Dog urine. It's not something to which we tend to give a lot of thought. That is, of course, unless your dog is having accidents in the house.
Still, your dog's urine can provide a great deal of information on her health status, even allowing a veterinarian to catch and treat certain problems before signs of illness develop.
Urine is what leaves the body after the kidneys are finished filtering out toxins and adding water.
Urinalysis is the process of testing a urine sample to gain information about various aspects of a dog's health.
First, a urine sample is collected from the dog. This may be done by walking her and catching urine in a sterile container when she goes (free catch), using a sterile needle to collect urine directly from the bladder through the abdomen wall, or by placing a urinary catheter into the bladder and removing urine from it.
Most of the time, urine is collected from dogs through free catch.
Several tests can be done on the urine:
If your veterinarian suspects diabetes, kidney disease, bladder problems, or urinary tract infection, he or she will probably recommend a urinalysis.
It is also a good idea to check a dog's urine routinely once a year and more often as your dog ages.
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