Collecting Urine From Your Cat
For indoor cats either replace litter in the tray with non-absorbent kitty litter , cut up straws or a plastic bag cut into strips. Some cats will urinate with no kitty litter in their litter tray at all. Other cats will allow you to collect their urine by placing the lid of the yellow lidded urine collection jar under them when they are urinating.;
When your cat has urinated, tip his/her urine into a clean screw top jar trying not to spill too much litter into the jar. It is best to do this outside or over the laundry sink, as it can be a messy job. Your vet clinic may also be able to provide you with a syringe to draw the urine up so there is little waste.
For outside cats or those not too keen on the above collection method, keep your cat in a confined area such as the bathroom or laundry. Leave them there for a few hours and bring them to the clinic in a cage. A vet or nurse can usually express urine from your cat as long as his/her bladder is full. Sometimes a short stay in hospital is required to allow the bladder to fill up.
What Is Urine Ph And Why Is It Measured
Urine pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline the urine is. The pH can change with diet, but can also signal the presence of infection or metabolic disease. Normal urine in cats and dogs ranges from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Extremes in urine pH beyond this range are more likely to be associated with disease.
How To Collect One Sample In A Two Cat Home
Collecting urine when there is more than one cat in the household can require ingenuity. ;After all without watching closely, how do you know whos pee it is?
This can be particularly difficult if you are looking for a spraying cat or one cat peeing on the carpet. ;Sniffing doesnt work as too much of it will shut your nose down.
Using a black light
The original recommendations were to feed the cat Fluorescein . The idea was that it made the urine fluoresce which it does.
However, ALL urine fluoresces at different times hence the use of ;black lights to find that elusive pee spot around the house! ;
So this is not really reliable, as you want to collect a sample rather than just clean a mess.
How to be sure
Really, you need to be sure you have the right cat and the right sample so here are my sure fire methods for successfully collecting cat urine when there is more than one suspect or, one isnt using the tray.
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How To Get A Urine Sample From Your Pet
For October and November we are focusing on endocrine diseases. These diseases are caused by the body producing too much or too little of a certain hormone and are found in humans as well as animals and have many signs in common.;
Common hormonal diseases seen in cats are hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus . They are mainly seen in older cats.
Common symptoms of these diseases are weight loss, increased appetite, thirst and urination.
Common hormonal diseases seen in dogs are;Cushing’s disease , diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism . There are other conditions too but they are far less common. Again in these diseases we may see increased appetite, increased thirst and urination. We may see weight changes and changes in hair coat.;
All these diseases are diagnosed by using a combination of blood tests and urine samples along with the clinical signs that the animal is displaying. It is therefore important for us to be able to examine a urine sample. Here is some advice on how to collect a urine sample from your animal at home.;
Dogs
Sample pots can be obtained from all branches of Larkmead Vets and there are special collection kits especially designed for bitches which will make urine collection easier. Alternatively it may be easier to slide a small flat tray or Tupperware container under to collect the urine. Please make sure it is cleaned well and rinsed with hot water before collection as any residues may give false readings.;
Cats
Why Might We Ask For A Urine Sample
There are many things that we can learn from testing your pets urine.; By looking at the concentration of the urine we can assess the function of the kidneys. By looking for protein or blood in the urine we may suspect signs of cystitis or inflammation of the bladder. By looking for glucose and ketones in the urine we can assess if your pet may have diabetes.
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How Does A Vet Get Urine From A Cat
urinecatsurineurine
. Similarly, it is asked, is Cystocentesis painful for cats?
Cystocentesis is a common medical procedure performed in veterinary hospitals to obtain urine samples for evaluation. Cystocentesis can be a stressful procedure for cats as it may involve restraint in lateral or dorsal recumbency. The procedure may also be transiently painful.
Furthermore, how does vet check for UTI in cats? To diagnose a UTI, your veterinarian should collect a sterile urine sample from your pet. The best method to collect urine is by a technique called cystocentesis, during which a needle is inserted through the body wall into the bladder and urine is removed by a syringe.
Secondly, how do you collect a urine sample from a cat?
Once your cat has urinated on the non-absorbent litter, her wee should gather at the bottom of the tray. Then, using a clean syringe, collect a sample and place in a clean, sealable pot supplied by your vet or provided as part of the urine sample kit.
