Urine can provide your veterinarian with a lot of information about your pet’s health. In some cases, it can be relatively easy to get a sample for your veterinarian.

A urinalysis is part of a minimum database that veterinarians recommend evaluating, diagnosing, and monitoring your pet’s health. Understanding the information a urinalysis can provide (and why your veterinarian may recommend one) is an important part of caring for your dog or cat.

What Is a Urinalysis?

A urinalysis is a routine test that analyzes the physical and chemical properties of urine. Routine urinalyses allow your veterinarian to diagnose and monitor many conditions. Some of them can be painful, costly, and potentially life-threatening diseases early.

How Is Urine Collected from Pets for a Urinalysis?

There are three different methods by which a urine sample can be collected: cystocentesis, catheterization, or free-catch/voided.

Cystocentesis

During a cystocentesis, urine is collected from the bladder using a sterile needle and syringe. This procedure is generally well-tolerated and safe, with adverse effects being rare. The sample is sterile, so this procedure allows for the most accurate assessment of the bladder and kidneys. The disadvantages are that it’s slightly invasive, can be difficult on uncooperative pets, and the bladder must be full to obtain a sample.

Catheterization

During catheterization, urine is collected from the bladder via a catheter. It’s less invasive than a cystocentesis and a good choice if a free-catch sample isn’t an option. The disadvantages of this method are that it can cause urethral irritation, the catheter can cause contamination, and the procedure can be challenging in female dogs (especially petite ones), and female cats.

Free Catch or Voided

For urinalysis in dogs, during normal urination, a mid-stream sample of urine is collected in a sterile container.

For cat urinalysis, you thoroughly clean the litter box, then use a non-absorbent litter (or no litter) just until they urinate. Using a sterile syringe, you can transfer the urine into a container. Then, you can go back to your usual litter box setup.

Both options are non-invasive, pose little risk to the pet, and the sample can be collected at home, which helps decrease stress associated with a hospital visit. The disadvantage of this method is possible contamination and the results will not be as accurate.

Regardless of the method, the urine needs to be fresh for diagnostic purposes. Ideally, it’s tested within 30 minutes of collection.

What Are the Components of a Urinalysis?

When a urinalysis is performed on a urine sample, different components are evaluated. They include:

Evaluation of Physical Appearance

This includes its color and cloudiness. Normal urine is a pale yellow to light amber color. A difference in color can indicate dehydration, issues concentrating urine, or that the urine contains other substances, such as blood, pointing to underlying medical issues.

Urine should be clear to slightly cloudy. If there are cells or other substances in the urine, it may appear cloudier, meaning it may contain blood, bacteria, fat, inflammatory cells, crystals, mucus, or debris.

Urine Specific Gravity (SpGr)

This is a measurement of the density or concentration of urine. It’s used to assess kidney function, the body’s ability to concentrate urine or find other underlying medical conditions. A single SpGr measurement cannot diagnose a medical condition but can help identify an issue and provide your veterinarian with important information in how to move forward.

Chemical Properties and pH

These are evaluated using a urine chemistry dipstick with multiple individual test pads on a small plastic strip. Each pad changes color when a chemical component is detected in the urine. The more chemical components are present (a positive test), the darker the color. These strips can test for protein, glucose, ketones, blood, or bilirubin. A positive test can be an indicator of underlying medical issues.

The acidity or alkalinity is measured by the urine pH. Cats naturally have slightly more acidic urine than dogs. The ideal urine pH is 7.0–7.5 in dogs and 6.3–6.6 in cats.¹ The pH can be affected by diet, infection, or metabolic diseases. The pH can be important to manage different diseases especially in cases of urinary stones and crystals.

Microscopic Evaluation

This is the last step of a routine urinalysis, evaluating the following:

• The types, numbers, and structures of the cells in the urine
• Cast (tube-shaped clusters of urinary particles)
• Crystals
• Bacteria
• Yeast
• Fat droplets

Based on the results of all the components of the urinalysis, your veterinarian may be able to make a diagnosis, or they may recommend further testing such as a urine culture and sensitivity, X-rays, or ultrasound.

Why Might Your Veterinarian Recommend a Urinalysis?

This simple test is often used as part of a screening process in healthy pets for the early detection of disease before they show any signs. Veterinarians recommend a urinalysis to assess the health of your pet’s urinary tract and kidneys as well as to identify issues with other organ systems. Some common reasons your veterinarian may recommend a urinalysis include:

• Urinary tract infections
• Urinary crystals and stones
• Diabetes
• Kidney function
• Urinary tract cancer
• Liver disease
• Intravascular hemolysis
• Hydration status

Signs your pet may exhibit that would cause your veterinarian to recommend a urinalysis include:

• Increased urination
• Increased thirst
• Bloody urine
• Abnormal urine color
• Abnormal urine odor
• Straining to urinate
• Painful urination
• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), a urinalysis is one of the diagnostic tests recommended for dogs and cats at various life stages. They recommend an initial baseline test for dogs and cats at young adult age, between one and six years old, then annually for mature adult dogs and cats between seven and 10 years old. For senior pets, AAHA strongly recommends that a urinalysis be performed every six to 12 months.^2,3