My dog's urine smells like ammonia. Could her diet be the cause?

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Sometimes more concentrated urine can have a stronger odor. I would make sure he is drinking plenty of water and not dehydrating himself. If he has been drinking adequate amounts of water and if the smell continues, I would get him examined by his veterinarian and have his urine tested as he may be dealing with a urinary tract infection. If diagnosed with a UTI, he will need to go on a course of oral antibiotics for treatment. I hope this helps! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via text or phone consultation.

It may be more acidic or alkaline depending on what she has eaten. Be sure she is eating a high quality dog food and cut out all other foods/treats to see if the issue resolves. If you are worried you should take her to the vet for a urine test.

He could have an infection causing the problem. A vet can test a urine sample to look for infection and other abnormalities. Besides, encouraging him to drink water to try and keep his urine more dilute, there really isn't much you can do at home without veterinary care. If he has an infection than he will need an antibiotic.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The smell comes from normal bacteria and yeast on the dogs skin and fur. The water causes them to release smelly chemicals. I am not sure if it actually ammonia though. I hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Bad smelling urine could mean a possible urinary tract infection or bladder stones. I recommend getting her pee checked for infection and stones. Bad smelling feces can mean food allergies, disoders in absorption, a problem with the exocrine pancreas, or just poor quality food. Try changing the food to something higher quality. Also, avoid any raw meat or bones in her meals as this causes many GI issues and makes smellier poop. Best of luck with Naughty!

Urine is mostly water and urea which is a waste product of protein breakdown. Urea can develop into ammonia NH3 > NH4 which is why your cat litter smells like ammonia. You should empty out the litter completely more frequently (less deep litter with frequent cleaning is preferable for your cat). If your cat is older you should consider taking her in for blood testing to check her kidney function. There is a new test called SDMA which can detect early kidney disease.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Polly! Fishy smelling urine can indicate a urinary tract infection. If she is leaking urine she also have have urinary incontinence. There are 2 medication options for urinary incontinence in female dogs: Proin or DES. I recommend making an appointment with your Vet today or tomorrow and bring a urine sample with you. If Polly has a UTI the Vet will likely prescribe antibiotics. I hope this helps and I wish Polly the very best!