Why is my dog's urine suddenly dark? Is it dehydration or serious?

There is a large variation in normal urine color, so we can't use that as a gauge to determine if anything medical is going on. We need to examine the urine microscopically to determine if there are any white blood cells, red blood cells, crystals or bacteria that may be abnormal in the urine. Unfortunately, we can't tell that by just looking at the urine. If Belle has urinated small spots 3 times, then I would recommend having your veterinarian examine a urine sample on her just to make sure everything is normal. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Typically dark colored urine is an indicator of blood, which is often seen in pets with a urinary tract infection. It is very unusual to have this occur in a puppy so young. If puppy is eating and healthy otherwise I would monitor him to see if this dark urine is repetitive. If you see it again and again, then it is best to take pup to your vet for a quick check of the urine to confirm and further treatment (i.e. antibiotics, etc).

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pheobe. I agree that it does look dark. Has she had free access to water today? If she is a bit dehydrated, then the urine will be darker than normal. It does not appear to contain blood which is good. Offer her plenty of water and if it is still dark tomorrow, then she should see her veterinarian for a urinalysis. I hope this information helps!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree, that is some very dark urine which indicates he must not be drinking enough. You need to increase his water intake. The best way to do that is to add some chicken or beef broth to his food; use the low sodium kind. The added salt (even in the low sodium variety) should encourage him to drink more. If this dark urine continues for more than a few days you should take him to your vet for an exam and urine test.

Hello, sorry to hear about Delilah. It unusual for the veggies and blueberries to make her urine darker. Given that female dogs are more likely to UTIs, I would recommend having her checked for this to make sure she doesn't need antibiotics. Alternatively, you can continue to monitor her if she otherwise seems like her normal self, and if she has further episodes of dark colored urine, then have her seen by your veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck.

One of the most common reasons that urine becomes darker is if a puppy is dehydrated. If Loki is not drinking normally, that may be a concern. Food change should not cause a change in the color of the urine unless you changed from a wet food to a dry food and they are not drinking enough water to compensate for that change. Other reasons for urine color to become darker include problems with red blood cells or muscle cells. So, if Loki does not seem to be acting normal in any way, I would certainly recommend having a veterinarian examine him. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

These signs might be compatible with a urinary tract infection/inflammation. Stress related (idiopathic type of inflammation), infection and presence of crystals are the most common causes of it. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.