Urine Specific Gravity Values. Reference ranges vary from canine and feline USG values. Ranges in veterinary medicine from the Merck Veterinary Manual Urine Volume and Specific Gravity table include: Dog: 1.016–1.060. Cat: 1.020–1.040. Horse: 1.025–1.060.
What is the normal range of specific gravity?
Specific gravity is presented with no units. A normal specific gravity result should sit somewhere between 1.005 to 1.030. This means urine should be just slightly denser than water. Anything below 1.005 is considered a low specific gravity value, while anything over 1.030 is considered a high specific gravity value.
What is normal specific gravity?
Specific gravity is usually 1.010-1.025 (normal range: 1.003-1.030) and highest in the morning. A value >1.025 indicates normal concentrating ability. A value >1.035-1.040 suggests possible contamination, very high levels of glucose, or recently received low-molecular-weight dextran or high-density radiopaque dyes.
What is the normal range of urine gravity?
- Normal range = 1200 to 2000 mL
- Average = 1400 mL
- Extreme range = 600 to 3600 mL
What is the normal pH level of dog urine?
While dogs' urine typically leans more on the acidic side, pH can change due to a dog's diet, medication, or disease. The ideal urine pH for dogs depends upon many factors, but a neutral pH is 7.0. Most meat-eating animals have a slightly acidic pH, so a urine pH of 6.0 to 6.9 may be normal for some dogs.
What does high specific gravity in dog urine mean?
The urine specific gravity (SG) test tells your veterinarian how concentrated your pet's urine is (how much water it contains). If the SG is too high, it can mean inadequate amounts of water are being eliminated through the urine. If the SG is too low, it can mean the body is losing too much water through the urine.
What are normal urinalysis results for a dog?
In healthy pets, the urine pH is typically in the 6.5 to 7.0 range. If the pH is acidic (pH below 6) or alkaline (pH above 7) it may allow bacteria to thrive and crystals or stones to form. However, do not be alarmed if your pet's urine pH is not 6.5.
How can you tell if a dog's kidneys are failing?
Symptoms of Kidney Failure in Dogs Weight loss. Nausea and vomiting. Pale gums. Loss of balance, or stumbling.
What does a specific gravity of 1.008 mean?
To put it another way, the specific density of water would be 1.000. Ideally, urine specific gravity results will fall between 1.002 and 1.030 if your kidneys are functioning normally. Specific gravity results above 1.010 can indicate mild dehydration. The higher the number, the more dehydrated you may be.
What is considered high protein in dog urine?
Dogs. In healthy dogs, the urine protein to creatinine ratio (UP:UC) is usually <0.5. Values between 0.5-1.0 in non-azotemic dogs are considered equivocal and continued monitoring for progression is recommended. Values >1.0 in non-azotemic dogs are abnormal and diagnostic evaluation is warranted.
What is high protein in dog urine?
High protein in the urine may indicate an infection, blood in the urine, broken red blood cells, muscle proteins, or albumin in the urine. Sometimes, the protein indicates a problem in the kidney's glomerulus (filtering apparatus), causing protein loss from the body into the urine.
What breed of dog is prone to kidney failure?
Breed: Some dog breeds, including English Cocker spaniels, bull terriers and German shepherds, are more likely to develop particular types of kidney disease.
What is the most common cause of kidney failure in dogs?
Common Causes of Kidney Disease in Dogs One is acute, or sudden, which usually occurs after a pet ingests a toxin like antifreeze or certain prescription medications. Other causes of acute renal failure include severe urinary tract infections and decreased blood and oxygen flow to the kidneys.
What foods help repair kidneys in dogs?
For dogs with renal health issues, feed them a diet of high-quality protein with low phosphorus and sodium, and added omega-3 fatty acids, such as a mix of good quality meat, veggies like bell peppers, and either a supplement of omega-3's or fish, flax, sardines, or anchovies.
Which urine specific gravity would you expect to see in a dehydrated dog?
Abnormal Urine Specific Gravity in Pets Urine is considered dilute if the USG is less than 1.008. 3 If the animal is dehydrated, then the urine is considered too dilute if it is less than 1.030 in dogs or more than 1.035 in cats. Urine specific gravity values in the 1.008 to 1.010 range are termed isosthenuria.
