Urinalysis Flashcards
What are the clinical signs of a lower urinary tract infection?
- Frequency
- Inappropriate urination or incontinence
- Stranguria
- Hematuria
What is pollakuria?
Increase in the frequency of urination
What is stranguria?
Straining to urinate
What is hematuria?
Blood in the urine
When is the best voided sample for urination collected?
Midstream to avoid bacterial or cell contamination
What is the least preferred method of urine collection?
Manual expression due to possible blood contamination from applying manual pressure to the bladder
How is the most sterile urine sample collected?
Cystocentesis
What are some risks when performing a cauterization to collect a urine sample?
It can result in a bacterial infection from catheterization or rupture of the urinary tract
When is it most acceptable to use a urinary catheter to obtain a sample?
In cats because they have the least amount of bacteria in their ureter
How soon after obtaining a urine sample should a U/A be performed?
Within 30 minutes, otherwise sample should be refrigerated
What are some possible outcomes of a delayed analysis?
- Bacterial contamination
- Altered pH
- Disrupted or disolved crystals
- Cellular detailed loss especially with WBC and epithelial cells
- Chemical precipitation
- Crystal formation
What are the parts of a urinalysis?
- Physical properties (SG)
- Chemical properties (dip stick)
- Sediment examination
What are the physical properties identified in a U/A?
- Color
- Transparency
- Odor
- Foam
- Specific Gravity
What animal may have myoglobinuria present if a sample is left to sit for 24 hours?
Horses
What is flocculence?
Particles floating in a urine sample
Which animals may have cloudy urine?
Horses and rabbits due to naturally occurring calcium carbonate crystals
What is isothenuric?
- When the specific gravity is the same concentration as plasma, meaning the kidneys are not working well
- 1.008 - 1.012
What is hypothenuric?
- Specific gravity is less concentration of plasma
- < 1.008
What is hyperthenuric?
- Specific gravity concentration is greater than that of plasma and is the ideal normal for kidneys
- > 1.012
What are the normal specific gravity values of animals?
- Dogs: 1.015 - 1.045
- Cats: 1.035 - 1.060
- Large animals: 1.015 - 1.030
What does a higher than normal specific gravity number indicate?
The urine is more concentrated and the animal may be dehydrated
What does a lower than normal specific gravity number indicate?
The animal’s kidneys may be having trouble concentrating urine
What are the common chemical properties of urine?
- pH
- Protein
- Occult blood
- Glucose
- Bilirubin
- Ketones
- WBC
- Nitrites
What should the pH of a carnivore be?
More acidic (0-6) due to higher amino acid
