Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets diagnose blood in urine in dogs and cats
By Forrester, S Dru·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice·2004·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnostic approach to hematuria in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
When dogs and cats have blood in their urine, it usually means there is a problem in their urinary or genital systems. If the bleeding continues, it's important to find out where it's coming from and why, so the right treatment can be given. A veterinarian will often start by asking about your pet's history and doing a physical exam, which can help pinpoint whether the issue is in the upper or lower urinary tract or in the reproductive organs. They may also recommend tests like checking the urine, taking X-rays or ultrasounds, and possibly looking at tissue samples to get more information. If these tests don't find the cause, the vet might suggest surgery to explore further, especially if they suspect a condition called idiopathic renal hematuria, where the cause is unknown.
Abstract
Hematuria indicates the presence of urogenital disease in dogs and cats. Persistent hematuria (macroscopic or microscopic) should be evaluated to determine the source of bleeding and the underlying cause so that appropriate treatment can be recommended. Results of the history and physical examination often help to localize disease to the urinary tract (either upper or lower) or genital tract. Additional diagnostic evaluation, including laboratory testing(eg, urinalysis, urine culture), diagnostic imaging (eg, abdominal radiographs, ultrasound), and collection of tissues for cytologic or histopathologic evaluation, may be needed to identify the underlying cause. If a thorough evaluation fails to reveal the source or cause of hematuria, exploratory celiotomy should be considered,especially if idiopathic renal hematuria is possible.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15223205/