Blood in Dog Urine

Overview

Blood in urine is medically known as hematuria.

Seeing blood in your dog's urine can be alarming, to say the least.

Because there are a number of possible causes of this condition, it is important to learn more about the common causes as well as the other accompanying symptoms for each cause. That way, we are in a better position to deal with the situation.

Let's take a look at some common and not-so-common causes of blood in a dog's urine.

Possible Causes of Blood in Dog Urine

Here are some rather common causes of blood in dog urine:

• Urinary Tract Infections

  One of the most common causes of bloody urine in dogs is urinary tract infections. UTIs occur more frequently in female dogs because they have a shorter urethra and bacteria can make their way up the urinary tract much easier.

  If your dog has UTI, she may urinate more frequently and may even be "leaky" and having accidents in the house. She may strain while peeing and may have back pain and a fever.

• Bladder or Kidney Stones

  Another common cause of blood in a dog's urine is bladder stones.

  Bladder stones are urinary mineral deposits that gather in the urinary tract and crystalize over time. They are most commonly found in the bladder, but can also be found in the entire urinary tract.

  In cases where the stones are very small like bits of gravel, these stones may be passed in the urine and may not cause too much pain to the dog, although you may see traces of blood in the dog's urine.

  Larger bladder stones can cause a dog to strain while urinating. The dog may need to pee more frequently and sometimes there may be dribbling or even accidents in inappropriate places.

• Yeast Infections

  Yeast infections (Candida) can be another cause of bloody urine in dogs, because Candida can cause bladder infections.

  Besides blood in urine, dogs with Candida will show other symptoms such as ear infections, digestive problems (e.g. gas, diarrhea, etc.), and skin irritations (e.g. eczema, hot spots, hives, etc.)

• Prostate Problems

  If your male intact dog has blood in his urine, he may have a prostate problem, such as inflammation of the prostate caused by bacterial infection.

  When there is an inflammation, blood will come at the end of urination rather than throughout urination. The dog may have to pee more frequently and he may be straining to pee. The dog may also be feverish.

• Trauma and Injuries

  Dogs with internal injuries may appear unhurt on the outside but may have blood in the urine. If your dog has recently had some kind of accident (e.g. hit by a car, a bad fall), he may have sustained internal injuries.

• Poisoning

  Dogs that have ingested anti-coagulant rat poison (warfarin) suffer from blood-clotting problems. This can result in bloody urine.

  In addition, the dog will show other signs of poisoning, which include vomiting, diarrhea, and restlessness.

  Rat poisoning is an emergency which requires immediate veterinary attention.

Less Common Causes of Blood in Dog Urine

Other less common causes of bloody dog urine include:

• Cancer of the urinary tract (e.g. bladder cancer)
• For male dogs, prostate cancer
• Congenital urinary tract abnormalities
• Some medications such as cyclophosphamide (a drug used to treat cancer and immune disorder)
• Bleeding from the kidney of unknown cause

References
Eldredge, et al. Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook 4th edition (Wiley Publishing, 2007).
C.J. Puotinen, Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats (Keats Publishing, 1999).
Merck Publishing and Merial. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health (Merck, 2007).