Mucus In A Dog's Urine

Healthy dogs have transparent or slightly yellow urine without any traces of solid material, like mucus. Mucus in dog urine is a sign of an infection or something else that is making your dog sick. With either blood or mucus in dog urine, the cause can be something serious or something minor. Either way, it needs to be investigated.

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There are quite a few reasons you might see mucus in a dog's urine. Mucus is a sign of inflammation, which can be caused by several different things, including bacteria, crystals, and bladder stones. These can occur in dogs of any age, including puppies.

If your dog has mucus in their urine or is showing any other signs of a bladder infection, your veterinarian can help you determine the appropriate course of treatment. This is especially important because bladder infections are just one type of urinary tract infection (UTI). Your dog could also have an infection elsewhere in their urinary tract, which may cause kidney disease. Recurring infection can cause bladder or kidney stones.

Your dog may have an infection even if you aren't seeing a jellylike substance in their urine. For example, your dog may have cloudy urine and may strain to urinate. You might also notice that they are licking at their genitals frequently. If left untreated, bacteria from an infection can move further up the urinary tract into the ureters and kidneys.

Male dogs may experience prostate issues, especially if they are not neutered. Some changes to the prostate can be normal as the dog ages, but there are some signs to watch for. Changes in your dog's urine, constipation, and blood-tinged fluid on their bedding can all be signs of prostatic disease.

A bacterial prostate infection called prostatitis is rare in neutered male dogs but is much more likely if a dog is not neutered. This infection can come on suddenly, and in some cases, it could develop into a long-term, chronic condition. Signs of this infection can include back pain, abdominal pain, depression, and a stiff gait in the dog's hind limbs.

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A female dog can experience vaginitis, which is the medical term referring to inflammation of the vagina or vestibule. Common signs of vaginitis include frequent urination, licking the vaginal area, scooting or rubbing the vaginal area on grass or carpet, and thick dog pee caused by mucus or other discharge. Vaginitis can appear in any female dog at any age, whether spayed or not.

There are several possibilities of underlying causes for vaginitis in addition to urinary tract infections. Your dog may be suffering from urinary incontinence, vaginal tumors, or foreign bodies. Her vulva might also be contaminated by feces.

A bacterial infection of the uterus in female dogs is another cause of mucus in dog urine. This is called pyometra, and it is a life-threatening condition. Pyometra most commonly occurs in older, nonspayed females four to six weeks after a heat cycle. Following a heat cycle, the uterine walls thicken. As they thicken, it can cause the uterus to not squeeze together to push out fluids, which causes an infection.

Pyometra can manifest in different ways depending on whether the cervix (the opening to the uterus) is open or closed. If the cervix is open, you will see foul-smelling vaginal discharge with mucus. The infection is leaving the body. In a closed-cervix situation, the infection cannot leave the body, so it builds up and then leaks into the bloodstream and abdomen, leading to shock and death.

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Bladder stones can form due to infections, a dietary problem, or a problem with the body's metabolism. If the urine becomes saturated with a compound that is known to form crystals in urine due to whatever cause, the urine starts to form crystals. The sharp crystals irritate the bladder lining, which causes mucus production. Over time, the crystals and the mucus may combine to form larger, harder stones. These stones can become as large as the size of a plum or even an orange if left untreated.

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When your dog is showing any signs or symptoms of an issue with their urinary system, it's important to have a urinalysis done. Your veterinarian can use a sterile needle and syringe to collect urine from the bladder, or they might use a narrow catheter to withdraw urine from the bladder. Then, your veterinarian will look for any abnormalities or the presence of bacteria in the urine sample.

Additionally, more tests may be required. In some cases, your veterinarian may need to have a urine culture and sensitivity done to determine which type of bacteria is causing the infection. This information will help your veterinarian decide which antibiotic will work best to treat that particular infection. Other times, your veterinarian may need to perform bloodwork, an ultrasound, or an X-ray to investigate another underlying cause for your dog's symptoms.

When a dog has mucus in their urine, it could be a sign of several types of health issues. Some issues can affect all dogs, while others are only present in female or male dogs. The best thing you can do for your dog is to contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice any abnormalities. If your dog is not yet spayed or neutered, you may also want to talk to your veterinarian about scheduling the procedure to reduce the chances of your dog developing some of the more serious infections. Unfortunately, some infections can quickly become serious and even life-threatening if left untreated.