The analysis of your dog's urine at your local animal hospital can be a good way to identify all sorts of health issues that may be affecting your pet. When it comes to collecting urine, there are generally a few options. Some veterinarians will ask you to get a urine sample from the animal at home, and then deliver it to the clinic. Another option is a procedure called cystocentesis, which involves the veterinarian directly removing urine from the dog's bladder with a needle. While this process is more invasive than you collecting urine as the dog relieves itself, it offers the following benefits.

Immediate Results

Depending on your dog's overall health situation, there may be a pressing need to obtain a urine sample and analyze it. If you were to attempt to collect the sample on your own, it could take time. For example, the dog might not urinate for several hours after you leave the animal hospital. Or, it might urinate before you're able to place a shallow plastic container beneath its body. A big benefit of cystocentesis is that it gets quick results. Your vet will draw the urine during your clinic visit and then immediately test it.

Easier

There's no denying that getting a urine sample from your pet can be challenging. Although this is a process that is simple in theory, it can often be difficult to execute. For example, when you approach the animal to slip a container beneath it, the pet may stop urinating because your movement has distracted it. Some dogs might even get aggressive when you disturb them as they urinate. If you feel unsure about your ability to collect a urine sample from your dog, cystocentesis will be a better option.

Less Contamination Risk

Getting urine by cystocentesis ensures that there's no contamination risk that could affect the results of the urine testing. In this procedure, the urine goes straight from the bladder into the syringe. There can be a contamination risk when you attempt to collect the urine manually. For example, if certain bacteria are present in the plastic container that you use, it's possible for the urine test to be inconclusive. This would require you to restart the time-consuming and challenging process of collecting a urine sample. If your veterinarian recommends cystocentesis as a way to get urine from your dog, keep these benefits of this procedure in mind.

For more information, contact an animal hospital near you.