Home testing your pet’s urine

People ask us how difficult it is to test their dog or cat’s urine at home and are genuinely surprised at how easy it is.

Really there are just 3 basic steps:

1.  Collecting a urine sample

2. Putting a drop of urine on each of the test pads

3. Reading and recording the results

We explain each step and the whole process takes just 5 minutes.  You will feel like a pro after your first test.

Accuracy of home urine test for pets

Direct from our manufacturer of ThePetCheckup test strips on the subject of false negatives/false positives:

We put every lot of ThePetCheckup strips through a strenuous quality control process that includes a multi-level system of quality testing using special urinalysis controls that show negative, low positive, and high positive results. This testing is specifically designed to ensure that only the highest quality products are released into the market for animal testing.  Each lot of ThePetCheckup has been tested and passed a quality control process specifically meant to ensure that false negatives/positives are not encountered during use.  On top of the intense quality testing process, each individual test is packaged with its own desiccant in order to ensure that the product lasts throughout the entire shelf life and is unaltered when the end user opens the pouch and uses the test.

What does a urinalysis test for dogs and cats do?

A urinalysis test for pets checks for levels of specific chemicals in your pet’s urine.

Abnormal levels of certain chemicals can be a sign of specific illnesses.

To perform the test, you apply drops of your pet’s urine to a test strip and wait 30-60 seconds. The areas where you placed the urine will change color and an easy-to-read chart will let you know if there are abnormalities present.

This is an easy and inexpensive way to see if your animal is experiencing or potentially developing an illness in between veterinary visits as it can give indications of illness before there are any outward signs.

If your ThePetCheckup test indicates an imbalance your veterinarian will do further testing to give you a diagnosis.  If detected early, 74.7% of common diseases in dogs and 63% of common diseases in cats can be prevented by dietary modifications alone over a one-year period.

How often should you test with pet home urine test?

Our veterinary advisors have all agreed that testing your animals once per month (in addition to routine veterinary care) at about the same time of day is best.

If the test shows an imbalance, retest the animal within 48 hours. If you still find an imbalance, we recommend that you consult your veterinarian.

Trace imbalances should be recorded in the Results Chart and watched over time to see if there are any changes.  As explained in the booklet, some trace results such as blood or glucose require immediate attention as it is not normal to have either spilling into your pet’s urine.

Good advice for pet owners regarding medications

Remember the TV show Emergency Vets?  It was on several years ago and I was a big fan.

One of the veterinarians, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald had some good advice recently regarding all medications that you keep in your home.  He said to make sure everything is clearly labelled in case your dog gets into the meds somehow and has a snack.  That way, the veterinarian will know just what your pet has eaten.

It saves a lot of time and will let your vet know if a remedy is needed to counteract possible side effects.

Of  course the best thing is to make sure they are out of reach, but accidents happen and I thought that was good advice.

2013 wish for the animals

We want to send our customers and their extended families our best wishes for this new year.  It is such a privilege to be connected to so many people who cherish their animal companions and take such good care of their health.  We thank everyone who has let us into their lives and let us know how our product is helping their animals to live healthier and happier lives.

We are making some changes/additions to our website and welcome any testimonials and pictures that you would like to share.

It is our wish that 2013 will bring more compassion and respect to the animal kingdom.  We hope to see a significant decrease in the number of homeless pets and stricter laws concerning animal abuse.

Thank you to everyone who is working towards this goal. May you know how important your work is and how very much it is appreciated.

 

 

Jane Goodall and shelter dog at Rose Bowl Parade New Years Day

Happy New Year!  With our best wishes to you all for the coming year!  May it be full of wonderful adventures for you and your animal companions.

This is a nice way to start off the new year:

Jane Goodall was chosen to be the Grand Marshall at this year’s Rose Bowl Parade.  She was accompanied by Chuck, a German Shepherd mix dog currently living at Best Friends Animal Society and looking for his forever home.

Also featured was Lucca, also a German Shepherd mix, and a veteran of three deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You can read more about them in this great article from Earth in Transition: