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Blood in Dog Urine: Causes and When It's an Emergency

By the Dog Health Handbook team · Updated · Fact-checked against current veterinary references (see sources)

Key takeaways

  • A urinary tract infection is the most common cause of blood in dog urine.
  • Straining with little or no urine can be a blockage: go to a vet now.
  • Other causes include stones, prostate problems, tumors, kidney disease and rat poison.
  • A female in heat can look like she's peeing blood.
  • Your vet needs a urine test to find the cause.

Table of Contents

Research Causes At the vet Urine sample FAQ Sources

Urinary Quicklinks

Bladder Overview Signs and Symptoms Urinary Incontinence Overview UTI Overview Kidney Disease Kidney Failure Signs Kidney Diet

Blood in a dog's urine (hematuria) can make the urine look pink, red or brown, or show up as drops of blood at the end of urination. Sometimes it can only be seen under a microscope.1,2 The most common cause is a urinary tract infection.3 Others include bladder stones, prostate problems in unneutered males, bladder tumors, kidney disease, injury and clotting problems such as rat poisoning.1,3 In unspayed females, blood from a heat cycle can look like blood in the urine.1,4 This guide covers the causes, which signs are emergencies, what your vet will check, and how to collect a urine sample.

This is an emergency. Go to a vet now if your dog:

  • Is straining or squatting but can't pass urine, or only passes drops. This can mean a blockage, especially in male dogs.1,5,6
  • Has blood in the urine along with vomiting, weakness, lethargy or not eating1
  • May have eaten rat or mouse poison, or has been hit by a car or injured1,7

A complete urinary blockage can be fatal within about 3 days.5 If your dog is peeing normally, eating and acting like themselves, call your vet for an appointment soon.1

What the Research Shows

  • UTIs are common. About 14% of dogs are diagnosed with a bacterial urinary tract infection at some point in their lives, according to a widely cited estimate.8
  • Two stone types dominate. Of more than 66,000 dog urinary stones sent to the Minnesota Urolith Center in 2013, 42% were calcium oxalate and 38% were struvite.9
  • Bladder cancer is uncommon but breed-linked. It makes up about 2% of cancers in dogs, and Scottish Terriers have an 18 to 20 times higher risk.10
  • Prostate enlargement is very common in intact males. Most unneutered male dogs develop benign prostatic enlargement by about 4 to 8 years of age.11

Causes of Blood in Dog Urine

Urinary tract infection

Bladder infections are the most common cause. Dogs may pee more often, strain or have accidents, and blood is often most obvious at the end of the stream. Female dogs are more prone.3,2 Excessive licking of the genitals is another common sign.12 See dog urinary tract infections.

Bladder stones and crystals

Stones irritate the bladder wall, causing blood and straining. The most common types are struvite and calcium oxalate.6,5,9 A stone can block the urethra, which is an emergency and more common in males because their urethra is longer and narrower.6,5 See bladder stones in dogs.

Prostate problems

Unneutered male dogs commonly develop an enlarged prostate. It can cause blood in the urine on and off, blood dripping from the penis between urinations, repeated infections and straining. Neutering is the usual treatment for dogs not used for breeding.11 Older intact males are also prone to prostate infections.2

Bladder tumors

Transitional cell carcinoma (urothelial carcinoma) is the most common bladder tumor in dogs. Signs include blood in the urine, straining and frequent attempts to pee, the same signs a urinary infection causes.13,10 Scottish Terriers are at much higher risk, and Shetland Sheepdogs, Beagles, West Highland White Terriers and Wire Fox Terriers have 3 to 5 times the risk.10 In one study, Scottish Terriers exposed to lawns treated with herbicides and insecticides had about 7 times the odds of bladder cancer.14 Infections that keep coming back in an older dog are worth investigating further.11,10

Kidney problems

Kidney disease, kidney tumors and kidney injury can all cause blood in the urine.1,3 Idiopathic renal hematuria is an uncommon condition of young, large-breed dogs, usually under 2 years old, where bleeding comes from a kidney (sometimes both) without a clear cause.15 The outlook is usually good: in one study of 41 dogs, the median survival was over 4 years.16

Rat poison and clotting problems

Anticoagulant rat and mouse poisons stop blood clotting. Bleeding can appear in the urine, nose, lungs, gut or elsewhere,7 usually 3 to 7 days after the poison is eaten.17 If you think your dog ate rat poison, call your vet or a pet poison helpline right away, even if your dog seems fine, and don't try to make your dog vomit or give any home treatment unless a vet tells you to.17 Low platelets and other bleeding disorders can also cause blood in the urine.3,1

Injury

Being hit by a car, falls and other trauma can injure the kidneys or bladder.1,3

Heat cycle in unspayed females

A female in heat has a bloody discharge from a swollen vulva for about 9 days on average, usually twice a year. It can look like blood in the urine.4,1 If you're not sure, or your spayed female has bloody discharge, see your vet.

