If you're a dog parent, you might find your dog peeing blood at some point. But, while blood in dog urine is a scary sight, it's often treatable and could simply be down to a urinary tract infection or a benign prostate problem.
Heamaturia is the clinical term used to describe when blood appears in a dog's urine. This is often due to inflammation or infection in the urinary tract, which could include the upper or lower urinary tract. If you do notice blood in your dog’s urine, then it should be evaluated by your veterinarian, who can identify the cause and provide recommendations to help your dog.
Here are common causes of blood in dog urine, the treatments your veterinarian may recommend, and how you may be able to prevent it.
Upper urinary tract causes
As in humans, a dog's upper urinary tract contains the two kidneys. As we said, blood in the urine could be originating from the upper or lower parts of the system, so it could be originating all the way up in the kidneys. Some causes of bleeding in the upper urinary tract include:
Idiopathic renal heamaturia. An idiopathic condition is one with an unknown cause, so this is blood in the urine that results from the kidney for an unknown reason. This is generally considered a potentially hereditary benign condition.
Kidney infection. If your dog is peeing blood, one or both of your dog's kidneys could be infected.
Kidney stones. While uncommon, kidney stones can affect one or both kidneys, resulting in the presence of blood in the urine.
Kidney cancer. Also uncommon, kidney cancer can affect dogs and cause blood in dog urine. The cancer can remain in the kidney or spread to other parts of the body.
Renal telangiectasia. Some dogs, including Welsh corgis, have a genetic predisposition to this spontaneous widening of blood vessels in the kidney, which can lead to blood in their urine.
Lower urinary tract causes
The lower urinary tract includes the bladder and the urethra - the tube that connects the bladder to the outside world and allows urine to exit the body. Causes for bleeding here include the following:
Bladder infection. A lower urinary tract infection (UTI) is by far the most common cause for a dog peeing blood. It can be caused by the anatomy of the urethra, vulva or prepuce, and hormone-related incontinence in spayed females.
Bladder stones. These can form for a variety of reasons, including genetics, nutrition and chronic infection.
Bladder cancer. Bladder cancer in dogs often looks similar to a UTI. It can cause accidents in the house, difficulty urinating, and blood in the urine.
Prostate problems. Benign prostate enlargement and prostate infection are the most common prostate problems in male dogs who haven't been neutered.
Causes for blood in dog urine that can affect both the upper and lower urinary tracts include renal and bladder trauma (e.g. from being hit by a car or attacked by another dog) and coagulopathy (a scientific word that means blood clotting problems).
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Diagnosis and treatment of blood in urine
If you see your dog peeing blood, contact your vet to make an appointment as soon as possible. As a general rule, any dog with blood in their urine for the first time should be seen by a vet within 24 hours.
At the visit, the vet will give your dog a full clinical exam to see if there are any obvious problems. They will definitely need to analyse your dog’s urine to look for things like bacteria and crystals and check the pH and how concentrated it is, so try to take a fresh sample with you if you can. Don’t worry if you can’t; your vet will either give you a means to collect a sample or may admit your dog to get a sample in the clinic. A urine culture may be recommended to see if bacteria might be causing the issue. They may also conduct a blood test or take an X-ray or an ultrasound.
Treatment depends on the specific cause of the blood. The vet may prescribe antibiotics if the issue is related to a bacterial infection. In cases of benign prostate enlargement, they are likely to recommend neutering. They are also likely to suggest surgery if they find the blood is caused by bladder stones or a variety of other issues. Vets commonly prescribe anti-inflammatory or pain medication to ease dogs' discomfort.
Your vet may also recommend a change in food. Nutrition is an important component in managing urinary tract problems in dogs. Wet foods can help achieve more dilute urine, and certain foods can reduce stone formation and optimise urine pH. Some types of bladder stones can even be dissolved using special foods, potentially avoiding the need for surgery.
Preventing future urinary problems
Taking your dog for regular veterinary check-ups is the best way to catch issues related to blood in their urine, and to help prevent other urinary problems. Your vet can tell you if your dog is predisposed to urinary issues. If they are, your vet can routinely test your dog's urine to make sure they're in tip-top health.
Also, while it may be easy to just let your dog in the backyard to do their business alone, occasionally monitoring your dog's urinary habits is a necessary part of being a dog parent. Letting an issue like blood in the urine persist can lead to more serious consequences. You are your dog's first line of defence for their health, so careful monitoring and discussions with your vet are important. With love and attention, you can help keep your dog happy and healthy.
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