Agreement between two methods for measuring urine pH in cats and dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To compare urine pH of cats and dogs determined by use of a dipstrip and a pH meter.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
109 urine samples from 88 cats that were clinically normal or had signs of irritative urination, 52 samples from 13 clinically normal dogs, and 3 samples from 3 dogs with urinary tract infections.


METHODS
Measurements of urine pH were obtained by use of a dipstrip and pH meter, and degree of agreement between measurements was evaluated.


RESULTS
Mean difference (+/- 2 SD) between the 2 methods was 0.1 +/- 0.9 pH units. Only 65 of 164 (40%) samples measured by use of a dipstrip were within 0.25 pH units of results obtained by use of the pH meter.


CONCLUSIONS
When an accurate measurement of urine pH is critical for clinical decision making, the measurement should be made by use of a pH meter. Dipstrips typically are not accurate enough to be clinically useful.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA.
K J
KJ
Heuter
C A
CA
Buffington
D J
DJ
Chew
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000652:urine*; D004285:Dogs / Q000652:urine*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*