Urinalysis is a crucial lab test that we can run right here in-clinic. We can rule out urinary tract diseases, such as bladder infections and stones. It is also helpful when assessing kidney function and diagnosing diabetes. Fecal testing checks for intestinal parasites, and other organisms which can be harmful to your dog, and also transferred to you.
What is a urinalysis and how do I collect urine from my dog?
A urinalysis is performed in a clinic to check for abnormalities such as blood, bacteria or stones. A urine sample must be fresh, collected within 60 minutes of running it to ensure accurate test results. A urine sample can be collected in 2 ways: “free catch” meaning just that, you collect pee in a container as your pet squats or lifts their leg or by cystocentesis, which is when a sample of urine is taken directly from the bladder with a sterile needle. This procedure sometimes requires sedation.
If my dog’s urine test reveals a urinary tract infection, what happens now?
When an infection is present we recommend antibiotic therapy. Ensuring that you give the medications according to directions, monitor any changes and improvement of symptoms and to have a recheck urinalysis BEFORE finishing the antibiotics.
Why are canine fecal examinations recommended?
Fecals allow us to check for intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidia and giardia. These can be very harmful to your pet and cause issues such as diarrhea – which is not fun for anyone. Many can affect humans as well. We recommended fecals on all new puppies as interstitial parasites are common. We also recommend yearly fecals on dogs who spend time at doggy day care, dog parks, etc.
