What Are the Causes of Blood in Dog Urine?

For any dog owner, the mere sight of blood in your dog's urine can be frightening. However, there are many causes of blood in dog urine, and not all are serious. If you notice blood in your dog's urine the first thing you should do is re-evaluate your dog's health history. Situations such as infection, parasites or recent trauma can all cause blood in dog urine.

  1. Infections

    • The most common cause of blood in dog urine is a urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection can present in the urethra, the bladder or the kidneys. Dogs with a urinary tract infection not only will have blood present in their urine but also will exhibit the need to urinate frequently, according to iVillage.com.

    Poisons

    • Toxins ingested by your dog can cause blood in its urine, according to DoctorDog.com. Warfarin, for example, is a toxin used to kill several species of rodents. When ingested, warfarin will cause the rodent to bleed to death. If your dog has bloody urine, consider exposure to rodent poisons as a possible cause.

    Internal Injuries

    • If your dog was hit by a car or has suffered a trauma such as a fall, any internal injuries may cause blood in the urine. In cases such as these, you may not even know something serious has happened to your dog, as the dog may appear to be fine. Bloody urine can be an indication that some sort of trauma has been experienced, according to iVillage.com.

    Bladder Stones

    • Dogs that experience bladder stones will often have the presence of blood in the urine. Painful urination is another sign of bladder stones. According to iVillage.com, bladder stones are frequently very small and sharp. The edge of the stone sometimes scrapes the urethra, causing pain and bleeding. Some dogs pass these stones without exhibiting any indication of a problem while others are obviously in a great deal of discomfort.