If you ever see me peeing blood or any dog for that matter, it can be a very scary experience that can raise many questions and concerns.
- Is there something wrong with me?
- Why am I peeing blood?
- Should my owners be taking me to the vet as soon as possible?
These are all questions going through my head when I pee blood, but peeing blood can be treatable a lot of the time. Sometimes peeing blood can be caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) or an issue related to the prostate.
When I pee blood, the term used for that is hematuria. It usually occurs because there is inflammation or a UTI in the urinary tract system. It could be in either the upper or the lower urinary tract. When my owners noticed blood in my urine, they took me to the vet as soon as they could. I hope every dog owner would do the same for their pets.
After I was taken to the vet, a full evaluation was done on me. They needed to figure out what the cause was. Blood in a dog’s urine is usually a symptom of something else, and the color of the blood can range from a lighter red, darker red, and even to orange and brown colors.
When I had bloody urine, I always had to go to the bathroom. It also hurt quite a bit when I did go to the bathroom. I was in pain!
Sometimes dogs won’t have any other symptoms aside from just the blood in the urine, and when that’s the case, testing will need to be conducted.
What Are the Common Causes of Blood in Dog Urine?
Tumors
Tumors can be cancerous or non-cancerous. It can be a cause of blood in the urine.
Poisoning
I’m glad that poisoning wasn’t the cause of blood in my urine. Blood in the urine can be caused by a dog consuming a toxic substance. Rodenticide is one product that can cause blood to well up in the urine. Some other symptoms that a dog will experience because of that are:
- Lethargy
- Coughing
- Not being able to exercise
- A swollen abdomen
- Not being able to breathe very well
Injury
Injuries can cause blood to appear in urine, and I remember my owners telling the vet that I wasn’t injured lately, so that wasn’t the cause of it.
Upper Urinary Tract Infections
My upper urinary tract has two kidneys, much in the same way that humans do. If there is blood found in the urinary tract, it usually has something to do with the kidneys. There are a couple of things that can cause bleeding in this area of my body:
Idiopathic Renal Hematuria
Blood found in my urine can be caused by something being wrong with my kidneys. Sometimes medication can cause the issue, sometimes it could be an infection, while other times there could be an issue with my immune system. In most cases, this condition is usually benign and sometimes has a hereditary component to it.
Kidney Infection
If I’m peeing blood, sometimes it could be the cause of it, and either one or each of my kidneys might be affected by the infection.
Kidney Stones
It’s not common for me to experience kidney stones, but these annoying stones can affect each kidney and cause blood to develop in the urine.
Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is another issue that isn’t very common for me to experience, but it can also lead to blood being found in the urine of dogs. Sometimes cancer can originate in the kidneys and begin to spread around the body. I hope something like this never happens to me. I’ve seen too many of my dog friends pass away from certain types of cancer.
Renal Telangiecstasi
Some breeds of dogs are genetically predisposed to this condition. Renal telangiectasi causes the blood vessels in the kidneys to widen. It causes blood to develop, as well. Welsh Corgis are a breed that this issue tends to happen to the most.
Causes Of Blood in The Urine Related to The Urinary Tract
The bladder and the urethra both make up the urinary tract. There are several causes of bleeding that are related to the urinary tract:
Bladder infection
One of the most common causes for blood being found in my urine is a lower urinary tract infection. It is one of the issues that a vet will suspect most, but evaluation still needs to be done to rule out anything else. Bladder infections in dogs can be caused by many things such as:
- Skin allergies
- Anatomy of the urethra or vulva
- Hormones
Bladder Stones
I’ve never had a bladder stone before, but I hear they are quite painful to deal with in humans. Sometimes these can form in dogs and can be caused by genetics and other infections.
Bladder Cancer
I hope I never have to deal with bladder cancer at any point in my life. Bladder cancer will often mimic a standard bladder infection. Sometimes dogs will leave accidents throughout the home and show signs of difficulty while trying to go to the bathroom. You’ll also notice blood in the urine.
Prostate Issues
I’m not a male dog, so I probably won’t be dealing with prostate problems as much as them. However, benign prostate enlargement is a common issue with male dogs- especially in those that haven’t been neutered.
Blood In Urine Resulting from Both Upper and Lower Urinary Tracts
Ruptured Bladder
I’ve never been in a car accident before, and I also wasn’t attacked by another dog, so I never had a ruptured bladder. These two things are known to be some of the causes that can lead to a ruptured bladder.
