The pH of urine is affected by diet, infections, handling, and acid-base balance. The normal is 6-8 pH. Glucose is not normally detected in urine. Glucosuria can occur with or without hyperglycemia. Acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone are ketones which can be present in the urine. Normally none are detected.
Ketonuria results from increased fat metabolism or deficient carbohydrate metabolism.
Small amounts of conjugated bilirubin are filtered by the kidney. Normal dogs can have detectable bilirubin in their urine. Bilirubin conjugates are not normally found in the urine of horses, sheep, pigs, or cats. It may be increased with hemolytic, hepatic disease and decreased with bile duct blockage, but urine urobilinogen can also be absent in normal dogs. Urine test strips do not differentiate between RBCs, hemoglobin, or myoglobin.