In the horse, the kidneys play a large role in calcium excretion. The cloudiness seen in horse urine are calcium crystals (primarily calcium carbonate) being excreted. Mucus is secreted by the kidneys. It serves to protect the ureteral, bladder and urethral mucosa from calcium crystal deposition.
Normal horse urine is most frequently yellow to near colourless but can often appear 'creamy' coloured; this may be seen just at the start or the end of the stream and occasionally throughout. This change is due to the presence of calcium carbonate crystals in the urine, which is quite normal in horses.
Bladder Infection in Horses
Signs of cystitis include loss of control over urination, frequent urination, urine dribbling, urine scalding, and straining to urinate. There may also be blood in the urine. If nerve damage is the cause, other signs such as paralysis of the anus or tail may also occur.
Horses that are well hydrated produce large volumes of relatively clear (dilute) urine. Many stabled horses drink more water than they need to (a habitual problem), and much of that water is lost as dilute urine. Very clear urine is also typical of well hydrated young foals.
Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.
Clear or colorless pee
Pee that's completely colorless and looks like water is a sign that you're overhydrated. (Yep, that's a real thing.) Too much water in your system can dilute your body's delicate balance of water, sodium and electrolytes. Being overhydrated can lead to something called water intoxication.
Is clear urine always a good thing? In most cases, clear urine is a sign that you're well hydrated. And that's a positive thing because good hydration helps your body function at its best. But, in some cases, clear pee may mean that you're drinking too much water and you're too hydrated.
Horses tend to absorb excessive calcium from the intestine and then eliminate it via urine, which gives it a cloudy/milky appearance. Urine is bubbly when first passed due to containing mucus, which acts as a lubricant to prevent calcium carbonate crystals from turning into stones.
Give the inside of your horse's upper lip a swipe. It should feel moist with saliva and shiny. Colors such as white or purple on its mucous membrane indicate signs of dehydration. But if it begins to feel dry and the eyes look sticky, this may be a sign of dehydration.
Normal fresh equine urine is light to dark yellow and clear to cloudy. Urine specific gravity measurement should be performed using a well maintained and calibrated refractometer; dipstick values can be unreliable.
Symptoms of Intestinal Bacterial Infections in Horses. In the mild form of salmonella, as well as in the early stages of infection, your horse may have little or no diarrhea but suffer from a fever as well as mild stomach discomfort.
The main symptoms include fever, abscesses in the upper respiratory tract, discharge of mucus or pus from the nose and swollen lymph nodes. Horses may also have difficulty swallowing and exhibit noisy breathing. Antibiotics may be used to treat this condition; although there are pros and cons to this route.
The normal color of urine from a healthy dog or cat is transparent yellow. Veterinarians sometimes refer to this color as “straw yellow,” “pale gold,” “amber,” or “clear yellow.” The most accurate way to assess urine color is to examine it in a clear plastic or glass container against a white background.
Physical, biochemical, and cytologic properties of synovial fluid from normal equine tarsal joints were investigated. Tarsal synovial fluid was pale yellow, clear, free of flocculent material, and did not clot. Volume varied in direct proportion to individual tarsal joint size.
Normal dog urine should be yellow. The “shade” of yellow can normally range from pale or “straw-colored” to amber, based on your dog's hydration status and a few other factors, but it should be yellow nonetheless.
Pinch the skin near the point of the shoulder. If the skin snaps back quickly your horse is sufficiently hydrated. If it takes the skin two to four seconds to snap back, your horse is moderately dehydrated. If it takes longer than four seconds for the skin to snap back, your horse is severely dehydrated.
When they start showing signs of exhaustion or dehydration, you can give them electrolyte pastes and other water additives such as “horse quencher.” In severe conditions the fastest way to hydrate the horse is through the vet administering IV fluid.
Horses have a very good sense of smell and taste and will refuse to drink, even to the point of dehydration, if their water supply is polluted, stagnant or sometimes even if the water supply changes suddenly – irrespective of whether the water is clean or not.
This accumulation of waxy material is called 'smegma'. It may be black, grey or cream colored in normal horses and has a slightly greasy feel. It occasionally forms into bean-shaped lumps that lodge in the urethral fossa and sinus. Some horses produce very little smegma whereas others produce large quantities.
In non-pregnant mares, the most common cause is thought to be increased prolactin secondary to equine Cushing's disease (ECD) (2,4). In healthy animals, dopamine is secreted by the hypothalamus, inhibiting hormone secretion from the pituitary pars intermedia (6).
When you're healthy and hydrated, your urine should fall somewhere between colorless and the color of light straw and honey. When you don't consume enough fluids, your urine becomes more concentrated and turns a darker yellow or amber color.
When your kidneys are failing, a high concentration and accumulation of substances lead to brown, red, or purple urine. Studies suggest the urine color is due to abnormal protein or sugar as well as high numbers of cellular casts and red and white blood cells.
As a general rule of thumb, it's usually a good sign for your health when the color of your urine is a pale shade of yellow. If you have urine that resembles another color, you should be aware that this is not normal. Abnormal colored urine may look clear, orange/brown/amber, pink/red, or even green/blue.
If your urine is clear and you're not on a water pill or drinking a lot of water, it may signal an underlying kidney problem or possibly diabetes.