. To dissolve the stones, the diet must be reviewed, and catheterization or surgery must be performed. Antibiotic therapy is used when a secondary infection is detected.
- Cystitis
. In emergency situations, the bladder is emptied artificially. In all other cases, cleaning is done using a catheter with antiseptics and antibiotics. Other medications are selected based on the underlying cause.
- Gallbladder problems
. Most often they are treated only by surgery. In addition to removing excess fluid, the surgeon excises dead tissue and tumors.
- Pancreatic diseases
. Therapy is purely symptomatic, since the damaged organ is not restored. Thanks to taking medications and eliminating possible causes, the animal can be returned to normal life.
- Liver diseases
. In case of infection, antibiotics are taken. Unlike the pancreas, liver cells are able to regenerate, so this ability is stimulated by taking hepatoprotectors.
Regardless of the diagnosis, the four-legged patient must be put on a gentle diet, which includes frequent meals in small portions and the use of easily digestible foods. In case of chronic diseases, such a diet must be followed for the rest of your life.
Associated symptoms that should alert you
If your dog has at least one of the following symptoms in addition to changes in urine color, you will need to consult a veterinarian:
- incontinence. If a dog, which previously could tolerate until the next walk, begins to make puddles in the apartment, this should alert you and be a reason to visit the veterinarian;
- rapid breathing without previous physical activity;
- bloody issues. They can be observed at the beginning of urination or at the very end, be in the form of dark clots or dissolved in the urine. All this should be paid attention to and voiced at the doctor’s appointment;
- vomiting for no apparent reason. If there has been no evidence of poisoning, but the dog begins to vomit for no apparent reason, you should also pay attention to this;
- increased anxiety and lethargy;
- abdominal pain and excessive salivation.
Incontinence in a dog
Other color options
Red or pink urine is often caused by a urinary tract infection. But things are not always so bad. Hematuria is very typical for the postoperative period, and this is not considered a pathology. Of course, only in cases where the red color is observed for only a couple of days. If your urine turns dark red, you should call your veterinarian immediately, as such changes are highly likely to indicate serious internal bleeding.
In addition, red urine may be due to injury. For example, if your dog had a serious fall or was hit by a bicycle, his kidneys could be damaged. In most cases, this is relatively “normal”, but if the bleeding continues for several days, the intensity of the red color increases and the dog becomes lethargic, this is a serious reason to contact the veterinarian.
When to contact a veterinarian
If the urine has changed its normal color for several days, and there are other accompanying symptoms, the animal owner should contact a veterinarian. To speed up diagnosis and obtain the most accurate result, you need to pay attention and provide the following data:
- urination pattern. The owner should be alerted if, when the dog sits down to the toilet, it begins to whine or squeal. Perhaps she spends a long time preparing for this process and cannot choose the right place the first time. You should tell your veterinarian about all these changes;
- volume of urine. A change in the volume of escaping fluid, both upward and downward, should also alert you. This symptom indicates health problems and improper functioning of the genitourinary system;
- smell. At the appointment, it is important to know what smell your pet’s urine has. If inflammatory processes occur in the dog’s body, the excreted fluid will have a putrid odor. An ammonia aroma will indicate kidney failure, and the smell of acetone will indicate diabetes;
- character of the jet. Normally, when emptying the bladder, the stream is full. If it becomes too thin or intermittent, this indicates problems with its output. Most often, this symptom is observed in the presence of stones or prostate disease. It is also worth paying attention if, instead of fully urinating, the animal squeezes out a small amount of liquid. The norm is the situation if the male dog has not been neutered and thus he marks his territory. In other cases, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
Dog at the veterinarian's appointment
Note! After the symptoms have been announced, in order to accurately determine the problem, you may need to do an x-ray or ultrasound. For such procedures, it is good when the bladder is full, so you should not walk your pet before visiting the doctor. Often, a specialist recommends doing a blood and urine test to evaluate the functioning of the internal organs.
Darkening of an animal's urine may indicate the presence of health problems, so do not neglect this symptom. If the urine color does not correspond to normal for several days and accompanying symptoms appear, you should contact your veterinarian. Timely treatment will keep your pet healthy and alive.
What else should you pay attention to?
In order for a doctor to quickly determine the cause of a change in the color of a dog’s urine, the owner needs to pay attention to a number of additional symptoms. With their help, you can put together a holistic picture of the disease. This will help the doctor make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Pattern of urination
The veterinarian will infer the urination pattern from the owner's report, so it is important to know what to look for. Firstly, this is the frequency of the process. Secondly, you should observe: the animal has frequent urinary discharge or incontinence. These are completely different symptoms. Thirdly, a decrease or absence of urine should be distinguished from difficult, frequent and painful urination.
Amount of urine and thickness of stream
In a healthy state, the stream of urine when emptying should be full and continuous. If it is interrupted or very thin, this may indicate that there are some kind of obstructions. They may be stones in the ureter or the cause is prostate disease. A dog voiding a few drops may indicate the cables' natural desire to mark territory or may be a serious symptom of bladder inflammation. Problems with urine output may occur in animals with spinal injuries or cancer.
Did you know? Cats, horses, dogs, dolphins, whales and bats can detect ultrasonic whistles. It is inaccessible to the human ear.
Frequent urination can be caused by diseases such as cystitis, vaginitis, neurological abnormalities, prostatitis, etc. The amount of urine is often related to the volume of fluid consumed. If a dog drinks a lot and pees frequently, this may be a symptom of purulent inflammation of the uterus, diabetes mellitus, or kidney failure. Insufficient fluid intake and decreased urination can be observed with diseases that provoke an increase in body temperature, with vomiting and diarrhea. Complete cessation of urination is observed in kidney disease.
Smell
The smell of urine may change depending on your pet's illness. You should pay attention to this. The inflammatory process in the genitourinary system can give the discharge a pungent putrid odor. In acute renal failure, an ammonia stench appears. In case of diabetes mellitus and inflammation of the pancreas, urine smells like acetone. Foul smelling urine can be caused by bacteria due to a blockage in the urinary tract.
Is there incontinence and blood in the urine?
Urinary incontinence is a serious symptom that your doctor should be aware of. If there is blood in the urine, then you should pay attention to what period of urination this occurs, what type of discharge this is (scarlet, clotted, etc.).
Urinary incontinence can be caused by a number of reasons:
- Cystitis - occurs when an infection enters the genitourinary system or as a result of hypothermia. The disease may be accompanied by severe pain and blood in the urine.
- Damage to the spine by mechanical or degenerative means.
- Polydipsia is a syndrome that can be caused by many diseases. The dog is thirsty, drinks a lot of water and, as a result, cannot control its outflow. Such symptoms are observed in diabetes, kidney failure and genitourinary tract infections.
- Fright. You should monitor the dog's mental state.
- Physiological disorders of the ureter of a congenital nature. Correction of this problem involves surgery.
- Weakening of the sphincter. The muscles of the urethra can weaken due to hormonal disorders that occur after sterilization and castration, improper use of hormonal and sedative-type drugs, as a result of the dog's advanced age or excess weight.
Did you know? Short-term memory in dogs ranges from 20 seconds to 5 minutes, and in cats
—
until 16 o'clock.
Time of onset of symptoms
The doctor should know when signs of the disease began to appear, what, in your opinion, could have triggered their occurrence (trauma, taking medications, performing procedures). This information will help you more accurately prescribe the necessary additional examinations and correctly establish the diagnosis.
