Authored by:
Although the title “Why Pets Pee” sounds like a humorous children’s book, pet owners frequently have to deal with the unsettling truth of their furry friends’ urinating habits.
Once positive patterns have been properly established, people frequently take their pet’s routine house training routines for granted. Any change usually serves as enough of a catalyst to help people understand the complexity of urinary tract health.
Both the physiological necessity for waste elimination and the behavioral propensity to mark their territory are reasons why pets urinate. Since the internal plumbing is intricate, here is my feeble attempt at a straightforward explanation:
The kidneys, of which we are all born with two, filter the blood as it is produced in order to remove metabolic waste and regulate the body’s fluid balance. Urine is moved from the kidneys to the bladder for storage via ureters, one for each kidney. The stimulation that causes your pet to search for a suitable spot to void its bladder is the distention of the bladder to an uncomfortable threshold. The urethral sphincters open during urination, allowing urine to flow through the tube that connects the bladder to the outside environment.
The inherent impulse for animals to deposit pheromone-enhanced pee around the area they share with people and other animals is what drives the more complex marking behavior. I’m constantly amazed by my dog’s motivation to lift his leg and produce a tiny drop of urine that can only metaphorically cover another dog’s preferred location.
Since behavioral patterns are secondary to physiology in determining urine patterns, it is important to understand that irregular urination almost always has a medical explanation that warrants further investigation by your veterinarian.
Among the clinical indicators of urinary tract illness are:
- Water intake either increasing or decreasing, as well as urine frequency or volume
- urinating in unexpected places
- singing or making an effort to urinate
- Color shifts
- the existence of an unpleasant odor or its utter absence
- excessive external genital grooming
- Anorexia (decreased appetite)
- Lethargy (decreased energy or activity)
The increased water intake brought on by metabolic conditions such renal failure, diabetes, and Cushing’s disease results in higher volumes and more frequent urination. Reduced urine production results from dehydration and inadequate water intake.
Due to bladder inflammation brought on by the presence of bacteria, crystals, or calculi, your pet may urinate in an unexpected place (bouncing around like a “stone in a water balloon”). Urinary tract pain can be identified by vocalizing, straining to urinate, or excessive penis or vulva grooming.
Urine color changes are frequently concerning (particularly when light-colored garments are dirty), and they are linked to a number of serious illnesses. Red blood cells, which are frequently present with bladder irritation or malignancy, can be detected in the urine by looking for a crimson tint or blood clots. A liver or gall bladder disorder, as well as the breakdown of red blood cells in the circulatory system (as seen with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia), can cause bilirubin to leak into the kidneys, resulting in a dark yellow to green urine hue. Myoglobin is released into the blood by severely overexercised muscles, and the kidneys remove it to produce a chocolate-brown color in the urine.
While lack of smell (or color), as observed with dilute urine, is found with metabolic illnesses, foul-smelling urine can suggest a bacterial urinary tract infection (not merely “stinkle,” as is frequently seen after eating asparagus) (kidney failure, etc.).
If your pet has abnormal urination, you should seek emergency veterinary care and laboratory tests. To obtain a sterile urine sample for urinalysis, culture, antibiotic sensitivity testing, and maybe other tests, a cystocentesis (in which a needle is inserted into the bladder via the abdominal wall) should be performed. Additional useful information can be obtained by using an ultrasound to safely facilitate cystocentesis and see the bladder. Treatment options may change if calculi, crystals, or thicker bladder walls are found. Crystals resemble snowflakes floating in a snow globe.
Although painkillers, acupuncture, and activity restriction can help discomfort while tests are being run, management of your pet’s urinary tract ailment should be based on a clinical conclusion determined by diagnostic testing.
What actions can you do to maintain or enhance your pet’s urinary system? Encourage hydration is my top holistic health recommendation. A bigger amount of toxin-flushing urine will be produced if you drink more water. The chance of a urinary tract infection caused by bacteria that opportunistically climb from the perineal skin (the region between the anus and vulva/scrotum) is also decreased by increased outward directed flow.
How much water your pet needs each day will depend on its level of activity, the surroundings, its health or disease, and the type of food it consumes. In addition to offering more water and natural anti-oxidants to fight inflammation, a moist, complete, balanced, nutrient-dense whole food diet (as opposed to one based on dry kibble) also supports the maintenance of a highly functional immune system.
Finally, don’t assume that your pet has healthy urination patterns. Say “Good pee” to yourself when you urinate in the appropriate location and at the appropriate time.
What does green poop in dogs mean?
Consider your dog’s poop as a “hydration-meter,” with the hue indicating your dog’s level of hydration. In other words, the color of your dog’s poop will vary based on how much water they consume. The pee will be more crystal clean the more water it consumes.
However, consuming too much of anything is bad for everyone, including your dog.
Dog’s Pee Color Insight
Various medical issues can be connected to variations in a dog’s urine color. While some urine colors need immediate medical attention, others can be watched over by the dog’s owner.
In any event, you should be aware of the types of dog urine colors that signal a need for a vet appointment.
