Normal dog urine is amber in color – pretty much the same as the urine of humans. As such a dog’s urine that is pink tinged or has a bright red color will cause the human family to panic. Dogs are well loved pets. These animals are constant sources of entertainment. Loyal, loving and protective – these qualities are the reasons why dogs are highly valued pets. Once the trace of blood is seen in the urine, the pet will be rushed to an emergency facility. The condition of the pet may not be as serious as it looks and may not even need a vet’s attention but when it comes to the wellbeing of the pet it would be much better to err on the safe side. Moreover, prompt treatment means quick recovery.

The blood in the dog’s urine can be due to urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infection affects 14% of dogs worldwide. There are two types of UTI. One is upper urinary tract infection and the other is lower urinary tract infection. The dog’s urination abnormalities are associated with lower urinary tract infection. Fever, painful and frequent urination and urine that is tinged with blood are the common symptoms. Urinalysis will check the severity of the dog’s condition. A course of antibiotic is the common treatment for urinary tract infection. The blood in the dog’s urine can be caused by bladder stones. Bladder stone is not an infectious disease but it will cause the dog immense discomfort and pain when urinating. Small stones can be passed with the urine but larger ones will block the passage of urine and scrape the walls of the urethra raw so that the dog would have blood in the urine. Bloody urine passed by an intact male dog can be due to an infected prostate. Inflamed prostate glands will make urination difficult. The dog will run a temperature, would strain to urinate and pass bloody urine. In intact female dogs, blood in the urine can be caused by uterine infections. Just as with prostate infection, the female dog will have painful urination. Aside from blood in the urine, the female dog will have foul smelling vaginal discharge. Infections will be cleared up by antibiotics.

Apart from being voracious eaters, dogs are very active animals that have the propensity to wander. Blood in the urine can be caused by toxic substances that the dog has ingested. Rat poison would cause bloody discharge. Because these types of poison contain chemicals that will prevent the blood from clotting, dogs that have ingested these poisons would pass bloody urine. Blood in the dog’s urine can be due to injuries that have caused internal bleeding. Dogs are indiscriminate eaters and a sharp foreign object may have been ingested and punctured the stomach. This condition will result to dark urine because the blood will be mixed with the digestive juices in the stomach of the dog. The dog can sustain internal injuries from accidents or from fights with other dogs and larger animals. Internal bleeding can cause the blood to flow and be excreted from the dog’s body along with the urine.

There are various reasons why the dog would have blood in its urine. Whatever the cause, treatment would certainly be necessary. Treatment for the dog’s condition will be focused in treating the underlying cause. To diagnose the condition of the pet, urinalysis and other laboratory procedures must be done. Once the cause is known, the dog can receive appropriate treatment. A course of antibiotic will take care of the dog’s infection. Bladder stones may require surgery. Urinary tract infections have the tendency to recur. Alternative remedies that include high quality food, the right amount of exercise will help in maintaining the health of the dog’s urinary tract system.