Comparative Evaluation between Visual and Automated Dipstick Urinalyses in Dogs.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary diagnostics
• Clinical pathology

Background:

• Urine test strips offer semi-automated or visual assessment options.
• Comparing these methods is essential for reliable canine urinalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare visual and automated evaluations of canine urine dipstick variables.
• To assess the agreement between two distinct urinalysis methods.

Main Methods:

• 119 canine urine samples were analyzed.
• Automated analysis used URIT-50Vet analyzer with UC VET13 Plus strips.
• Visual evaluation used Multistix 10 SG dipsticks and a refractometer.

Main Results:

• Linear relationship found for pH (p=0.2).
• Poor agreement for specific gravity (p=0.01), ketones (κ=-0.006), and leukocytes (κ=0.100).
• Moderate agreement for protein (κ=0.431), bilirubin (κ=0.434), and glucose (κ=0.450); substantial for blood (κ=0.620).

Conclusions:

• Visual and automated dipstick urinalyses are not interchangeable, except for pH.
• Consistent method application is vital for accurate canine urine sample evaluation.
• Method discrepancies can lead to erroneous diagnostic results.