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Did you know that monitoring your dog’s urine is a good thing? The reason is that a dog’s pee can provide clues about his health and what issues he may be having.
Has your dog’s pee started smelling like onions? Are you worried your dog could be sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog shows concerning symptoms like this.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what could cause a dog’s urine to smell like onions and what you can do to help your dog. Let’s get started!
What Causes a Dog’s Pee to Smell Like Onions?
Any change in your dog’s urine could indicate there’s a health issue going on. What would cause your dog’s urine to smell like onions? There are several causes for this.
1). Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections (also called UTIs) are a very common problem of smelly urine in dogs. Most UTIs are caused by E. coli or other bacteria. However, UTIs may also be caused by an overgrowth of fungi in the urinary tract.
UTIs can cause pee to smell bad (like onions) and more. For instance, a UTI may cause a dog’s urine to have a different color. Sometimes a UTI causes the urine to become cloudy or even red (with blood). Dogs may also cry when urinating, which means they’re in pain.
If a UTI isn’t treated, it can easily lead to more serious medical conditions.
2). Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is another common problem in dogs. The kidneys work to filter waste products out of the body. These waste products are then excreted through the urine. When kidney disease sets in, this means the organs are not able to function correctly.
The urine they produce may be more concentrated, which could make the pee smell like onions, chemicals, and more.
3). A Change in Diet
A change in diet may also cause a dog’s pee to become strong smelling. Foods such as fish and asparagus have been known to cause a dog’s urine to smell bad. And eating too many vitamins, for instance, vitamin B6 can lead to smell pee in dogs.
So, figure out if your dog has started a new diet. If so, could this be causing the problem? If it is, you may still want to consider talking with the vet about your fur baby’s smelly urine. It could be your dog is eating too much of the food, which leads to foul-smelling pee.
What to Do If Your Dog’s Urine Smells Like Onions
The best thing to do is to call the vet. They have the knowledge and experience to determine what’s causing your dog’s pee to smell like onions.
The first test a vet will try is a urinalysis. This is a relatively easy and inexpensive test. If there’s an infection, the vet will see it in the urine sample. Then they’ll be able to treat it right away.
The good news is that dogs who suffer from a UTI have an excellent chance of making a complete recovery with prompt medical treatment. On the other hand, a UTI left untreated can lead to very serious health problems. Be sure to get your dog to the vet ASAP so that he can feel better! And his pee will smell better, too!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kyoko
Kyoko is from a family of 3 and moved to New York with her parents and siblings when she was 13. Kyoko is fond of spending a great amount of time with pets, specifically her beagle Luna and cat Missy. Her boyfriend often complains that she spends too much time giving attention to their animals. Kyoko has written dozens of articles concerning pets and is aiming at owning a pet shop one day!
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