Chemistries

Question 1

Specific

Gravity

Answer 1

Normal Values

Dog: 1.001-1.060

Cats: 1.001-1.080

• Uses refractometer
• Reagent strips can be used, but are least reliable
• Depends on eating and drinking habits

Question 2

pH

Answer 2

Normal Values

Dog and cat: 6-7

• Measures degree of acidity or alkalinity
• Reagent strips are used
• Alkaline - plant diets
• Acidic - high protein diets

Question 3

Protein

Answer 3

• Usually absent or traces found when obtained with cystocentesis or catheterization
• Tested with reagent strips
• If found, can detect and diagnose renal failure
• May also signify a LUTD or conditons and asymptomatic proteinuria

Question 4

Bilirubin

Answer 4

• Normal dogs occasionally have bilirubin in urine due to low renal threshold
• Not normally found in cats
• Common cause of bilirubinuria is obstruction of bile flow from live to small intestines
• Detected with Ictotest or reagent strips

Question 5

Urobilirubin

Answer 5

• In intestines, bacteria converts bilirubin to urobilirubin
• Normal in urine samples
• Use reagent strips to test for this

Question 6

Leukocytes

Answer 6

• Many false negatives occur and microscopic evaluation is necessary to confirm positive result

Question 7

Blood

Answer 7

• Use of reagent strips to detect
• Hematuria - sign of disease causing bleeding somewhere in the urogenital tract
• Moderate to large amounts of blood makes the urine a cloudy red or wine color

Question 8

Ketones

Answer 8

• When fat is used as an energy source
• The products of fat metabolism is ketones
• Conditons associated with ketones in diabetes and starvation
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