How do I collect a urine sample?

Created by Veterinary Parasitology, Modified on Fri, 2 Jan at 10:08 AM by Veterinary Parasitology

The sample should ideally be collected from the first urination of the day (early morning), where possible.
To collect the sample, use a clean container such as a disposable plastic takeaway tub or a shallow bowl. This container should be disposed of after use.
Wait for your dog to begin urinating and carefully position the container under or beside the stream to collect a mid-stream sample.
Using the pipette provided, transfer the urine into the urine sample tube supplied in your collection pack.
Securely package the sample using the absorbent pad provided or a small amount of cotton wool to absorb any leakage during transit.

Collecting a urine sample from cats can be challenging, and it may not always be possible to obtain the first urination of the day.
Prepare a clean litter tray with no litter residue. You may wish to use a separate, inexpensive tray for this purpose.
Add a layer of non-absorbent plastic litter (Katkor) to the tray. This is provided in the collection pack or can be purchased separately.
Ensure the cat you are sampling is the only cat with access to this tray. Other cats should be temporarily separated to avoid contamination.
Check the tray regularly. As soon as your cat has urinated, use the pipette provided to transfer the urine into the urine sample tube supplied.
Package the sample with the absorbent pad provided or cotton wool to absorb any leakage during transit.

Urine samples should be posted the same day whenever possible.
If same-day posting is not possible, store the sample in the refrigerator (4 °C) and post it the following day.
If the sample has been stored for more than 48 hours without being posted, it must be disposed of and a new sample collected, as results may no longer be reliable.