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How to Collect a Urine Sample

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There are several ways to collect a urine sample. Take the dog out last thing at night about an hour earlier than normal as early morning samples are best. The sample does not need to be sterile for this examination, only clean. You can use a margarine carton or an old plate/bowl and transfer it into the sample pot later. All containers must be scrupulously clean. It takes between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of urine to run a good urinalysis.

Wait an extra hour in the morning before taking the dog out for his first walk. Pretend you are not very interested in his activities. Most dogs are accustomed to relieving themselves, by themselves, and may be intimidated if their owner follows them around. Unusual circumstances may inhibit some dogs from urinating. To overcome this, prior to collecting the sample it is worth taking steps to increase the amount of urine in the dog's bladder, before you try to collect it. After the dog squats or lifts his leg, quietly slip the cup or container under the urine stream, once he has started trying not to catch the first few drops. If he seems especially alarmed by what you are doing, offer him a food treat afterward.

Transfer the urine to a screw-topped container, (available from your veterinarian), and fill in the details on the label. It is best to bring a fresh urine sample (within an hour of being collected) to your veterinarian. For best results the urine should be less than 2 to 4 hours old. Store the sample in the refrigerator if it cannot be taken immediately to the surgery. This will help prevent excess bacteria, which might skew the findings, from growing in the sample.

Some dogs are passing so much urine that they pass it in the house overnight, that being the reason for seeking help. In this event, it should not be necessary to take the dog out earlier than usual in the evening.

Never with-hold water from a dog that is drinking/urinating excessively without consulting a vet first.

Other Methods of Urine Collection

1) slide a saucer under the dog as she squats to urinate. There is almost always enough retained by a saucer to do a urinalysis and this works for dogs that get very low to the ground.

2) tape a small disposable paper cup to something that will work as a handle to allow the sample to be collected without reaching under the dog with a hand. A dowel rod, ruler or yardstick will all do fine for most dogs. This helps with dogs who quit urinating if they think you are going to touch or grab them. It might take a couple of tries to get a sample this way, so start early in the morning, or even the night before the exam.

3) Keep a dog confined in a small room with a clean nonpermeable floor until she urinates --- although this can be a bad precedent to set.

4) Get a sample container from your vet or find a clean small bottle or even a zip lock bag and just reach under your dog when she is urinating, if she is tolerant of this action, and collect the urine. Hand washing will be required with this technique but it is often effective.

In more difficult UTI cases, your veterinarian may obtain a sterile sample by cystocentesis, which is the process of withdrawing urine directly from the bladder. In this case, urine is collected through a sterile needle inserted through the skin, directly into the bladder. This can provide a more accurate sample when there is difficulty identifying or treating infectious agents. If you anticipate using this technique it is best not to let your dog urinate for a couple of hours prior to the visit and to try to avoid any temptation to urinate on the way into the vet's office. It doesn't take long to get a sample if there is urine in the bladder. Samples taken in this manner can be used for culture (to check for bacteria in the urinary tract) and are usually better for determining if there is blood in the urine when it is in the bladder since it doesn't pass through the urethra and vagina prior to being collected.