Chemical properties of urine Flashcards
What two things are critical to keep in mind while running the dipstick?
Time and Temperature
What does pH measure?
H+ ion concentration
What species are often alkaline?
Herbivores
What species are often acidic?
Carnivores
What species can be alkaline and acidic?
Omnivores
What happens to the pH when a sample is left out?
Loss of CO2 and urease increase bacteria production which increases pH
What can pH also cause the formation of?
Certain types of crystals
Fever, acidosis, starvation, excessive muscular activity, high protein diet, and drugs cause what?
Acidic urine
Alkalosis, drugs, high fiber diet, urine retention, UTI causes what?
Alkaline urine
Does normal urine contain protein?
No, but can have trace amounts
What is proteinuria and what does it indicate?
Protein in the urine and indicates renal disease
Collection trauma, cancer, congestive heart failure, muscle exertion, convulsions, and parturition are all other causes of what?
Proteinuria
What tests can be run to detect protein in the urine?
Reagent strips
Sulfosalicylic Acid
Urine protein/creatine ratio
What does the Sulfosalicylic Acid test determine?
Determines urine protein levels by acid precipitation
Measures both albumin and globulins
Measures Bence Jones proteins
What are Bence Jones proteins?
Light chain proteins that pass through the glomerulus
What test can detect protein in very dilute urine?
Urine protein/creatine Ratio
What does the urine protein/creatine ratio measure?
It compares the protein levels to creatine levels
It divides protein concentration by the creatine concentration
Is a trace amount of protein in a dilute sample clinically significant?
Yes. It may indicate chronic renal failure
Glucosuria or glycosuria
Glucose in the urine
Where is glucose filtered through and where it is reabsorbed?
The glomerulus and the kidney tubules
What causes glucosuria?
Diabetes mellitus, the stress in cats, renal glucosuria
What are toxic and produce acetoacetic acid?
Ketones
What does ketones cause?
CNS depression, and acidosis
Diabetes mellitus
What can occur after fat is metabolized by the body for energy?
Ketoneuria
What kind of bilirubin is found in urine?
Only conjugated bilirubin because it is water-soluble
What causes bilirubin in the urine?
Bile duct obstruction, hemolytic anemia, liver disease
What species is bilirubin in the urine not usually found in?
Cats, pigs, sheep, horses
What tests for bilirubinuria?
Ictotest
Is urobilinogen considered normal in a urine sample?
Yes.
Hematuria
Intact red blood cells in urine
Red to wine color
What is hematuria usually a sign of?
A disease-causing bleeding somewhere in the urogenital tract
Hemoglobinuria
Free hemoglobin in urine
Red to brown
What is indicative of hemoglobinuria?
A red color to the supernatant after centrifugation
The strip is positive for blood but there are no red blood cells present
What is usually a result of intravascular hemolysis, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, incompatible blood transfusions, leptospirosis, babesiosis, heavy metal poisoning, and poisonous plants?
Hemoglobinuria
Myoglobinuria
Myoglobin in urine
Brown to black
What causes myoglobin to leak into the blow, pass through the glomeruli, and be excreted in the urine?
Severe muscle damage
What two hormones impact urine volume?
Antidiuretic hormone and Aldosterone
