Urinalysis

A urinalysis is a routine test on urine that can be done in the clinic (depending on access to lab machinery) or submitted to an outside lab. Once the urine is collected, the urinalysis assesses both physical and chemical aspects of the urine. This test can be important when assessing the urinary and kidney systems, in addition to other organ systems.

Before your veterinarian can run a urinalysis, there must be a urine sample.

There are various ways to collect urine on your pet that includes:

- Cystocentesis: A sterile needle attached to a syringe is passed through the abdominal wall into the bladder to collect urine. The use of ultrasound is important to make sure no other structures are touched, and to ensure the bladder is full enough that the needle will reach. Although this method is more invasive, it is considered the best method to collect a clean sample free of any debris/bacteria from the urethra.

- Catheterization: A sterile catheter is passed up the urethra into the bladder. A syringe can be attached to the end of the catheter to collect the urine sample. This method is more commonly used on male dogs, but female dogs and both male/female cats require sedation for this process.

- Free (Mid-Stream) Catch: A container is used to catch urine part way through urination. This is a great way for pet owners to collect urine at home vs the other collection methods, but there is a higher chance that debris from the urethra or environment.

Components of a Urinalysis

Appearance: Color and clarity of sample 

- Typical urine ranges from a soft yellow to a faint amber color and usually appears transparent or just slightly hazy.  

- Any variation of color and clarity will alert the veterinary team of any potential injury or underlying disease.

Concentration: Specific gravity of sample  

- A refractometer is used to test concentration or density of urine which is maintained by the kidneys.

Chemical composition:  

- Monitoring pH of urine can help detect any infection or metabolic disease.  

- Various other chemical values can be measured using a dipstick. A small amount of urine is placed onto dipstick test pads to detect if there are any of the following in the urine: protein, glucose, ketones, blood, urobilinogen, and bilirubin.

Microscopic examination:

- Using a microscope, any cells or solid material present in the urine sample can be identified. Red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, crystals, tissue cells, sperm, etc.

Since there are so many aspects of a urinalysis, this test is beneficial to run in both healthy and sick animals - especially if there are any changes to your pets’ urinary habits. 

Author: Olivia Creel, CVT/LVT Editor: Maria Putnam, CEO Published By: All About the Animals Foundation

Citations:

VCA Animal Hospitals. Urinalysis. VCA Animal Hospitals, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/urinalysis. Accessed 27 July 2026. (vcahospitals.com)