Table 4-4.
Interpretation of Quantitative Urine Cultures in Dogs and Cats*
| Colony-Forming Units per Milliliter of Urine | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Significant | Suspicious | Contaminant | ||||
| Collection Method | Dogs | Cats | Dogs | Cats | Dogs | Cats |
| Cystocentesis | ≥1000 | ≥1000 | 100-1000 | 100-1000 | ≤100 | ≤100 |
| Catheterization | ≥10,000 | ≥1000 | 1000-10,000 | 100-1000 | ≤1000 | ≤100 |
| Voluntary voiding | ≥100,000† | ≥10,000 | 10,000-90,000 | 1000-10,000 | ≤10,000 | ≤1000 |
| Manual compression | ≥100,000† | ≥10,000 | 10,000-90,000 | 1000-10,000 | ≤10,000 | ≤1000 |
From Osborne CA, Finco DR: Canine and feline nephrology and urology, Baltimore, 1995, Williams & Wilkins.
*
The data represent generalities. On occasion, bacterial urinary tract infections may be detected in dogs and cats with the fewer organisms (i.e., false-negative results).
†
Caution: Because contamination of midstream samples may result in colony counts of 10,000/mL or more in some dogs (i.e., false-positive results), they should not be used for routine diagnostic culture of urine from dogs.