Blood in Urine/Dark Urine?

[formonsiuer]

About 6 months ago Monsieur had a bladder infection. He was treated and the urine seemed to clear up and be fine.

About a month ago I noticed the urine go dark, not quite blood but like it was darker on the edges of where he peed. I decided if it didn't clear up I'd take him to the vet. Well it didn't go on more than a day or so and went back to normal so I figured he was fine.

Last night it looks like bonafide blood in the urine, or just really dark edges. Like (forgive the over share here) on his paper towel he peed 3 times: biggest puddle was normal, middling puddle was normal, then the final one was very tiny and looked very dark on the edges.

I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow but what should I ask for/look for?

[Nancy]

If there is just a tiny amount of blood in the urine, the larger the amount of urine there is, the less likely it will look pink or show blood. The smaller amount would show more blood because it's not diluted as much.

He may have another urinary infection and if so, it's possible there is something else causing it. Perhaps he has a bladder or kidney stone or crystals in the urine, all which irritate the urinary tract and can cause infection. The vet can check his urine for crystals and bacteria. Since he'es a boy, it doesn't necessarily have to be drawn directly from the bladder so if he pees on a sterile surface, it can be sucked up with a syringe.

If not already doing so, consider adding a urinary health food to his diet. These foods change the PH of the urine which makes it a more inhospitable place for bacteria to grow.

Hopefully it's just a UTI.

[formonsiuer]

Originally Posted by Nancy

If there is just a tiny amount of blood in the urine, the larger the amount of urine there is, the less likely it will look pink or show blood. The smaller amount would show more blood because it's not diluted as much.

He may have another urinary infection and if so, it's possible there is something else causing it. Perhaps he has a bladder or kidney stone or crystals in the urine, all which irritate the urinary tract and can cause infection. The vet can check his urine for crystals and bacteria. Since he'es a boy, it doesn't necessarily have to be drawn directly from the bladder so if he pees on a sterile surface, it can be sucked up with a syringe.

If not already doing so, consider adding a urinary health food to his diet. These foods change the PH of the urine which makes it a more inhospitable place for bacteria to grow.

Hopefully it's just a UTI.

Thanks! Tonight he's gone a few times and the bigger piles you see nothing, then there was another small pile (just for simplicities sake lets say these are all similar sizes and same areas as last night, cuz they basically are) and this time it was clear again. Not too dark, looked normal. This is why I don't know whether to worry or not.

Two questions: what kind of ph food would you suggest? He's currently on a diet of dry kibble designed for older cats because it has high protein. He gets the occasional Purina like wet food cat treat. Would it be an every day food or so and so food?

And for sterile surface he tends to go on papertowels, but in his laziness sometimes it does get on the cage bottom which is a canvas like liner (i.e. it would pool up). However short of not leaving paper towels there I'm not sure if I could get him to go. Like what method of collection do you suggest or should I just leave this to torture the vet?

The fact these little blood moments, even in the same size pool of urine, go one day then stop then come back randomly...I just don't know what to make of that.