Livestock Disease Summaries

नेपाली भाषा

Urine Dipstick Test

Urine is the fluid the kidneys make from blood plasma though a complex process of absorption and secretion. The chemical composition of urine therefore reflects the function of many body systems including the kidneys themselves.

A common and very easy method to analyze urine is by using a “dipstick” that has pads that react by changing color depending on the concentration of different chemicals in blood. The technique for using dipsticks is very simple:

• Dip the dipstick into a sample of urine that was freshly collected into a clean container.
• Shake off excess urine.
• Wait the appropriate time and compare the color on the dipstick pads to the color charts on the tube the dipsticks come in.

Although this is a very easy test to perform, there are some cautions to observe:

• Keep the jar of dipsticks tightly closed and away from excessive heat or cold – do not leave in the sun or refrigerate.
• In most cases, a bag of desiccant (powder) is present in the jar to keep the dipsticks dry – do not remove this desiccant.
• Different pads have different times for reading after you dip into urine – those times are listed on the jar.
• Do not touch the pads on the dipstick with your fingers or otherwise get them dirty

You can store urine for up to 1 day before analyzing it with a dipstick, but it should be refrigerated immediately after collection.

So how do you collect urine from an animal like a cow? Many times, a brief massage will cause the animal to urinate as shown in this exciting video.

Dipsticks are sold with a variable number of pads. Some common tests that are present on dipsticks are listed in the following table.

Test Pad	Interpretation
Bilirubin	Normally negative. Increased levels may indicate: Liver or gallbladder damage or disease Blocked bile ducts Excessive destruction of red blood cells
Blood	Should be negative. Positive results may indicate: Trauma, inflammation or infection in the urinary tract Kidney stones
Glucose	Should be negative (you cannot detect low blood glucose). Positive results may indicate: Diabetes Kidney kidney disease Taking certain drugs
Ketones	Elevated levels indicate that the animal is metabolizing excessive fat for energy, as is seen in ketosis.
Leukocytes	Not considered accurate in animals – do not report results of this test
Nitrites	Not considered accurate in animals – do not report results of this test
pH	Kidneys can produce either acidic or basic urine, depending on pH of blood. The pH of urine in ruminants is usually basic.
Protein	Elevated levels may indicate inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
Specific gravity	Values can vary greatly, and this test is generally not valuable. Increased values may indicate dehydration.
Urobilinogen	Increased or decreased levels may indicate: Liver disease or damage Obstruction of bile ducts in liver Certain drugs (some types of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs) my result in elevated levels of urobilinogen.

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