What causes low specific gravity in dogs?
Overactive Adrenal glands (Cushing's disease/hyperadrenocorticism) or excessive corticosteroid medication can also cause low specific gravity urine in dogs.
What does specific gravity of urine tell you?
URINE SPECIFIC GRAVITY (USG) measures the concentration of particles in urine and the density of urine compared with the density of water. Measuring USG is an easy and convenient way to gauge a patient's hydration status as well as the functional ability of his kidneys.
How do you read a urine strip on a dog?
Wait for 30 seconds for the reactions on the color pads to take place. Hold the urine test strip against the color chart on the product bottle to read the results. Make sure to read the correct parameter after the specified time. Record your results and speak to a veterinarian if necessary.
What foods cause high pH in urine in dogs?
Dr. Morton goes further to outline the impact of various ingredients. “A diet containing high levels of poor quality ingredients, such as salt, protein, lactose, sucrose, fructose and magnesium, elevates and creates an unbalanced concentration of calcium in a dog's urine.
What does concentrated urine mean in dogs?
When our pets become dehydrated, the kidneys will produce concentrated urine to conserve water in their body instead of allowing it to go to waste in producing urine.
What does red and white blood cells in dog urine mean?
Increased red blood cells in urine samples indicates bleeding somewhere in the urinary or genital tracts. White Blood Cells: Normal urine should contain very few white blood cells. Increased white blood cells (pyuria) can occur due to inflammation, infection, trauma, or cancer.
Why is the specific gravity of urine higher?
The specific gravity of urine is higher because of the substances found in urine. How much higher will depend on several factors. The hydration level of an animal is important to consider when evaluating the significance of a pet's urine specific gravity. A dehydrated animal typically has a high urine specific gravity while an overhydrated animal ...
How to measure specific gravity in a vet?
How Vets Measure Urine Specific Gravity. Urine specific gravity is measured using a tool called a refractometer. 1 This instrument uses light to measures the density of the urine. A drop of urine is placed on the glass of the refractometer and the cover is closed. The refractometer is held up to the light where it is refracted ...
What tests do vets use to determine specific gravity?
Those additional tests could include blood testing, a full urinalysis, specialized urine testing, ultrasound, and radiographs (X-rays). Article Sources.
What does concentrated urine mean?
In general, concentrated urine usually means that an animal is dehydrated while dilute urine suggests that the kidneys are not functioning normally.
What is specific gravity?
Urine specific gravity is a term used to describe urine concentration. When your pet has a urinalysis is performed by a veterinarian, urine specific gravity is one of the many things measured. An animal's urine specific gravity measurement is used in conjunction with other test results to evaluate a pet's health.
Why do you need to collect multiple urine samples?
Multiple urine samples may need to be collected throughout the day in order to get a better idea of the animal's normal range. Other lab tests are greatly needed to assess a pet's health. Hydration status greatly influences an animal's urine specific gravity, but other factors can affect the levels.
What does 1.008 mean in urine?
Urine Specific Gravity values in the 1.008 to 1.010 range are termed isosthenuria. This happens when the kidneys are unable to concentrate the urine more than that of protein-free plasma. A single reading in this range does not necessarily indicate kidney disease.
What is USG in urine?
The USG can also help verify the presence of polyuria (USG is inversely related to 24 hour urine volume), assist evaluation of urinary losses of protein, bilirubin and glucose, and aid assessment of the patient’s state of hydration.
How long does it take for urine to change in dogs?
In healthy animals, urine concentration can change substantially over time, and 2 to 3 fold variations have been observed within 2 hours in some dogs. Cats typically produce more highly concentrated urine than dogs, but similar variation might be expected for normal cats.
What USG values are considered ‘normal’?
A wide range of USGs can be encountered in healthy animals – 1.001 to >1.075 for dogs and 1.001 to >1.085 for cats – although values encountered typically for normally hydrated individuals are often closer to 1.015 to 1.045 for dogs, and 1.035 to 1.060 for cats. It is important to note that any USG value could be considered ‘normal’ in a patient, depending on certain other factors, including the patient’s hydration status.
What should be done if urine is dilute?