What Your Vet Will Check

  • Urinalysis, including a microscope check, since blood isn't always visible.1
  • Urine culture to confirm an infection and choose the right antibiotic. Vets usually prefer to collect this urine directly from the bladder with a fine needle (cystocentesis).18,19 If a bladder tumor is suspected, they may collect urine another way.20
  • X-rays or ultrasound to look for stones, tumors and other changes.1,6
  • Blood tests for kidney function, platelets and clotting.1

How to Collect a Urine Sample

  • First-morning urine is best, because it is the most concentrated.1
  • Use a clean, dry shallow tray or ladle. Wash, rinse and dry it first, because even water can affect the result.21,1
  • Keep your dog on a short leash, slide the tray under them as they start to pee, then pour the urine into a clean, leakproof container.1,21
  • Label it with your dog's name, the date and the time, and refrigerate it if you can't take it in straight away.21,19

If you can't get a sample, your vet can collect one at the clinic.21

Frequently Asked Questions

Is blood in my dog's urine an emergency?

It is if your dog is straining without passing urine, is vomiting, weak or lethargic, may have eaten rat poison, or has been injured. Otherwise, see your vet soon.

My dog has blood in her urine but is acting normal. What should I do?

Book a vet visit soon. A UTI is the most likely cause, but other conditions need ruling out.

Can blood in dog urine go away on its own?

Sometimes it seems to stop, but the cause, such as an infection or stone, may still be there. See your vet.

Can a dog in heat have blood in her urine?

The blood usually comes from the vulva rather than the urine, but it can look the same.

Why is my male dog peeing blood?

Common causes in males include prostate enlargement (in unneutered dogs), infection and bladder stones. Straining without passing urine is an emergency.

What does blood in dog urine look like?

Pink, red or brown urine, or red drops at the end of urination. Sometimes it's only visible under a microscope.

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Sources and further reading

This article was rewritten and fact-checked on October 18, 2026 against current veterinary references and specialist guidelines:

  1. Boldan M. Why Is My Dog Peeing Blood? Causes and When To Call Your Vet. PetMD, July 22, 2024.
  2. Brown SA. Infectious Diseases of the Urinary System in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed June 2018, updated September 2024.
  3. Murphy J. Why is My Dog Peeing Blood and What Should I do? VEG ER for Pets, February 12, 2026.
  4. Davidson AP. Management of Reproduction in Dogs. MSD Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed June 2018, updated June 2026.
  5. Brown SA. Noninfectious Diseases of the Urinary System in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed June 2018, updated May 2026.
  6. Llera R, Hunter T, Ward E. Bladder Stones in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals, updated June 5, 2024.
  7. Khan SA, Schell MM. Rodenticide Poisoning. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed October 2020, updated May 2026.
  8. Fonseca JD, Mavrides DE, Graham PA, McHugh TD. Results of urinary bacterial cultures and antibiotic susceptibility testing of dogs and cats in the UK. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021. doi:10.1111/jsap.13406.
  9. Osborne CA, Lulich JP, Nwaokorie E, Hunprasit V. Canine and feline urolith epidemiology: 1981-2013. dvm360 (Minnesota Urolith Center data), August 1, 2014.
  10. Purdue Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center. Urinary Bladder Cancer Research. Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, updated July 30, 2026.
  11. Merck Veterinary Manual. Dog straining to urinate (case study: benign prostatic hyperplasia). Merck Veterinary Manual case studies, accessed October 2026.
  12. Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center. Urinary Tract Infections. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, accessed October 2026.
  13. Van Vertloo L (reviewed by Carnevale J). Neoplasia of the Urinary System in Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual (professional version), reviewed March 2025, updated April 2025.
  14. Purdue University News Service. Lawn chemicals linked to bladder cancer in Scottish terriers (Glickman et al., JAVMA 2004). Purdue News, April 19, 2004.
  15. Di Donato P, Liuti T, Perez Accino J, Salavati Schmitz S, Trivino A, Longo M. Use of contrast enhanced ultrasound for the diagnosis of idiopathic renal hematuria in a dog. Open Veterinary Journal 9(4):309-312, 2019. doi:10.4314/ovj.v9i4.5.
  16. Authors not shown on fetched page. A retrospective study of canine idiopathic renal haematuria: clinical findings and outcome following medical treatment. Journal of Small Animal Practice (ISSN 1748-5827), University of Cambridge repository, accessed October 2026.
  17. Schmid R, Brutlag A, Gollakner R. Anticoagulant Rodenticide Poisoning in Dogs. VCA Canada (with Pet Poison Helpline), updated May 8, 2026.
  18. Weese JS, Blondeau J, Boothe D, Guardabassi LG, Gumley N, Papich M, Jessen LR, Lappin M, Rankin S, Westropp JL, Sykes J. International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bacterial urinary tract infections in dogs and cats. The Veterinary Journal 247:8-25, 2019.
  19. Sanderson SL. Detecting Disorders of the Kidneys and Urinary Tract in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed June 2018, updated September 2024.
  20. Merck Veterinary Manual. 12-year-old dog with bloody urine (case study). Merck Veterinary Manual case studies, accessed October 2026.
  21. PDSA Vets and Vet Nurses. How to collect a urine sample from your dog. PDSA Pet Health Hub, October 2021.

About this article

Last updated : fully rewritten using Merck Veterinary Manual, ISCAID guidelines, VCA, PetMD, Purdue and Cornell guidance and published research on urinary infections, stones and bladder cancer in dogs; added emergency signs, urine sample steps and an FAQ.

This page is for general information and is not a substitute for an exam by your veterinarian.