01
Dec
When the level of Bilirubin is too high it may be a sign of liver problems. In dogs we need to consider the strength of the dipstick bilirubin reaction in light of the degree of urine concentration to recognize excess bilirubinuria a trace to 1 dipstick reaction can be normal in concentrated urine of dogs particularly males but is potentially excessive in urine with a USG.
Dogs with elevated levels of Bilirubin may be checked for liver disease or other conditions related to his liver function.
Bilirubin in urine dog. Only conjugated bilirubin appears in urine unconjugated is albumin bound. Renal threshold low small amounts may be present in urine of normal dogs especially male dogs. In dogs we need to consider the strength of the dipstick bilirubin reaction in light of the degree of urine concentration to recognize excess bilirubinuria a trace to 1 dipstick reaction can be normal in concentrated urine of dogs particularly males but is potentially excessive in urine with a USG.
A 3 bilirubinuria is not expected in dog urine regardless of how concentrated it is. In clinically normal dogs especially male dogs with high urine specific gravity a small amount of bilirubin is typically present in the urine. It is important to interpret the bilirubin in light of the urine specific gravity which is a measure of how much solute is present in the urine sample.
For example a 2 bilirubin reaction in a dog with a specific gravity of 1020 is probably clinically significant whereas the. Bilirubin is sometimes normal in the urine of male dogs. The way bilirubin is formed in the body is by metabolism of dead red blood cells RBCs this is a normal process.
As the red blood cells die due to age the body recycles its products and in the process produces bilirubin this all happens in the blood. When bilirubin is made the liver than picks it up to be excreted via the feces stercobilinogen. Bilirubin is a pigment found in liver bile and it is formed mainly from the breakdown of red cells and the subsequent release of the hemoglobin they contained.
Bilirubin appears in the urine if there is an increase in the serum concentration. Small amounts trace to 1 are normal but a result of 3 or higher is significant and indicates the need for an evaluation of the status. Bilirubinuria is an indicator of conjugated bilirubin in the urine.
Excessive bilirubinuria in a dog or any bilirubinuria in a cat is an indication to evaluate serum bilirubin concentrations. Decreased Bilirubin Common Causes Normal Artifact o Exposure to UV light or room air o Delayed analysis o Centrifugation of urine prior to analysis o Ascorbic acid Vitamin C. Bilirubin is not present in the urine of most domestic animals except the dog.
Small amounts of bilirubin may be detected in healthy dogs particularly in concentrated urine. 13 Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin produced by senescent red cells being removed from general circulation. In dogs the renal tubules can normally conjugate and excrete bilirubin into the urine just as the liver excretes bilirubin into bile.
In general males excrete more bilirubin than females and intact males excrete more than castrated males. Puppies should have very little to no bilirubin in their urine. Unlike dog kidneys cat kidneys cannot conjugate bilirubin.
Therefore bilirubinuria in cats should always be. Bilirubin crystals are seen most commonly in canine urine especially in highly concentrated specimens. They are less common in urine of other species.
In dogs they often are of no clinical significance healthy dogs can have low but detectable bilirubin levels in urine. Bilirubin crystals or a positive chemical reaction on the urine dipstick in feline equine bovine or camelid urine is an abnormal. In dogs with concentrated urine a small amount of bilirubin can be normal.
Pigmenturia and phenothiazine may result in a false-positive reaction. False-negative reactions may occur with large amounts of urinary ascorbic acid vitamin C. Bilirubin is a substance that is produced in the liver and normally excreted in the bile.
Bilirubin is not found in the urine of healthy cats but may be found in small quantities in the urine of healthy dogs. Abnormal amounts of bilirubin in the urine are associated with liver disease or red blood cell destruction called hemolysis and should always be investigated. Bilirubin is produced from the breakdown of old red blood cells.
When the level of Bilirubin is too high it may be a sign of liver problems. It may also be a sign of other health issues. Dogs with elevated levels of Bilirubin may be checked for liver disease or other conditions related to his liver function.
Bilirubinuria in dogs is defined as the presence of the bile pigment bilirubin in urine samples. This bile product is normally absent in urine and its presence is usually indicative of hematological or hepatic abnormalities. Diseases which can cause bilirubinuria in dogs include.
As toxic levels of bilirubin build up in the body the noticeable symptom is the yellow coloration of the skin. In dogs this is best seen in the gums eyes and inner ear flaps. Other symptoms associated with hyperbilirubinemia include vomiting diarrhea fever loss of appetite increased thirst and weight loss.
In addition urine frequency may increase and the urine may develop an orange tint. Bilirubinuria bilirubin in urine is an abnormal finding and indicative that red blood cells in your pets blood stream are being destroyed at a higher rate than normal. It can be found in pets with liver disease and autoimmune diseases.
In normal male dogs contamination of voided urine samples with cells pro - tein and bacteria commonly occurs as urine passes through preputial exudate. The extent of contamination from the vagina and vulva in normal female dogs is much less but can become clinically impor - tant during estrus. Minimal contamination of voided urine.