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  • The Importance Of Wee!

Did you know your pet’s urine contains information which can help your vet with early detection of disease? Twice yearly wellness examinations with your vet are key to preventing serious disease and urine testing can help.

Because of this we now include a urine test for pets who are members of our Pet Healthcare Plan. At your pet’s six monthly health check (included in your plan) we will request that you bring a sample of urine for us to test.

The information that this ‘dipstick’ test will give us is the:

  • pH of your pet’s urine
  • concentration of the urine
  • protein content
  • presence of sugar or ketones
  • presence of blood or bilirubin

These individually or combined can be indications of:

  • diabetes
  • kidney disease
  • urinary tract infections
  • incontinence
  • liver disease

Depending on these results a further microscopic examination of the urine may be required which your vet will discuss with you.

It is important that the urine is collected in a container that is spotlessly clean as any residue can interfere with the test results. For example residue of jam in a jam-jar would mean your pet’s urine would test positively for sugar which would be incorrect.

We would advise that you obtain a collection pot from us to collect the sample in for testing.

For Dogs

While you are taking your dog out for a toilet break, slide your uncontaminated collection pot under their stream of urine. A saucer can be ideal for sliding under female dogs when they squat. This should ideally be done just prior to your dog’s appointment with us so the sample is as fresh as possible. If this isn’t convenient please refrigerate the sample until your appointment.

For Cats

The easiest way to collect a urine sample from your cat is to replace their normal cat litter in their tray with a non-absorbing one. You can purchase a bag of Katkor which are small plastic beads and contain a pipette and collection tube for you to collect the sample in. Fresh samples give the most accurate results but please refrigerate overnight if required. If you have been unsuccessful obtaining a sample from your cat, if their bladder is full your vet may be able to obtain a sample in the consultation.