Red Urine, better to be safe than sorry?

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This topic has 12sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by Elrohwen.

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- 02/16/2011 at 10:17 AM
  Alika613
  Participant
  52 posts
  So today I noticed that my rabbit, Victoria, had reddish urine. I’m tempted to describe it as a tomato-pinkish color. I called my vet immediately, but she was out so they forwarded me to the next nearest vet (an hour away). They said it’s usually nothing to worry about, but they set me up with an appointment anyways.
  
  Now that I’ve had some down time to google red urine in rabbits it seems that it’s fairly common and not usually something worth worrying about. I’m not exactly low on money, but I’m slightly kicking myself that I had to schedule an apointment far away and rework some of my plans.
  
  I believe it’s better to be safe than sorry. What do you guys think? If the vet says that it’s not a sign of poor health, then does that mean I can just ignore all future red urine? I read that it’s rarely blood, but I suspect that if it were blood it would be serious and Victoria would likely change in her eating habbits and behavior. Does that mean red urine might only be a problem if coupled with other symptoms?
  
  I’m sure I can ask this vet all these questions when I see him, but I was wondering what you guys think.
  
  Oddly enough, Victoria is my second rabbit and this is the first time it has happened.
  
  Hopefully it’s nothing serious! -Alika
- 02/16/2011 at 10:26 AM
  highway234
  Participant
  72 posts
  does it smell funny? i guess that’s what i would do, have a sniff and see if it smelled like blood. but i’m not a vet, maybe that’s just crazy.
  
  if not, and if the vet and the intertoobs are both saying it’s usually nothing to worry about, i think i’d wait and go take her to your regular nearby vet when she comes back.
- 02/16/2011 at 10:29 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Most rabbit urine comes in a variety of colors from brown, to red, to orange – sometimes the change in color is due to medications, food, etc…it isn’t usually anything to worry about.
- 02/16/2011 at 10:31 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Here’s a good article on this:
  
  http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-1/red-urine.html
- 02/16/2011 at 10:40 AM
  Alika613
  Participant
  52 posts
  Posted By Sarita on 02/16/2011 10:31 AM
  
  Here’s a good article on this:
  
  http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-1/red-urine.html
  
  Haha, that’s the one I read that made me go “ooops, maybe I panicked too soon.”
- 02/16/2011 at 3:18 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  I voted for number 2. If she seems fine otherwise, and you see no other symptoms, you can cancel your appointment if it’s not within 24 hours. If the appt. isn’t for a few days, then watch the urine. I understand that blood in the urine is actually darker, once it hits air. The red is normal.
- 02/16/2011 at 5:12 PM
  cactuspancake
  Participant
  536 posts
  I know that if there is urine present it’s usually in minute amounts that wouldn’t cause the urine to change color. I would only be alarmed in an adult female that’s not spayed. I know it has a lot to do with what they eat, not necessarily the color of the food. Franz has red pee about half the time. It changes color about 3 times a day lol. He doesn’t get it when I feed him just lettuce, pellets, and hay. He totally gets it from strawberries, carrots, swiss chard, and something else not orange.
- 02/17/2011 at 4:46 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Cactus makes an excellent point, reddish urine in an adult, unspayed female would cause me to worry a bit, just because of the incredibly high incidence of cancer.
  
  But with that said, I also thought actual BLOOD in urine did not just color the urine red, but instead it would show up “swirled” in the urine.
- 02/17/2011 at 5:30 AM
  GrumpyBun
  Participant
  643 posts
  Posted By Beka27 on 02/17/2011 04:46 AM
  
  But with that said, I also thought actual BLOOD in urine did not just color the urine red, but instead it would show up “swirled” in the urine.
  
  I believe that is correct, Beka. Certainly when Oxo had blood in his urine it was distinct streaks – it was noticeably seperate from the urine.
- 02/17/2011 at 5:33 AM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  Right. Did I read that it clots too? In other words, it’s not liquid pee for long, but changes consistency when hit with air so it’s more recognizable?
- 02/17/2011 at 1:50 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  I agree with Option 2- I’m pretty parinoid about my bunnies health as most here would attest- lol. But I have learned that my rabbits get red pee from a few different things. Castus mentioned Swiss Chard and I’ve found it to be a major culprit, even if it’s green swiss chard. Bunbun has had a UTI and bladder sludge so I have a few things I watch for in the litter box- posturing, straining, repeated urination especially small amounts, digging around in the litter looking aggravated, and of course, bladder skludge, that beige thick chalky stuff. Red urine doesn’t bother me though . Defintely any weird red streaks or red drops separate from the urine would warrant a trip to the vet though.
- 02/17/2011 at 5:54 PM
  cactuspancake
  Participant
  536 posts
  right; unless the rabbit has anemia, IF there is blood in the urine, it wouldn’t bee too much different than menstrual blood as in it would clot.
- 02/19/2011 at 4:25 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Red urine is extremely common. Bloody urine looks completely different (brownish) so anything that is reddish orange is normal. Hannah always has deep orange/red urine while Otto’s is yellow and slightly cloudy – they eat the same diet, so it’s just differences between them.
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