URINALYSIS TECHNIQUES FOR SWINE PRACTITIONERS

Practical urinalysis procedures allow practitioners to assess porcine urinary tract infections as well as the impact of altered availability of water on the health of the breeding herd. Common urinalysis techni ques for field use with gestating sows are described in this article. Quality control, collection techniques, gross examination, and physica l characteristics (including expected volume and the significance of c hanges in odor, color, and transparency) of urine are discussed. Urine concentration is considered in regard to water use. Also considered a re the application, limitations, and interpretation of certain chemica l tests performed with commercially available reagent sticks. A step-b y-step in-office procedure for analysis of urine, including sediment e xamination, is appended. The article provides expected urinalysis resu lts based on analysis of 1397 samples obtained from 22 herds of gestat ing sows.