It might be kidney stones or bladder cancer โ if your dog is passing blood through its urine, itโs definitely a huge concern. However, as long as you can treat this urinary tract problem, your dog should be safe. For that, you must consider taking a few carefully orchestrated steps.
Seeing blood in your dog’s urine can be a distressing experience. After all, dog blood and urine – they aren’t supposed to come out as one. This condition, known as hematuria, can be indicative of various underlying health issues.
Due to hematuria in dogs, blood comes out through their urine. At the same time, canines, especially senior dogs, face difficulty urinating. Of course, younger dogs may also struggle with hematuria. Both male dogs and female dogs can suffer from this bloody pee problem.
According to Dr. Joshua Montgomery, hematuria could result from various issues within a dog’s urinary system. These include everything from a simple urinary tract infection (UTI) or something more serious in your dog’s kidneys or bladder, or even cancer. Age, diet, and exposure to certain toxins can also play a role in your dog peeing blood. It might even be that one of your dog’s blood vessels has ruptured inside its bladder.
Prompt and effective treatment is essential to ensure your dog’s health and well-being. Here are a few detailed tips on how to treat a dog that is peeing blood or has blood passing with its urine.
Immediate Veterinary Consultation
The first and most critical step when you notice blood in dog urine is to consult your veterinarian immediately.
A dog’s hematuria can result from several conditions, including urinary tract problems, bladder stones, or even cancer. A proper diagnosis is essential to determine the underlying cause and initiate appropriate treatment.
Whether the issue is in the upper urinary tract or the lower urinary tract, a vet can definitely help you figure things out.
According to the Chief Veterinary Officer for the American Kennel Club, Dr. Jerry Klein, your vet will likely conduct a thorough physical examination, the bloody urine analysis, and possibly imaging studies like X-rays.
You can conduct a test at home yourself too, by simply placing a paper or cloth under your dog when it's peeing and checking if the pee is discolored. All these tests can help identify the source of the bleeding in your dog and confirm whether it's actually blood coming out with its pee.
Administer Prescribed Antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections
If urinary tract infections are diagnosed, your vet will prescribe a course of antibiotics. UTIs are a common cause of blood in the urine in dogs, particularly in females.
There’s a high chance the vet might recommend you to use the Amoxi Drop (Amoxicillin) on your pooch. Amoxicillin is a prescription antibiotic your dog has to take by mouth. It's used to treat chronic infection as well as bacterial infection including UTIs in dogs.
It’s crucial to complete the full course of antibiotics, even if your dog starts to show improvement. Otherwise, you can’t ensure that the kidney infection is fully eradicated and won’t reoccur.
Dietary Adjustments for Bladder Stones
Bladder stones are another common cause of blood in dog urine. These stones can damage or irritate the bladder lining, which in turn leads to bleeding. Depending on the type of stones, dietary changes can help dissolve them and prevent new stones from forming.
Your vet may recommend a special diet low in certain minerals to reduce the risk of stone formation. Ensuring your dog has access to plenty of fresh water can also help flush out the tract and prevent stone formation.
Depending on your pup’s needs, your vet might recommend Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care Canned Dog Food. This particular dog’s diet contains Hill's special mix of prebiotics, called ActivBiome+ Kidney Defense, designed to keep your gut microbiome healthy. A balanced gut is important for safeguarding kidney function and minimizing harm to kidney tissues.
Your vet might also suggest the Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets NF Kidney Function Canine Formula Wet Dog Food. This dog food contains limited amounts of high-quality protein and phosphorus. Hence, it’s not too impactful or heavy on your dog’s kidneys and can be easily consumed by your furry friend.
Hydration is Key
Proper hydration is vital for maintaining your dog’s urinary tract health. Adequate water intake helps dilute your dog’s urine. It also aids in reducing the concentration of minerals that can form stones and promoting the regular flushing of the urinary system.
Encourage your dog to drink more water by providing fresh water frequently. Provide it water regularly on a stainless steel dish or any other top-grade water bowl. You might also consider wet dog food, which has a higher moisture content than dry kibble.
Monitor and Manage Urinary Tract Infection
Chronic urinary tract issues can predispose dogs to recurring episodes of blood in the urine. Conditions such as UTIs or structural abnormalities in the tract need to be managed long-term.
Regular veterinary check-ups, a urine test once in a while, and medication or dietary management may be required to keep these issues under control.
Understanding Kidney Cancer and Its Implications
Though less common, kidney cancer can also cause blood in a dog’s urine. Symptoms of kidney cancer in dogs may include weight loss, lethargy, and abdominal pain in addition to hematuria.
Cancer treatment may require your dog to undergo surgery so that the affected kidney may be removed. Chemotherapy or palliative care are also necessary depending on the stage and spread of the cancer.
To end this discussion, blood in a dog’s urine is a symptom that you should never ignore as a pet parent. From urine tract, kidney infection, and bladder infection to more severe conditions like cancer, the causes of hematuria can be varied and complex.
The problem could be in your pooch’s upper urinary tract or it could be in the lower urinary tract. Prompt veterinary attention, appropriate treatment, and preventive care are essential to addressing this issue effectively and ensuring your dog’s health and well-being.
Understanding the potential causes and treatments for blood in dog urine empowers pet owners to act swiftly and appropriately.
Whether it’s through pain medicine for a urinary tract infection, dietary changes for stones, or surgical interventions for more severe conditions. Proactive and informed care is the key to managing this troubling symptom and safeguarding your pooch’s health.