My dog's urine is red/orange. Is it from new food or something else?

Blood in the urine is never normal, even if it only occurs intermittently. Likewise, it’s unusual for Tilly to experience so much inconsistency in her urination habits. Some young female dogs can have recessed or hooded vulvas, which can make them more prone to developing urinary tract infections. However, since Tilly’s urine has twice not shown evidence of infection, it sounds as though it’s time to look in a different direction. I would start by asking your vet if they can take x-rays of her abdomen to check for evidence of bladder stones. The crystals associated with bladder stones often show up on a urinalysis (I’m assuming that’s what was done with her urine samples), but not always. If the X-rays are clear, your next step may be an ultrasound of her bladder with a veterinary radiologist to check for any other abnormalities. Bladder tumors can also cause similar signs, although that would be highly unlikely given how young Tilly is. I hope this helps and that you can find some answers soon!

I am sorry to hear that your dog is experiencing this. Urinary tract infections would be the most common cause of dark red urine, but urinary bladder stones are also common and are more likely to lead to clots as well. Even less common but still a possibility would be urinary tract cancer. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. A urinalysis and x-ray will likely be recommended. If needed an ultrasound is sometimes recommended as well. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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.

Reddish urination during this period of time can definitely occur. However, this is not to say that it isn't coincidental and a separate urinary issue is not occurring. As long as July isn't experiencing any other clinical signs such as frequent small amounts of urination, straining to urinate, pain when urination, or urinating extremely large amounts, I wouldn't necessarily assume anything is wrong currently. If you have a working relationship with your veterinarian, he might be open to you collecting a urine sample in a container and dropping it off at their office for analysis. They will be able to tell you if there are large numbers of white blood cells and/or bacteria present, and potentially prescribe an antibiotic should they see fit. Hope this makes sense.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Gracie has been urinating frequently and that it is red-tinged. It is possible that she has a UTI that is not responding to the particular antibiotics that your veterinarian initially prescribed, which can be a problem especially in older pets. Your veterinarian should perform a urinalysis and a urine culture and susceptibility (if they haven't already) to see if there is an infection present and to what particular antibiotics it is susceptible. Another possible cause of Gracie's signs could be urinary bladder stones, which can cause irritation of the bladder, leading to frequent urinations that are often red-tinged. Most bladder stones are visible on abdominal x-rays, which may be recommended by your veterinarian. Other stones require an abdominal ultrasound to see. An abdominal ultrasound would also be able to detect any other abnormalities in the bladder, for example, a tumor. I recommend ensuring she has plenty of access to water, and having her seen by your veterinarian at their next available appointment. I hope this is helpful!

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).

I would recommend to get Belle's urine checked. Dehydration will make it darker but so will blood in the urine. Best to be safe. Hopefully its nothing! Please post again if you have any further questions!