Just a pondering, really. I'm not worried about mine at all. But, when it comes to us humans, I'm a great advocate of using wee as an indicator of how your hydration is. If it's too dark, you're dehydrated. I aim for a light straw colour. TMI? But, now I have pooches, I've noticed the vast difference in the colour of other dogs' wee. The snow makes it pretty obvious! My two don't drink an awful lot, but I do put a fair amount of water in their kibble and they have raw meat, too, which obviously has a higher water content. Their wee is quite pale. But I would say the majority of other dogs produce MUCH darker wee - some alarmingly so - which, to me, screams of dehydration. What do you think? Where these dogs belong to friends, do you think it's something I should mention in a gentle way, or keep my beak out?
Re: Dog wee - colour? I would say that wee colour means the same thing in dogs as it does in humans, so dark wee means some level of dehydration. But as long as the dogs have access to water at all times when at home I don't think that the odd darkish wee when out and about is a big problem. I think it's a bit of a tricky one and even if you commented on it any change is unlikely as it's sadly a rare person who goes 'oh yes, how blind I was, I accept your critique of my dog husbandry as valid, and I will change my practices forthwith'
Re: Dog wee - colour? [quote author=Oberon link=topic=9265.msg133074#msg133074 date=1419847693] I would say that wee colour means the same thing in dogs as it does in humans, so dark wee means some level of dehydration. But as long as the dogs have access to water at all times when at home I don't think that the odd darkish wee when out and about is a big problem. I think it's a bit of a tricky one and even if you commented on it any change is unlikely as it's sadly a rare person who goes 'oh yes, how blind I was, I accept your critique of my dog husbandry as valid, and I will change my practices forthwith' [/quote] Haha, exactly!! Although there's more roundabout ways of doing it with people you know, especially ones who are interesting in their own health, fitness and wellbeing - you just tag a "I look for the same in my dogs" on the end of talking about why the "8 cups a day" is a nonsense. But you're probably right and it's nothing really to worry about. It just astounded me how many dogs have such dark coloured wee. I'm a bit obsessed with toilet stuff though
Re: Dog wee - colour? Charlie drinks water like it's going to run out - seriously, I'm forever filling his bowl. Although splashing it all over the kitchen floor is part of the fun, I think. : He still has dark wee sometimes. Particularly when he has been "saving it". He can't waste wee, you know. It's got to be carefully horded and shared out along the walk so those sprinkles go as far as possible.... [quote author=Oberon link=topic=9265.msg133074#msg133074 date=1419847693] 'oh yes, how blind I was, I accept your critique of my dog husbandry as valid, and I will change my practices forthwith' [/quote] ;D ;D ;D
Re: Dog wee - colour? [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=9265.msg133079#msg133079 date=1419849022]I'm a bit obsessed with toilet stuff though [/quote] ;D A perfectly healthy obsession, I'm sure.
Re: Dog wee - colour? [quote author=Oberon link=topic=9265.msg133081#msg133081 date=1419849608] [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=9265.msg133079#msg133079 date=1419849022]I'm a bit obsessed with toilet stuff though [/quote] ;D A perfectly healthy obsession, I'm sure. [/quote] Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one. Seriously what with my old lab having colitis and these two having had bladder infections I'm now totally obsessed and paranoid about all waste produced by my dogs. :
