When naturally occurring Urocatechins (compounds) in horses' urine is oxidised by light after being passed, it causes them to turn orange /red in colour. Sometimes this is mistaken for bloody urine. Normal horse urine is usually cloudy, yellow, foamy are all pretty normal.
Monitor frequency, volume, and colors of your horse's urine. The appearance of a horse's urine can vary depending on several factors, such as diet, water intake, and environmental conditions. Typically, healthy horse urine should be a yellowish or tan colour, indicating proper hydration and normal kidney function.
However, it can range from clear and colourless to dark yellow and cloudy. A note in the University of Minnesota Horse Newsletter points out that equine urine can have a red appearance after it hits snowy ground. While this may look like a sign of kidney problems or another illness, the article explained that a red or orange color in voided urine can be normal in healthy horses.
The hue results from plant metabolites mixing with oxygen and often isn't noticed. Gain valuable insights into the characteristics of normal horse urine to ensure the health and well-being of your equine companion. Learn about color, transparency, odor, volume, and frequency, and identify potential abnormalities for timely veterinary intervention.
Learn about common urinary issues in horses, their impact on health, and effective treatment strategies. How to recognize blood in urine and other changes. Urine appears Dark Brown or Coffee Colored Summary Normal horse urine is clear to yellow-amber in color and a bit cloudy.
Brown or coffee colored urine usual results from muscle damage. Myoglobin is a muscle "pigment", it is the oxygen containing protein in muscle cells. When a muscle is damaged it releases myoglobin into the bloodstream.
Horses have an incredible variety of urinary habits and varying appearance to the urine. This article, through recounting past forum posts and frequently asked questions covers the normal and abnormal of equine urination. Normals, abnormals, and interpretation of equine urinalysis are presented and links to scientific summaries on horse urine and urinalysis are provided.
Horses that present with myoglobinuria have brown-to-red discolored urine and clinical signs of rhabdomyolysis, including stiffness, recumbency, colic, abnormal stance or gait, evidence of muscle pain, and swelling. Normal horse urine appears colorless, yellow or even cloudy yellow as it is voided. The color and cloudiness change as the bladder is fully emptied.
If the urine appears a red, brown or orange color as it is being passed that can indicate a significant problem.