Following a description of each color, we’ll discuss what it might indicate about your dog’s health.
Transparent Dog Urine Color
Dogs who may have consumed too much water may produce pee that is transparent or clear. The opposite of dehydration, overhydration occurs when your dog consumes excessive amounts of water.
Fortunately, overhydration is less harmful than dehydration. The body of a dog suffers from overhydration when the urine and blood are too thin.
Water can affect the stability and distribution of electrolytes and other chemical components by thinning the blood’s consistency. This may result in a chemical imbalance and blood pressure issues.
Red blood cells can also get dehydrated. Higher blood volume may result from this, which may eventually cause renal issues.
Overhydration can, in the worst instance, result in tissue edema, diarrhea, seizures, vomiting, and coma.
Bright Yellow And Light Yellow Dog Urine Color
In dogs, a pale to light yellow urine color is typical. A dog that is this shade of yellow is properly hydrated—not too much or too little.
The colours of normal dog pee might differ based on nutrition, water intake, and exercise. It’s crucial to be aware that a dog typically changes the color of their poop throughout the day.
Additionally, it might shift if certain food items are present that tend to influence the color of urine. Beets, brussel sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and other such foods are examples.
Having said that, you should be careful about what you give your dog. Certain human foods should be avoided because they can be quite hazardous to our beloved furballs.
Dark Yellow Dog Urine Color
Recall the hydration gauge? Dehydration is typically to blame when urine changes from its normal light yellow tint to a dark yellow color. This indicates that your dog probably hasn’t been getting enough water during the day. You shouldn’t worry too much if you’ve noticed that your dog’s urine has gone dark yellow but then returned to normal the next time it urinated.
Dehydration can occur briefly. However, it might also represent a very serious medical issue. Sometimes the only audible clinical symptom of a dangerous illness is dehydration.
Therefore, it’s recommended to have your dog examined if you observe that it’s dehydrated despite drinking water frequently.
Urine that is dark yellow occasionally has a pungent smell after it. The liver produces the chemical molecule urea, which is responsible for its odor. In the worst case scenario, liver and renal disorders may be associated with dark yellow dog poop.
Orange Dog Urine Color
Urine’s orange hue can range from a rich orange to a dark yellow tone. So what creates the orange hue of dog urine?
As much as I hate to admit it, dogs who have orange urine tend to have certain health issues. Orange urine, in contrast to the other hues we’ve discussed, typically calls for a vet visit.
Dogs with chronic liver illnesses, as well as those with pancreatic and gallbladder issues, frequently have orange urine.
Dogs with orange urine are known to have jaundice, yet it can also indicate severe dehydration.
Red Or Pink Dog Urine Color
Red pee’s official medical name is “Literally translated as “blood in the urine,” hematuria. So, if you see that your dog has urinated, should you be concerned?
So, we firmly encourage you to get your dog to a veterinarian right now. A clinical symptom of an acute urinary tract infection in your dog is crimson feces.
Babesiosis in dogs can also cause red urine to appear. This severe medical condition is referred to as “Tick bites are the cause of red water. I must emphasize how serious this health issue is life-threatening. For babesiosis, prompt veterinarian care is necessary.
Red urine in dogs may also be a symptom of long-term illnesses such tumors, kidney disease, and liver disease.
Green Dog Urine Color
Chronic liver and gallbladder conditions, acute urinary tract infections, and other conditions might cause your dog’s urine to become green. Hemolytic anemia is most likely the cause of green urine. This medical problem affects dogs pretty frequently. Red blood cells are destroyed in hemolytic anemia. A greenish pigment is created during hemolysis, the breakdown of red blood cells, and it later gives your dog’s poop its color.
But a dog’s diet can cause green pee to develop. Green dog poop can occasionally be attributed to a diet higher in plants. So your dog might urinate green when eating green foods like broccoli, brussel sprouts, artichokes, and asparagus.
However, the presence of green urine should prompt you to take your dog to the veterinarian because it may indicate a health issue.
Brown Or Black Dog Urine Color
In all seriousness, you should take your dog to the veterinarian right away if you see that it is urinating in black or brown liquid.
Brown urine is a result of red blood cell destruction in dogs. Hemoglobin is a substance that red blood cells release when they are injured. Brown in hue, hemoglobin plays a crucial role in the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
In other words, your dog’s urine turns brown or, in some situations, black when there is blood in the urinary system.
Brown urine is frequently an indication of acute, significant diseases such poisonings, organ damage, severe dehydration, muscle injury, and urinary tract infections.
The production of myoglobin, which can give your dog’s poop a dark red or dark brown hue, occurs with all types of muscle damage.
When your dog has had kidney stones, recurrent kidney infections, tumors, or gallbladder infections, for instance, brown poop may be an indication of a past chronic medical problem.
These illnesses harm the urinary system and result in bleeding. During an illness, blood can build up in the urinary system and then be discharged when you get better.
The meaning of green urine
There is typically no cause for concern when medicine is the source of green pee. When you stop taking the drug or within a few hours, the color should go away.
Only two significant causes of green poop exist, and both are quite uncommon.
