Urine Sample? UPDATE

[Kbana]

First of all, AL has been leaving small pee spots in his pen lately.  Not sure if he is marking since he is not neutered yet, but he also briefly ground his teeth yesterday so I took him in to the vet just to be safe.  He has not done any grinding since but he ground them once for about 15 seconds after taking a long drink of water and kind of hunched up into a ball.  Again, this was very brief. After about 15 seconds he was fine and has been eating and drinking normally since.  The vet couldn’t get a urine sample during the apt so she kept him for another 2 hrs this afternoon hoping that she would be able to get one but he was too scared to drink I think.  Anyway, she said that I could bring in my own urine sample but how on earth do I do that??!! She suggested a tarp of some sort in his pen that I can then pipe up the urine, but that would mean I would need to be around all day waiting for that since I’m sure by the time I get back from work it would have either dried up or he would have stepped in it.  Ugh. So, now I feel like I am at a loss and my bun is super mad at me.  He is acting like I’m the most terrifying person on the planet. He is so pissed! I suppose he’ll forgive me eventually but what a bummer!  Any advice on how to get this urine sample would be appreciated! Thanks!!

[MoveDiagonally]

When I’ve had to get cat urine samples the vet gave me this plastic non-absorbent litter. After they pee we would use a syringe and put it in a sample container. I’m wondering if putting hay down in his litter boxes without litter underneath or something else safe but non-absorbent would work in a similar way?

[Kbana]

That is what I asked MD, but she said that having it contaminated with hay wouldn’t give a very accurate reading. I was thinking less litter but I use wsp and they just turn to sawdust so it would automatically absorb it. Thought about lining the box with a tarp or something but didn’t think AL would use the box then. My other option is to take him next week and drop him off in the morning, leave him there all day, and then hope they can get something in that time. This is less than ideal. Though my vet is rabbit savvy, the facility isn’t the best for rabbits as they don’t have a separate room for rabbits. I would hate to stress AL out if he was around cats/dogs all day or other loud sounds. They also don’t board rabbits since they don’t have the proper space. I love my vet but wonder if there is a better facility somewhere else? The other rabbit vet in my area (within an hour drive time) is booked months in advance.

[LBJ10]

Will he use the box with a litter screen on it. You could simply use a clean box, nothing inside. Then put the litter screen on top. He would pee and it would collect in the bottom of the litter box.

[Kbana]

He wouldn’t use a box with a grate, but he might use a box with a screen….He is so picky! Maybe I’ll also put a tarp down over his regular flooring (carpet and a sheet) so that if he won’t use the box he won’t soil the sheet/carpet.

[Kbana]

WOOHOO! I got a urine sample by accident! All of a sudden I thought I heard a race horse peeing. ha! I guess I filled AL’s box too high and he was peeing over the side. I rushed to try to sop it up when I realized that the sheet wasn’t absorbing so I raced upstairs into my purse and grabbed the pipette and test tube, raced back downstairs and thank God there was still a puddle! I sucked it up with the pipette, emptied into the test tube and lo and behold URINE SAMPLE! LOL! Still can’t believe it happened but I’ll take it!

[Roberta]

Well Done !!!!

[Irina]

Impressive! Let us know the results!

[Kbana]

I will! I’ll drop it off bright and early Monday morning.

[Author]

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