Urine Analysis - Pathology
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Rationale
Urine Analysis can be a quick and inexpensive method to determine abnormalities in a patient.
Techniques
Assessment
Gross Appearance
Specific Gravity
Urine Dipsticks
pH
In dogs and cats an acidc pH is normal. In the ruminants and horses the opposite is true and the urine is alkali. The pH does however vary with diet and medications as well as in pathological states so this needs to be accounted for. The normal range is 5-9
Protein
It is not common to find protein in the urine of normal animals. However it can be normal for small amounts to be found in the urine of dogs with a high specific gravity. Therefore this needs to be taken into account.
Glucose
The presence of glucose in the urine is termed glucosuria and occurs when the level of glucose reaches the renal threshold for glucose reabsorption. It is not normal to find glucose in the urine.
Ketones
It is not normal for ketones to be present in the urine and they are indicative of pathological states
Bilirubin and Urobilinogen
Small amounts of bilirubin can be found in dogs with concentrated urine therefore this needs to be interpreted in light of the urine specific gravity. However as a rule it is not normal to find bilirubin in urine.
Urobilinogen is formed from bilirubin in the intestine and small quantities are normally found in the urine.
Blood
The presence of blood in the urine is not normal and is usually related to a pathological state.
Microscopic Examination
Cellular Deposits
- Epithlial cells
- Renal
- Squamouns
- Transitional
- Leucocytes
- Red blood cells
- Intact
- Ghost
- Crenated
- Bacteria
- Other
- Fat droplets
- Yeast bodies
- Sperm
- Artefacts
Casts (Cylinduria)
- Hyaline
- Waxy
- Granular
- Cellular
- Fatty
- Haemoglobin
- Myoglobin
- Artefacts
- mucus threads
Crystalline and Amorphous Deposits
- Calcium carbonate
- Struvite
Calcium Oxalate
- Dihydrate
- Monohydrate
- Amorphous phosphate
- Leucine
- Tyrosine
- Cystine
- Amorphous urates
- Uric acid
- Sodium urate
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Ammonium Biurate