Patients with inappropriately dilute urine should be investigated further for renal disease once other possible causes are excluded. This could involve testing urine concentrating ability in response to water deprivation and/or ADH administration, evaluating clearance of creatinine or another suitable marker to measure GFR, and/or performing renal imaging studies and/or a renal biopsy.
Why is my urine not concentrated?
Failure to produce more concentrated urine in the presence of dehydration can indicate kidney disease. Alternatively, a partial deficiency in production, release or activity of ADH might be responsible (see section on Dilute urine: USG <1.008, above). Amongst possible contributing causes are: diuretic drugs, glucocorticoids, glucosuria, renal medullary washout, pyelonephritis, liver failure, and major electrolyte abnormalities (low K or Na, high Ca).
Why is urine inappropriately concentrated?
Urine is inappropriately concentrated if USG exceeds 1.007 when the patient is over-hydrated. The combination suggests substantial kidney disease because adequate renal function should lead to excretion of excess water and more dilute urine.
What happens if isosthenuria persists in subsequent samplings?
If isosthenuria persists in subsequent samplings, a concentrating defect should be suspected and investigated as indicated for ‘inappropriately dilute urine’.
How long does it take to get urine samples from a dog?
Fresh samples give the best results; samples should be analyzed within two hours, or up to six hours after collection if they have been refrigerated. Samples can be collected via catheter, cystocentesis (removal of urine by using a sterile needle to tap through the abdominal cavity into the bladder), or by catching a mid-stream flow in a clean container – easer said than done, especially with small dogs and females who squat low to the ground.
How is specific gravity determined in a lab?
In the lab, the urine is observed for abnormalities of color or odor; specific gravity is determined by placing a drop of urine on a hand-held instrument called a refracto-meter ; and various chemicals in the urine are analyzed by dipping a chemically-impregnated dip stick into the urine and observing color changes. Finally, the sample is centrifuged and the sediment is analyzed under the microscope to detect the presence of cells, casts, crystals, microorganisms, and tumor cells.
Why is urine yellow?
Urine color is clear when dilute; it is normally yellowish due to the urochromes in the urine, and the yellow color intensifies when concentrated (i.e., when the animal is dehydrated). Urine can pick up a variety of colors and odors, and these may indicate disease, diet, or drugs.
What is a urinalysis test?
Urinalysis is a screening test that may be helpful in diagnosing many diseases, but it is an especially important test to perform whenever any urinary tract disease or abnormality is expected. Abnormal appearing urine (cloudy or red colored), difficulty in urinating, abnormal frequency of urination, or abnormal flow are all indications for ordering a urinalysis. The test is noninvasive, relatively easy to interpret, and nearly every veterinary clinic has the reagents and instruments necessary to perform it.
Why does urine smell like ammonia?
Urine with a strong smell of ammonia may have come from an infected urogenital tract; some bacteria are urea splitters, creating the smell of ammonia. • Specific gravity. Specific gravity measures the density of the urine, relative to the mass of an equal volume of water, and it is determined by using a refractometer.
Why is urine considered a common error?
Note: Urine provides a welcome place for bacteria to grow; bacterial contamination from the surrounding environment is a common error when a sample is not handled properly or when it is left on the counter for hours before being analyzed.
What is a complete urinalysis?
A complete urinalysis will test the function of the nephrons; provide some indications of the current metabolic status of the animal; and demonstrate the relative fluid status of the body. In addition, the urinalysis evaluates substances in the urine that might indicate ongoing disease.
What are crystals in dogs urine?
Crystals: Many different types of crystals may be present in urine and the type of crystal formed depends on urine pH, urine temperature, and length of time between urine collection and examination. Crystals in urine are not necessarily pathologic, but some types of crystals may indicate illness or an inherited metabolic problem. Struvite crystals are commonly seen in dogs and are not generally a problem unless there is a concurrent bacterial urinary tract infection. Calcium oxalate crystals are less common in dogs and, if persistent, may indicate an increased risk of calcium oxalate bladder stone formation. Rarer crystal types include ammonium acid urate crystals, which suggest liver disease, and an unusual form of calcium oxalate crystals, seen in association with antifreeze toxicity.
Why is my urine not glucose?
