4 Possible Reasons Why Your Dog Has Blood In Their Urine

Seeing blood in your dog's urine can be a scary experience, especially when you don't know what the cause is. If you've noticed a red, orange or brown tinge to your dog's urine, here's what could be causing the problem.

1. Urinary tract infection

As the name suggests, a urinary tract infection (also known as a UTI) occurs when your dog's urinary system gets infected with bacteria. Both female and male dogs can experience a urinary tract infection, but it is slightly more common in females. Other signs of a canine UTI include frequent urination, difficulty peeing, increased thirst, crying during urination and licking of the genitals. Thankfully, UTIs are rarely serious, and your vet can treat them with antibiotics and pain medication.

2. Kidney or bladder stones

Kidney and bladder stones can cause blood to appear in your dog's urine, causing them pain when peeing. As the stones grow larger, they may completely block your dog's urinary tract, preventing them from peeing altogether. Alongside blood in their urine, dogs with kidney or bladder stones may present symptoms like urinary accidents, straining when peeing and licking around the genitals. Vets can typically prescribe medicine to dissolve the stones, but some dogs may require surgery to get rid of them.

3. Genital injury

Genital injuries in dogs can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including blood in the urine. Such injuries can occur in a variety of ways, from fighting with other dogs to getting trapped in a bush. Not all genital injuries happen on the outside of the skin; inside injuries are possible as well. If you can see cuts or broken skin around your dog's genital area, or you otherwise suspect such an injury, it's best to contact your vet to assess the severity of the injury and work out whether it needs treatment.

4. Kidney disease

Canine kidney disease is another one of the most common causes of blood in a dog's urine. When a dog has canine kidney disease, also known as CKD, its kidneys are unable to filter the blood of a dog's waste products. The most common early signs of kidney disease include frequent urination and increased thirst and excessive licking around their genitals. Unfortunately, CKD can be caused by many factors, from old age to genetic factors to dental infection. Like many diseases, once a dog reaches an advanced stage, your dog may not be able to recover from the condition. As such, if you suspect your dog has CKD, it's important to seek treatment from a vet as soon as possible.

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