Importance of urinalysis in veterinary practice - A review

Abstract

Urinalysis is a remarkable tool that can reveal many of the diseases that could go unnoticed and undiagnosed because they generally do not produce striking signs or symptoms. Examples include diabetes mellitus, various forms of glomerulonephritis, and chronic urinary tract infections. Observing the colour, transparency, microscopic and chemical characteristics of urine and urinary sediments coupled with microbial culture and sensitivity test is likely to identify majority of the lower urinary tract disorders in domestic animals. Urinalysis though being a readily available and an inexpensive tool for the diagnosis and management of numerous urinary tract abnormalities, it is still a much neglected facet in veterinary medicine. This review is aimed at highlighting the various beneficial aspects of urinalysis which is an indispensable diagnostic tool in veterinary practice.