Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using urine cell tests to help diagnose urinary tract infections
By Ilaria Lippi et al.·Published in Veterinary Sciences·2022·Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital “Mario Modenato”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy, CH·View original on DOAJ →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Urinary Cytology: Potential Role in Canine Urinary Tract Infections
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs showing signs of urinary tract infections (UTIs) had their urine tested to see if certain findings could help diagnose the infection more accurately. The study found that the presence of bacteria and white blood cells in the urine was linked to positive urine cultures, which confirm an infection. Specifically, finding bacteria inside cells was a strong indicator of a UTI. This suggests that checking urine under a microscope can be a useful tool for vets to identify infections and guide appropriate antibiotic treatment.
People also search for: dog urinary tract infection symptoms · how to treat dog UTI · signs of UTI in dogs · urine test for dog infection · dog urine culture results
Abstract
The diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) requires a concomitant evaluation of clinical signs and urine culture, which is of fundamental to start an appropriate antibiotic treatment. Several factors, such as subclinical bacteriuria or pre-analytical errors, may make the interpretation of urine culture difficult. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between the finding of neutrophils and bacteria in unstained and stained canine urine sediment and the presence of clinical signs and positive urine culture. Urine samples from 35 dogs with clinical signs of UTI and 55 asymptomatic dogs with risk factors for UTI were prospectively collected by cystocentesis, divided into three aliquots, and submitted for: (1) physical and chemical Dipstick analysis and unstained urinary sediment (casts, crystals, bacteria, leucocytes, cells, parasites); (2) stained urinary sediment (extra/intracellular bacteria, degenerated and non-degenerated neutrophils); (3) qualitative and quantitative urine culture and antimicrobial sensitivity-test. The association between unstained and stained findings of urinary sediment and urine culture was tested. Sensibility, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values in diagnosing positive urine cultures of bacteria at unstained and stained evaluation were compared. Both wet-mount bacteriuria and the cytological presence of intracellular and extracellular bacteria, neutrophils, and degenerated neutrophils were successively associated with positive urine culture (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The presence of intracellular bacteria was the only independent predictor of positive urine culture. Total bacterial count did not differ significantly between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. Detection of extracellular and intracellular bacteriuria at stained urinary sediment significantly improved the sensibility of predicting positive urine culture. Cytologic evaluation of urinary sediment may be helpful in detecting signs of active inflammation, thus enhancing the clinical relevance of a positive urine culture.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9060304