What does a cat urine test show?
Normal urine should be yellow and clear. Urine Specific Gravity : This is a measure of the concentration of your cat’s urine. Urine passed through the kidneys with no change in concentration has a specific gravity of 1.008 to 1.012. This may result from diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, and many others.
Make Getting Pee And Poop Samples Stress
Elated and relieved people all over proclaim Good potty! and Good pee! when their dogs perform these necessities during leashed walks. But when is the last time you really looked at your dogs poop?
And how much attention do you really pay to the clumps you scoop each day from your cats litter box?
One of the best ways to be your pets best health ally is to know what bathroom behaviors and deposits are normal. Thats because they provide critical clues to your pets overall physical and emotional health.
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How To Make A Cat Pee
Unfortunately, cats generally donât pee on command. They prefer to use the bathroom in private and will often hold their urine for a long time. Some pet owners have success with following their cat to the litterbox and holding a small, clean container between their legs to catch the urine stream. This may be easier to do with indoor cats who urinate outside the litterbox because the shape of many litterboxes makes it hard to avoid disturbing the cat . If the kitty has a favorite bathroom rug he likes to pee on, following him to the bathroom, patiently waiting for him to pee, then catchi the urine as he goes on the rug may work fairly well. Because cats stand pretty low to the ground, it may be easier to use a shallow container to avoid disturbing the cat while he is peeing.
Another option is to use a very clean litterbox with no litter in it. Put the box in the usual litterbox spot and wait. If the cat objects to peeing in an empty litterbox, tearing a few small strips of clean paper or using a very small amount of clean litter can be effective. Nonabsorbent cat litter could also be used in some situations. Make sure this is okay with the veterinarian first- you donât want to put you and your cat through all this trouble if the sample needs to be cleaner than that.
What Do Changes In Color And Turbidity Mean
Normal urine is pale yellow to light amber and is generally clear to slightly cloudy. Urine that is dark yellow usually suggests the pet needs a drink of water or may be dehydrated. Urine that is very pale yellow or clear suggests the pet is drinking a lot of water and urinating frequently; this may signal underlying kidney disease, or a disorder that interferes with the pets ability to pass concentrated urine. Urine that is any color other than yellow may contain substances not normally found in healthy urine and may reflect injury or;underlying disease.
Increased turbidity or cloudiness indicates that there are cells or other solid materials in the urine. Examination of the sediment will determine what is present and whether it is significant. Increased turbidity is typically associated with the presence of blood, inflammatory cells, crystals, mucus, or debris.
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All Total And Basic Health Assessments For Cats And Dogs2 Desert Dog Test Panels3 If Your Ordered Any Add
If you ordered an in-home visit that includes a Total or Basic Health Assessment for Dogs or Cats, or Desert Dog Panel,;we will be performing a complete fecal analysis on those pets. You can speed up your appointment time by obtaining a fresh stool sample from the morning of our visit. If you ordered any add-on fecal test for your pet, try to obtain a fresh stool sample the morning of your appointment.
Collecting A Cats Urine
The easiest method that we can recommend is to collect your feline friends urine right from the litter box. As you probably know, many cats will refuse to go if they dont have access to a litter box, no matter how full their bladder might be. Moreover, its unhealthy to restrain from peeing.
The most difficult task of the process is actually getting your cat to drink water. If your pet doesnt usually drink water , you can simply feed her cat food pouches instead of dry food, at least for a couple of days until she gets used to the program.
Collecting the urine right from your own cats litter box is the best idea, even though you might think that its size can make it difficult for you to tend to the task. The fact is that your cats litter box is already marked with her smell, so she isnt going to feel uncomfortable when using it. Shell just go about her business as usual.
The next issue is whether you should use litter or not. Ideally, you should not use any litter, not that the urine could get contaminated from it, but that most varieties are absorbent, so you arent going to have enough pee to collect. However, many cats dont want to tend to their business if they have no litter whatsoever in their boxes, so you might still have to add a very small amount.
What to use
Dont wait too long
If you really cant bring it to the clinic in less than an hour, you should refrigerate it or keep it in a cool place .
Another method
Why is a urine sample necessary?
