Urinalysis Flashcards
Preferred collection method for urine testing is ___
Cysto
Cysto insertion site
Female dogs and all cats:
Male dogs:
- Ventral midline, caudal to umbilicus
- Caudal to umbilicus and to the side of the sheath
Important points to know for a cysto collection: (3)
- Never redirect once inside abdomen.
- May cause trauma to bladder or other organs - Never put same needle in abdomen twice.
- There is a possibility of hitting the colon and contaminating the abdomen. - Always release negative pressure on syringe plunger before withdrawing needle from Px to prevent contamination.
How should urine samples be stored? (4)
- All samples should be labeled immediately! UA preformed ASAP.
- Ideally, analyzed within 30min-1hr to avoid artifact.
- If not immediate, refrigerate (max 6-12hrs) then bring to room temp.
- Fridge may impact the USG. Crystal artifact may form as urine cools.
Urinalysis Step 1: Physical properties (6)
- Color
- Volume
- How obtained
- Odor
- Turbidity/transparency
- Specific gravity
Colorless urine with have a ____ USG.
Dark yellow to brown generally has ____ USG.
Yellow-brown to green likely contain ____.
Red or red-brown will contain ____ or ____ in dog & cat species.
- Low
- High
- Bile
- RBC or hemoglobin
Hematuria definition
Presence of RBCs (red/red-brown urine)
T/F: Drugs are not able to alter the color of a patients urine
False! Drugs can alter the color of a Px’s urine: red, green, or blue.
What is the ideal amount of urine to collect? Why do we care about the volume of urine?
- ~10mL
- Assess kidneys or endocrine disease
T/F: Urine odor is not highly diagnostic, though helpful.
Sweet/fruity urine can indicate ketones or diabetes mellitus
True
List the four classifications of transparency in urine
- Clear
- Slightly cloudy
- Cloudy
- Turbid (flocculent)
Which should be centrifuged before running thru a chem analyzer:
Cloudy or clear
Cloudy!
Specific gravity is the…
Weight (density) compared to an equal amount of distilled water
USG tells us what about the Px?
What can affect the outcomes of the results?
- Px hydration & kidneys ability to concentrate or dilute urine.
- Time of collection, eating & drinking habits
These USG belong to what?
1.000
1.010-1.012
- Water
- Plasma
Identify the four epithelial cells.
How do they look? (A, B, C)
Indications if found? (A, B)
Originate from where? (B, C)
A. Renal: Small round cells that may indicate tubular degeneration
B. Squamous: Large, angular borders, small nuclei. Originate from lining of distal urethra & vagina or prepuce. Don’t generally indicate disease.
C. Transitional: Medium sized and oval, spindled. Found lining proximal urethra, bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis.
D. Caudate
Unstained urine sediment slide
Arrow heads:
Full arrows:
Heads: RBCs
Arrow: WBCs
Identify the casts (6)
Where do each originate from/indicate?
- Hyaline
- Indicate mild renal glomerular leakage (capillary leakage). - Fine granular
- Degenerating cells or cellular casts
- MOST COMMON! - Leukocyte
- RBCs/cellular
- Epithelial, erythrocyte, or Leukocyte - Fatty
- Renal disease (cats freq)
- Indicate degeneration of renal tubules - Waxy
- Indicate chronic tubular lesion
Calcium oxalate dihydrate crystal
- Common in canine urine
- Note the envelope shape with an ‘X’ across the crystal
Calcium Oxalate-Monohydrate crystal
Found with ethylene glycol poisoning
Triple phosphate crystals:
Struvite, ammonium, magnesium phosphate
- Prism shaped and found in alkaline to slightly acidic urine
Ammonium Biurate crystals
- Seen in slightly acidic, neutral, or alkaline urine.
- Brown in color, round, long irregular
spicules (“thorn apple” shape). - Most common in animals with liver disease.
Calcium Carbonate crystals
- Commonly seen in horses and rabbit urine.
- They are of no clinical significance.
- They often have a “dumbell” shape
Amorphous Phosphate crystals
- Amorphous means having no definite shape or form.
- Common in alkaline urine and appears as a granular precipitate
