Section: Overview
Hematuria is the presence of red blood cells in the urine. It may be gross (visible to the naked eye) or microscopic. Possible causes of hematuria include:
Bacterial infections of the urinary and genital tracts such as cystitis (bladder infection), vaginitis or prostatitis
Cancer of the urinary or genital tracts
Calculi (stones) in the urinary tract
Congenital urinary tract abnormalities (those present at birth)
Rare parasites of the urinary tract
Clotting (bleeding) disorders including anti-coagulant rat poison (warfarin)
Trauma
Normal reproductive or heat cycles (estrus)
Medication-induced (e.g., cystitis caused by cyclophosphamide, a drug used to treat some types of cancer and immune-mediated diseases)
Benign idiopathic ("of unknown cause") hematuria originating from the kidney
What to Watch For
The effect of hematuria on the pet may range from no obvious effect to severe. Severe bleeding into the urinary tract may cause the dog to become anemic and may cause weakness or collapse.
Other symptoms that commonly accompany hematuria include:
Painful or difficult urination
Straining to urinate
Frequent passage of small amounts of urine
Abdominal pain
You should have your pet examined by your veterinarian if you observe hematuria or any of these other symptoms.
Related Articles
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Urolithiasis (stones in the urinary tract) in Dogs
Urolithiasis refers to the formation of stones in the urinary tract due to oversaturation of the urine with certain minerals. Calculi can be found anywhere in the urinary tract, but are most common in...
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2
Acute Cystitis in Dogs
Acute cystitis is defined as inflammation of the urinary bladder usually caused by a bacterial infection. Most cases are caused by bacteria from the intestinal tract that migrate up into the bladder.
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