How to collect a urine sample from your dog

Overview

• This guide is designed to help you if you need to collect a urine sample from your dog.
• Collecting a urine sample doesn’t need to be a challenge – in fact, with the correct equipment and knowledge, it’s usually a fairly simple task.
• Always let your vet know if you are unable to collect a urine sample – they will be happy to discuss other options with you.

Step by step guide

Equipment needed:

• A tray for catching your dog’s urine (or some tin foil)
• Plastic gloves
• A sample tube/pot
• A lead (optional)
• A pen (for labelling)

Guide

1. Find something to collect your dog’s urine in. We advise using something flat and shallow such as a takeaway tray or a wide, shallow bowl. If you don’t have anything available you can create a shallow tray using tin foil.
2. Wash the collection tray with soapy water, then rinse and dry it thoroughly – this is an important step because any contamination (even water) can affect a sample.
3. Check if your vet has asked you to collect the sample at a certain time (for example, first thing in the morning) and try to collect the sample as close to this time as you can to make sure results are as accurate as possible.
4. Put some plastic gloves on to keep your hands clean and avoid contamination of your dog’s urine sample (if you don’t have any, just wash your hands before and afterwards).
5. Put your dog on a lead and take them out to their normal toilet spot.
6. Wait for your dog to start urinating then quickly (but calmly) place the tray into their stream of urine.
7. Transfer the urine sample into a urine sample collection pot and label it with your name, your dog’s name and time/date it was collected.
8. Ideally take the sample straight to your vet, but if this isn’t possible, store it in the fridge until you’re able to drop it off/it’s time for your appointment.

Top tips:

• Ask your vet how much urine they need in the sample, often you won’t need to fill the whole pot.
• Collect the whole sample in one go – avoid collecting small amounts each time your dog pees.
• If your dog won’t pee while on the lead, then allow them to be off lead as usual, but make sure you stay close to them so you don’t miss the sample.

What if I’m not able to collect a sample?

Give your veterinary practice a call if you’re struggling to collect a urine sample from your dog – they will be able to help you or discuss other options.

What will my vet test my dog’s urine for?

• Diabetes
• Urine and bladder problems
• Kidney problems
• Cushing’s disease

Many urine tests can be performed ‘in-house’ by your own vet, but some need to be sent away to a lab. Some of the common things your vet will check for include:

• How dilute/concentrated the urine is
• Protein levels
• Glucose (which can indicate diabetes)
• Inflammatory cells (which can indicate inflammation in the bladder)

Published: October 2021