Even though they are extremely rare, Pseudomonas aeruginosa UTIs can have a bluish-green tint. This occurs as a result of the bacteria’s production of the blue pigment pyocyanin.
Jaundice is another important factor in green pee. This illness may develop if you have severe liver, pancreatic, or gallbladder issues. A accumulation of bile (bilirubin) in the blood results in jaundice, which is characterized by a yellowing and occasionally greenish coloring of the skin, eyes, and urine.
What canine kidney failure symptoms can you look for?
The disease known as renal failure, sometimes known as kidney failure, can be brought on by a variety of illnesses that affect the kidneys and other organs. The kidneys of a healthy dog function to get rid of pollutants, control hydration, keep an appropriate electrolyte balance, and release hormones to make red blood cells. The kidneys are no longer functioning as effectively as they should in dogs that have renal failure.
Types of Kidney Failure in Dogs
Acute and chronic renal failure are the two main types encountered in canines.
- Chronic Renal Failure: The progressive loss of kidney function over weeks, months, or years is the hallmark of chronic kidney failure. Degeneration of the kidneys brought on by aging is often the cause of chronic renal failure in dogs. Although most dogs with chronic renal failure are unable to fully recover, this condition is frequently successfully treated, allowing them to live happily for several months or years.
- Acute Renal Failure – Over a period of hours or days, kidney function abruptly declines, indicating acute kidney failure. The most common causes of this kind of renal failure are infections or toxin exposure. Acute renal failure is frequently curable if detected and treated in a timely manner.
Causes of Kidney Failure in Dogs
Renal failure may result from any disorder that affects the kidneys, including:
- Congenital diseases include underlying illnesses, inherited problems, and birth defects such cysts and kidney absence in one or both kidneys.
- Bacterial illnesses – Leptospirosis is one bacterial infection that can affect your dog’s body, inflaming the kidneys and killing off the renal cells.
- Toxicosis: When toxins or poisons are accidentally consumed by your dog, it might result in kidney damage.
- Dental disease – If bacteria accumulates on your dog’s teeth and gums, it may result in an advanced form of the condition. The kidneys, heart, and liver of your dog could suffer damage if that bacteria were to enter its bloodstream and internal organs.
- Cells degrade and die as your dog ages, a condition known as geriatric degeneration. This occurs throughout the body, especially in the kidneys where it may cause renal failure and illness.
Symptoms of Kidney Failure in Dogs
You may observe one or more of the following symptoms if your dog has kidney failure:
- Loss of weight
- nausea and diarrhoea
- White gums
- instability or stumbling
- chemical odor in the air
- significant appetite loss
- Significant changes in water use
- Urine volume changes, either rising or falling
- oral sores
- urethral blood
- Lethargy
- Seizures
Get your dog to the vet as soon as possible if he is exhibiting symptoms of kidney failure. It is crucial to receive an accurate diagnosis and start therapy as soon as feasible in order to produce positive treatment outcomes.
Treatment for Kidney Failure in Dogs
Treatment will depend on your dog’s overall health and the underlying cause of their kidney issues, as it does with many other disorders.
If your pet has severe renal failure, immediate and intensive care will be needed, frequently in the intensive care unit at your veterinary clinic. However, if detected early, milder forms of acute renal failure may be treated at home with fluids, antibiotics, and medicines. In some circumstances, treating canine acute renal failure with dialysis may be advised.
The main goals of chronic renal failure treatment will be to delay the disease’s progression and enhance your dog’s quality of life. Treatment options for chronic kidney disease symptoms include nausea, fluid imbalances, and changes in blood pressure may include drugs as well as dietary adjustments for your dog.
Many dogs who receive treatment for chronic renal failure go on to live long, happy lives. Specific nutrients, nutritional supplements, or a therapeutic diet may be advised to assist manage your dog’s illness and enhance your dog’s quality of life.
Preventing Kidney Failure in Dogs
When dogs eat chemicals, tainted foods, or stuff they shouldn’t eat, like grapes or chocolate, they frequently develop acute renal failure. Pay close attention to the items in your home that could poison your dog to help prevent the development of acute renal failure in dogs. Keep poisonous items like antifreeze, prescription drugs for humans, and potentially hazardous foods well away from your dog.
Chronic kidney failure typically develops with age and is genetically predisposed, making prevention much more challenging. To counter this, routine wellness examinations twice a year at your primary care veterinarian’s clinic will assist to improve the likelihood of identifying symptoms quickly so that treatment may start before the issue gets worse.
Please take note that the information in this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice for animals. Please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a precise diagnosis of your pet’s illness.
Happy Tails from Clients
Just wanted to give the Rossmoyne crew a shout-out and a heartfelt thank you. My puppy need stitches after being mauled by another dog. She may be very aggressive and is terrible at the vet. The Rossmoyne team was incredibly accommodating and patient with her requirements! While the initial visit was fairly priced, they did her second visit for practically nothing and her removal for free. As a result, we had to make two extra visits for removal of staples and stitches. I have nothing but praise for the physicians and technicians since they were very kind!
