URINALYSIS CONSIDERATIONS

Urinalysis is an important clinical tool for screening, diagnosing and monitoring patients in the context of diseases that have an impact on urine. Beyond information pertinent to the particular patient, urinalysis interpretation must take into account urine sample collection, preservation and processing. Consistent evaluation is best achieved by following a written urinalysis protocol.

Each of the various methods employed to collect a urine sample introduces its particular type of sample contamination, and this must be considered during results interpretation. Storage, preservation and processing of the urine sample all impact urinalysis results. Physiological influences, including diet, time of day, sexual activity, etc., also have to be considered in results interpretation. Finally, urinalysis interpretation requires a context provided by the patient's history, physical exam and other diagnostic results.

Urine begins as a glomerular filtrate of blood plasma, driven principally by arterial blood pressure. Both blood perfusion and glomerular integrity impact filtrate volume and composition. As filtrate passes through the nephron it's constituency is modified by active and passive tubular absorption and active tubular secretion. Where maximum rates of constituent active transport are exceeded, abnormal chemical composition of the filtrate will result. Hormonal influences, particularly ADH, augment removal of water from the filtrate.

The details concerning normal and abnormal urine formation, sample collection procedures, and analysis methodology are beyond the scope of this web app, which is intended for students to assess their capabilities to interpret urinalysis results.

 

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Urinalysis Quiz

CASE SELECTION

Select Case Randomly

Case 1
        7-year-old spayed yellow Labrador Retriever

Case 2
        8-year-old male Basset Hound

Case 3
        5-year-old neutered male Persian cat

Case 4
        10-year-old spayed Pomeranian dog

Case 5
        10-year-old domestic neutered shorthair cat

Case 6
        9-year-old male Miniature Poodle

Case 7
        5-year-old male Golden Retriever

Case 8
        9-year-old spayed female Boxer

Case 9
        12-year-old male obese DSH cat

Case 10
        5-year-old spayed Miniature Schnauzer

Case 11
        5-year-old intact female Shih Tzu

Case 12
        12-year-old spayed Boston Terrier

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Urinalysis Quiz

CASE N

Show Urinalysis

correct
not correct
explanation
A B C D E
Reveal Answer
Canine Normal Values Feline Normal Values
Select Another Case

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URINALYSIS RESULTS

Patientxxx:
    

Sampling Method:
    

Colxxor:
    gColor

Colxxor:
    gTurbid

Specific xxx Gravity:
    gSpGr

pH:xxx
    gPH

Glucosexxxxx:
    gGlucose

gAcetxxxx:
    gAcet

Billirubinxxxx:
    gBili

Occult Bloodxxx:
    gOccBld

Proteinxxxx:
    gProt

RBCsxxxx:
    gRBC

WBCsxxxx:
    gWBC

Castsxxxxx:
    gCasts

Epithelialxxx cells:
    gepith

Bacteriaxxxxxx:
    gBact

Crystalsxxxxxx:
    gCryst

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URINALYSIS RESULTS
Normal Adult Dogs

Sampling:
    fresh sample, collected midstream during voiding

Color:
    yellow

Trubidity:
    clear

Specific Gravity range:
    1.015 to 1.045

pH range:
    4.5 to 8.5

Glucose:
    negative

Acetone (Ketones):
    negative

Billirubin:
    negative to 2+

Occult Blood:
    negative

Protein:
    trace to 1+

RBCs:
    0 to 5 / hpf

WBCs:
    0 to 5 / hpf

Casts:
    occasional hyaline / lpf

Epithelial cells:
    occasional / hpf

Bacteria:
    negative

Crystals:
    variable / hpf

Fat droplets:
    uncommon / hpf

Note: hpf = high power field; lpf = low power field

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URINALYSIS RESULTS
Normal Adult Cats

Sampling:
    fresh sample, collected midstream during voiding

Color:
    yellow

Trubidity:
    clear

Specific Gravity range:
    1.035 to 1.080+

pH range:
    4.5 to 8.5

Glucose:
    negative

Acetone (Ketones):
    negative

Billirubin:
    negative

Occult Blood:
    negative

Protein:
    trace

RBCs:
    0 to 5 / hpf

WBCs:
    0 to 5 / hpf

Casts:
    occasional hyaline / lpf

Epithelial cells:
    occasional / hpf

Bacteria:
    negative

Crystals:
    variable / hpf

Fat droplets:
    common / hpf

Note: hpf = high power field; lpf = low power field

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About Veterinary
Urinalysis Quiz

About...

This web app is intended for veterinary students who wish to self-assess their capability to correctly interpret canine and feline urinalysis results. The web app was designed for smartphones, but it can be viewed on tablet or computer screens as well.

Students select a particular clinical case, either directly or randomly. For each case selected, students are presented with randomly positioned multiple choice answers regarding interpretation of urinalysis results, which can be viewed in a popup window. Buttons are provided to select or reveal the correct answer and to view normal canine or feline urinalyses for comparison.

A Urinalysis Considerations section is offered as background information related to urinalysis interpretation. Links are provided to exit the web app, navigating to sites that host the web app link (Minnesota Urolith Center web site & Minnesota Veterinary Anatomy web site).

Note: Comments and urinalyses presented in this web app have been published previously by Carl A. Osborne, DVM, PhD, Dipl.ACVIM.

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