Glucose: Normally, glucose should not be present in urine. By far, the most common reason for glucosuria is diabetes mellitus. Less common causes of glucosuria include serum glucose overload, such as from intravenous administration, or damage to the kidney tubules resulting in excretion of glucose into the urine.
What does it mean when your urine is diluted?
Elevated urine specific gravity indicates dehydration, and that the kidneys are reabsorbing as much fluid as possible. Low specific gravity indicates the urine is diluted. Normally, this means the kidneys are excreting extra water due to, for instance, excessive water intake or administration of intravenous fluids. However, dilute urine in a clinically dehydrated animal is abnormal and could be caused by disease states such as kidney failure, hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease), hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), high blood calcium, or diabetes mellitus.
Why is my urine cloudy?
Clarity: Urine is normally clear. When pigment, infection, crystals, or fat are present, urine can become cloudy.
What type of cells are shed into the urine?
Epithelial Cells: Transitional epithelial cells, shed into the urine from the bladder and proximal urethra, are sometimes seen in urine sediment. In a voided urine sample, squamous epithelial cells may be seen. However, cancerous transitional cells or other abnormal cells may be seen in an animal with certain types of bladder cancer.
Why is protein not found in urine?
Protein in urine (proteinuria) is a result of numerous causes including strenuous exercise, kidney disease, and infection. Because so many different conditions cause proteinuria, the condition must be interpreted in light of many other factors.
Can dogs have struvite?
Struvite crystals are commonly seen in dog s and are not generally a problem unless there is a concurrent bacterial urinary tract infection. Calcium oxalate crystals are less common in dogs and, if persistent, may indicate an increased risk of calcium oxalate bladder stone formation.
What is the Specific Gravity of Urine?
Urine is a product produced by the renal system to remove unwanted substances in the body. As blood passes through the kidneys, solutes the body finds undesirable are removed and passed to the bladder. Once in the bladder, this mixture of waste products and water can be expelled from the body.
Why is urine specific gravity high?
A high concentration of solutes would result in a high urine specific gravity because of the relationship of solutes to water in obtaining a USG value. There are numerous medical conditions that may cause an imbalance of solutes, and a medical professional should consider the possibilities and perform further diagnostics depending on which solute is elevated.
What is the ratio of solutes to water?
Osmolarity is the ratio of solutes to water within the body. More specifically, osmolarity takes into account the concentration of important ions (such as electrolytes and urea) to the concentration of fluid in the body. Unlike specific gravity, osmolarity is expressed in units as the number of milliosmoles of solutes per kilogram of water within the body. A normal urine osmolarity is between 500 and 800 mOsm/kg water.
How does urine specific gravity affect blood pressure?
Urine-specific gravity may also change as the body regulates blood pressure . The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system works to maintain proper blood pressure in the body. When low blood pressure is detected, the kidneys release more renin into the bloodstream, the result of which is increased angiotensin in the blood. Angiotensin results in constriction of the blood vessels and an increased concentration of the antidiuretic hormone. While this raises blood pressure, it also causes the kidneys to retain sodium. Water tends to follow sodium through the body. Thus, when sodium is retained, water is retained, and USG will be high.
How does a urinometer measure specific gravity?
A urinometer uses a vial of urine and measures its specific gravity by suspending a bulb. The bulb will float at different depths depending on the urine's specific gravity. This is the least reliable method and is rarely used as new equipment, such as refractometers, have become wildly available.
Why does urine have a high sodium level?
The kidneys function to concentrate urine. If the kidneys are damaged, they may be unable to properly concentrate urine before sending it to the bladder. In this instance, urine ends up having a high concentration of water which may leave an individual dehydrated. Damaged kidneys may be the result of drug and alcohol abuse, infection, or renal disease. Damaged or diseased kidneys will also result in higher sodium levels in urine.
What causes high specific gravity and low sodium in urine?
Heart disease can result in an imbalance of fluids in the body. In some cases, fluid may be retained in unusual areas (such as the abdomen) and thus not passes through the renal system to produce urine. This results in high specific gravity and low sodium levels in urine.
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- If hydration is normal and there is no other evidence of kidney or other disease, it may be useful to reassess USG at intervals before undertaking additional studies. Only animals failing to produce concentrated urine (USG >1.030 for dog, >1.035 for cat) require further investigation: possible options include testing urine concentrating ability in ...
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