Hi all! I have a quick question...is it possible for blood and wbc in urine to not show up on a dipstick but to show up during a urinalysis? My cat hasn't been feeling well so I got a urine sample yesterday, it was dark brown/amber. I did a dipstick test on it and everything was normal except a bit of protein. So I took the same sample to the vet, they did a urinalysis yesterday which showed blood and wbc. They put her on amoxi drops for a U.T.I. Also, the dipstick didn't show any bilirubin either, which I thought might lead to the dark color, and I'm sure it didn't show up with the urinalysis since the vet didn't mention it. Why would blood and wbc not show on a dipstick but show on a urinalysis? Any help is appreciated!
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Blood/wbc Found In Urine With Urinalysis But Not On Dipstick
- Thread starter stacy_s
- Start Date
Having worked in a medical lab for several years, I can tell you that the lab test is far more sensitive and complex than the dipstick, and often finds things missed by the latter. LOL, it is kinda like the difference between going through the woods with an incandescent flashlight and going through the woods with a halogen spotlight. The flashlight will let you see the most obvious stuff, but the spot will reveal stuff you never knew was there!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you. That does make sense! I just figured that there must be a lot of blood in her urine since it's such a dark color that it for sure would show up on the dipstick, so that's why I was confused. Would blood make her urine turn such a color? From what I googled it looks like bilirubin urine, but that would have shown in a urinalysis. She is urinating frequently in smaller amounts. So I'm hopeful her being sick is just from a UTI. Thank you again!
Urine can also get a dark color simply from being condensed, so to speak. You often see it with dehydration in both humans and animals.
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- #5
Thank you! The vet did not mention anything about the color of the urine when I got the results yesterday. I just now called and he said it could be dehydration or liver. I did the dehydration test with her skin, it goes down fast most of the way and then takes a couple seconds for the rest to go down. She has been having diarrhea also so he told me to try subq fluids. If that doesn't work I have to take her in for bloodwork. I have another question...her urine not only was dark but it was a bit thicker than usual urine. When I did the diptsick test it didn't drip off the sides like I'm used to seeing, it sort of just stayed there and discolored the strip. Could this be a symptom of dehyrdation? Thank you all again!
I don't know, and I haven't been able to find anything on that, specifically, when I search. Commonsense says, yeah, maybe...but I'm no vet. And my human medical experience is psychological and respiratory, so there you have it. Sounds like she does have some dehydration but it doesn't seem to be severe yet, so you're starting preventative measures before it becomes life-threatening.
Keep me posted! I'm rooting for the two of you!
Keep me posted! I'm rooting for the two of you!
