1356. An old pug X in the quarantine had black turbid urine

On Sunday, I received a phone call to treat a 12-year-old pug X in the Sembawang Quarantine.  I asked Dr Daniel to do the house-call but the Quarantine is closed on Sundays.

"Bring along a container to collect the urine," I said to him. Usually, no urine is collected as the vet just gave the antibiotic injection.  He went on Monday and got a bottle of black turbid urine. Black urine indicated a serious infection. 

Today, April 22, 2014, I phoned the Quarantine. "No blood seen in the urine," AVA officer Bong told me. I phoned the owner at 11.45 am to tell her the results of the urine test. She said: "The dog is much more active today, after the injection."

Urine black, turbid
pH 9.0  SG 1.005, Protein 3+, Blood 4+, WBC & RBC >2250, Crystals triple phosphate occasional, bacteria 3+

ADVICES TO OWNER
1. As the dog still has 3 weeks in quarantine, the infections of the bladder may return.
2. S/D diet is recommended if the urinary stones are small, but no X-rays can be done yet as the dog is in quarantine.  S/D diet will not dissolve the stones if they are large and X-rays are needed to confirm.
3. The owner decides to wait and see.  S/D diet does acidify the urine too preventing recurrences to a degree. It is hard for the owner to understand the factors causing triple phosphate or struvite formation including an alkaline pH of 9.0 and bacteria urease.  

UPDATE ON MAY 1, 2014
No more blood in the urine. The dog is active and is in Sembawang Quarantine till the end of April. An X-ray has been advised, to check if there are urinary stones. The owner said she would do it.