Coagulopathy
It refers to clotting problems, and it can cause blood to show up in the urine.
Vasculitis
It is another thing that can lead to blood in the urine, and it refers to inflammation in your blood vessels.
Blood In the Urine and General Bleeding
Often, brand new dog owners aren’t aware that a female dog like me will bleed when I go through my heat cycle. When I was around six months old, I went through my first heat cycle, and it resulted in vaginal swelling and a bit of bleeding. The bleeding took about 7 to 10 days to go away.
This type of bleeding is known as the estrus cycle.
Another cause of blood in female dogs is known as pyometra. I’ve never had to deal with this one before, and many dog owners think their dogs are in heat when they really could just have pyometra. Pyometra usually smells foul and is characterized by vaginal discharge the is bloody.
Pyometra is a condition that can lead to fatal consequences if a dog isn’t taken to the vet right away. Antibiotics will help to get rid of the infection. Lots of fluids are then required to keep the dog hydrated.
How Can You Treat Blood in The Urine?
When my owners started noticing blood in my urine, they quickly acted upon it and brought me to the vet as soon as they could. I was lucky enough to not have been told any seriously negative news. The general rule of thumb is that a dog should see a vet if it’s the first time you’ve ever noticed your dog peeing blood.
When I went to the vet for the first time, they ran several tests to figure out why I was peeing blood. They took a urine culture to see if any bacteria were causing the problem. The vet took some blood tests and also did an X-ray. I heard the vet mentioning something about having an ultrasound, but I never had to go through that. I was very fortunate!
In my case, the vet did a complete physical examination of my body. They felt all around my abdomen to see if there were any growths. They did a complete blood count to see if any abnormalities existed between my red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet levels.
They also did a chemical blood profile on me that was used to see my levels of:
- Calcium
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Nitrogenous waste
- Albumin
- Liver Enzymes
Finally, they did a urinalysis to see what the pH levels were in my urine, the mineral content of it, the hemoglobin levels, protein levels, and my glucose levels. I heard the vet inform my owner that if the concentration of minerals is too high, I may have kidney stones. I was hoping this was not the case and that I was fine.
Treatment
The treatment of the blood in the urine all revolves around the cause of it. If the cause is related to bacteria, then antibiotics will be prescribed. The reason there is blood in the urine was due to benign prostate enlargement. Then neutering is usually the recommended course of action.
If bladder stones are why there is blood in the urine, then surgery will be the likely course of action to take next. I was given anti-inflammatory medication from the vet when I was taken there for blood in my urine. It helped me a bit.
I also heard the vet tell my owners that they should change my diet up a bit. The vet stated that nutrition plays a big role in keeping urinary tract issues away, and I think that’s why my owners switched the food I’ve been eating lately.
With wet dog food, urine will be more diluted, and that can help lower the chances of me developing kidney stones.
The vet said that if the cause of the blood in my bladder was related to infection, then the treatment would be a full cycle of antibiotics. They said that this is the main route of treatment for dogs dealing with kidney, bladder, urinary tract, and many other types of infections.
The type of antibiotics that the dog receives all depends on the dog’s history.
If the cause of the blood in the urine is related to kidney and bladder stones, then the dog’s diet would need to be adjusted. If the diet isn’t working, then surgery is the route to take.
If tumors are causing the blood in the urine, dogs might need to be referred to an oncologist for further treatment.
I’ve never accidentally consumed poison before. However, when a dog does ingest poison, treatment depends on what type of poison is consumed. If the poison is rodenticide, then that would be vitamin D poisoning. Dogs that have ingested that will need to stay on an IV until their phosphorous, calcium, and electrolyte levels begin to stabilize again.
How To Prevent Blood in The Urine in The Future
The best way to help prevent me from getting any blood in my urine is to take me for yearly routine vet checkups. The vet will be able to tell me if I have any predispositions to these types of things. If I do, then the vet can start doing routine tests on my urine to ensure that it’s in the best possible state that it can be.
The vet also said that my owners should be monitoring my bladder habits in the next couple of days and weeks to see if there is any ongoing blood in the urine. No one should delay seeking out advice from a vet if they see blood in the urine of their dogs. Doing so could result in disastrous consequences that can put the health of your dog in jeopardy.
No matter what causes blood in my urine, it is a frightening thing to deal with. I saw the fear in my owners rise right when they noticed it, and they did the right thing by contacting the vet as soon as they possibly could. Never delay taking me to the vet on something as important as this. Both I and my health are important.