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How To Get A Urine Sample From A Crafty Cat
Right before we moved, Kieran, my Turkish Van, got a urinary blockage for the first time since Ive had him. I had to rush him to a vet that I didnt normally use, just because I wanted to get it treated fast. The veterinary office catheterized Kieran and kept him overnight, but the normally quiet Kieran threw a tantrum and tried to escape his cage. He was very stressed when I picked him up the next day, and I, of course, wanted to prevent anything additional happening that might harm Kieran. This vet did say that Kieran had an exceptionally narrow urethra.
I consulted with my regular vet and followed up. They were able to check his urine , and they advised me to follow up with another urine sample in a month or so, to make sure things were still okay.
Kieran pretends he is an egg.
Then, we moved, and life got a bit chaotic for many months as we settled into the new place. I admit that I got lax about following up with that second urine sample. I went through a period of having to look for a new veterinarian. When I found a practice that seemed really promising, I scheduled the urinalysis, along with everybodys annual wellness exams.
Did I get lucky? Did Kieran actually have some urine in his bladder when I took him in for his wellness exam? Nope. So, I was told to try to get a sample from home, and bring it back.
That quiet face hides a stubborn and determined personality!
Here are three techniques, which Ive used in the past:
How Much Urine Is Needed
Basic urinalysis can be performed on as little as two mLs of urine . That will allow a dipstick reading for blood, pH, protein, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, plus a urine concentration. The cost of this test is listed here.
We prefer you to collect as much as you can to allow for repeat testing, or to submit it to a laboratory.
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Why Does My Vet Want A Urine Sample From My Cat
Chances are that the last time you went to your physician for a physical examination, your health care provider handed you a sample cup and pointed to the restroom so you could pee in the cup. This procedure has become so normal that we probably prepare by not urinating in anticipation. That is because analyzing a urine sample is a relatively quick and easy way to get a lot of valuable information.
Your veterinarian likely recommends running a urinalysis, not only on your cat when she is sick, but also sometimes when she seems perfectly healthy. In fact, years ago my friend, Dr. Carl Osborne, a veterinarian renowned for his interest in urinary disorders, told me that, as far as he was concerned, no physical examination was complete without a urinalysis.
What can a urinalysis tell your veterinarian about your cat?Your veterinarian will look at the following aspects of the urine sample:
In order to collect a clean urine specimen directly from the bladder, it is best to use a technique called cystocentesis which refers to inserting a small needle through the skin directly into the bladder and removing a specimen in much the same way that a blood sample is obtained. The procedure is very quick, safe and relatively painless. When you consider how much valuable information can be found in a wee bit of pee, its well worth the effort.
What If I Cannot Get A Sample At Home
If you cannot get a urine sample from your cat at home then they can come in to stay with us for the day. That way we can get a urine sample from them. This will either be by using the technique above or by taking a sample directly from the bladder.
If you have any further questions then please contact us on 01702 545558.
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Should I Refrigerate The Urine
Refrigeration is not advised or necessary for samples kept at room temperature and submitted on the same day they are collected. Like prolonged storage, it causes crystals to form. This can be important if we are looking for the cause of bladder stones in dogs or urinary obstruction in cats.
For other reasons, refrigeration is less of a concern and it will slow down bacterial overgrowth of the sample.
When To Opt For A Clinic Sample
If your pet prefers privacy when urinating and wont cooperate, or if your veterinarian needs a sterile sample, its best to take your pet to the clinic. At-home samples arent sterile, because the urine can be contaminated with bacteria as it travels through the urethra and the genital area. Collection cups often have bacteria as well.
If your veterinarian suspects a kidney infection or urinary tract infection, she may want to culture the urine to identify the bacteria involved and the most effective antibiotic to use. In these cases, its better to get a sample directly from the bladder via cystocentesis, a relatively painless procedure than involves inserting a needle through the abdominal wall into the bladder. Less commonly, your veterinarian may get a sample by threading a catheter up your pets urethra into the bladder.
The urine sample can help your veterinarian diagnose your pets problem and get him on the road to recovery.
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How Does The Vet Get A Urine Sample
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Originally Posted by mschauerMy gang are all young and the vet has never had to take a urine sample. The day will come I’m sure when it will be needed. How do they get a sample????
Originally Posted by mschauerIs the needle in the bladder painful???Coco is so terrified of the trip to the vet that she always empties her bladder long before we even get there. What would be done for her? I’m working on desensitizes her to the carrier and being in a car but haven’t made much progress yet.