Ask Dr Claire

Why is my 12 year old dogs pee dark in colour?

Dark pee is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. In this case, we really need to find the cause of the dark pee so that we can treat your dog’s problem (not just the symptom). This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.

A couple of the common underlying causes of dark pee might be:

• Dehydration (the pee is very concentrated)
• Blood in the urine (i.e infection, urinary stones, inflammation, a clotting disorder, a mass in the bladder, snake bite, a problem with the prostate- very common in older males who aren’t desexed)

A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start. They may even recommend a blood and urine test as a great way to assess your dogs’s base health. It’s handy to take a urine sample in with you to your appointment –  collect it mid-stream into a clean container and keep it refrigerated until the vet looks at it. First urine of the morning is best.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,
Dr Claire