TL;DR: Blood in a dog's urine (hematuria) requires a veterinary appointment within 24 hours, but it becomes a life-threatening emergency if your dog is straining and unable to urinate. Taking a photo of the urine can help your vet determine the underlying cause and urgency of care.
What is hematuria and what does it look like in my dog?
Seeing blood in your dog's urine, medically referred to as hematuria, can be a frightening discovery for any pet owner. It typically manifests as a pinkish tint, dark red discoloration, or even visible blood clots within the urine stream. This symptom indicates that there is bleeding occurring somewhere within the urinary tract, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra.
Is blood in my dog's urine a medical emergency?
- Immediate Emergency: Seek emergency care immediately if your dog is straining and unable to produce any urine, as this could indicate a life-threatening blockage.
- Urgent Care: If your dog is otherwise acting normal but has blood in their urine, you should schedule a veterinary appointment within 24 hours.
- Common Causes: The urgency level is generally categorized as Medium, as it is often caused by manageable issues like urinary tract infections or bladder stones.
How can taking a photo of my dog's urine help with triage?
- Taking a clear photo of the urine on a light-colored surface or in the snow provides an invaluable tool for your veterinarian.
- Documentation helps the clinical team see the exact color and concentration of the blood.
- Visuals can confirm whether the blood appears at the beginning, middle, or end of the urine stream.
- This evidence allows for a more accurate assessment and helps determine how quickly your pet needs to be seen.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
In dogs, hematuria, dysuria, stranguria, and pollakiuria are common clinical signs of lower urinary tract disease. Hematuria can be associated with bladder or urethral neoplasms, which may also cause intractable secondary bacterial urinary tract infections. Ureteral and bladder neoplasms can cause chronic obstruction to urine flow with secondary hydronephrosis, while urethral tumors are more likely to cause acute obstructive uropathy. Animals with ureteral obstruction and unilateral hydronephrosis may show signs of abdominal pain and have a palpable, enlarged kidney. Signs of uremia may be apparent in animals with bilateral ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis or with urethral obstruction. Diagnostic evaluation of hematuria should include urinalysis, and may require additional tests such as complete blood count, blood gas analysis, blood pressure measurement, urine protein:creatinine ratio, iohexol clearance test, abdominal radiography and ultrasonography, contrast studies of the urinary tract, cystoscopic examination of the urinary bladder, and renal biopsy.
Chapter: Urology
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1494)