A pH imbalance can impact his health and well-being, and is associated with a variety of health condition.
When your dog or cat is under the weather, the first thing you do is take him to the vet for a checkup. Whatever his symptoms, there are many potential causes, so it’s always important to get a professional assessment. One of the things you might not take into consideration when trying to determine what’s wrong with your furry friend is his pH levels. Several common diseases that occur in animals can be associated with a pH imbalance. Areas of the body that may be affected include the digestive and urinary systems, as well as the blood.
Red flags to watch for
A pH imbalance can generate a range of symptoms. Digestive signs can include diarrhea, vomiting, itchy skin and anus, yeast infections and bad breath. Animals with urinary pH imbalance may experience increased thirst and frequency of urination, an urgency to urinate, hematuria (bloody urine) or inappropriate urination. Hematological pH issues are usually caused by metabolic disease; common symptoms include chronic vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, dull coat, dehydration and lethargy. Of course, these symptoms can have many different causes, but know that a pH imbalance can sometimes be involved.
The most common illnesses associated with gastric pH imbalance include dysbiosis (leaky gut), systemic yeast infections, or other chronic infections, food intolerances, and irritable bowel-like symptoms.
Healthy digestive pH: 1-2 during digestion and 4-5 when resting.
Testing: The above signs and symptoms are the best way to determine if there is a pH imbalance in the gut, along with an investigation into any other pH imbalances in the body.
A urine pH imbalance is a common cause of urinary dysfunction, including infections and urolithasis (crystals or stones).
Healthy urine pH: Approximately 6.2 to 6.5.
Testing: A urinalysis can be done at your vet’s office to determine the animal’s urine pH.
A pH imbalance of the blood often occurs with underlying metabolic diseases. The most common are acidosis caused by renal failure, and ketoacidosis caused by unregulated diabetes. Other causes include overzealous use of corticosteroids, poisoning and urinary blockages (urolithathis).
Healthy blood pH: Just over 7.
Testing: This can be done at your vet’s office to determine the state of your animal’s glandular function, urine pH and blood pH.
So, the next time your veterinarian recommends a urinalysis you say, “Sure, I’m anxious to see the results of the dipstick and urine sediment. I hope my pet has no red blood cells or casts in the urine.” Won’t your veterinarian be surprised by your intelligence?!
The urine sample is best read within 30 minutes of collection otherwise certain factors (like crystals, bacteria and cells) may alter their composition (dissolve or multiply) over time. If you collect a urine sample at home, please drop it off at your veterinary clinic as soon as possible. At Animal Medical Center of Chicago, we always recommend that a professional staff member collect your pet’s urine sample at our clinic where it can be collected in a sterile manner and immediately analyzed.
A dipstick is a narrow piece of plastic with small strips of chemically impregnated pads that change color depending on the presence of a substance in the urine. A dipstick test can check the following:
For your information, never allow any technician to squeeze your pet’s bladder to collect a urine sample. This is painful and potentially traumatic to the bladder.
Actual timing of urine collection is usually not significant unless we are assessing your pet’s ability to concentrate urine or if we are looking at your pet’s urine cortisol levels when screening for Cushing’s disease. In both these cases we desire first morning urine sample.