The hue results from plant metabolites mixing with oxygen and often isn't noticed unless the horse urinates into snow, producing a patch of color that is easily seen. Normal horse urine can range from colorless and clear to dark yellow and cloudy.
Abnormal colour such as bright yellow, milky, or thick with obvious sediment or syrupy are all indicators of problems and/or insufficient water intake. Dark urine usually indicates muscle damage from tying up (Azoturia) Particularly offensive odours such as very strong ammonia is another indicator of imbalance.
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.
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.
Bacteria in the environment break urea down to ammonia but it only becomes abnormal when there is a lot more urea than usual. This can occur when too much protein in the diet beyond what a horse needs has to be metabolised to be excreted, making more urea, more ammonia.
Musk Ox. These furry, horned mammals that inhabit the Arctic produce a smelly 'musk' from their urine.
Premarin is a very common drug prescribed to millions of women worldwide as a hormone replacement therapy. The name stands for PREgant MAres uRINe, as the drug is produced from the hormones present in the mare's urine. The horses used to produce this drug are referred to as "PMU" horses, for short.
Equine urine can contain plant metabolites called pyrocatechines. These metabolites oxidize at low temperatures turning the urine red. This process can worry horse owners who spot the red urine on snow or shavings.
Normal horse urine can range from colorless and clear to dark yellow and cloudy. Though it may change color as it oxidizes, it should stay within this range as it is released. However, urine that looks red, brown, orange, or coffee-colored as it is being voided may be a sign of disease or muscle strain.
When abnormal alterations occur in the physiology of muscles, a horse may experience painful, uncontrollable, and continuous muscle contractions. This condition is called tying-up, or rhabdomyolysis, and is comparable to severe cramps that a human might experience.
Some vitamins, such as A and B-12, can turn urine orange or yellow-orange. Health problems. Orange urine can be a sign of a problem with the liver or bile duct, mainly if you also have light-colored stools. Dehydration also can make your urine look orange.
Horses typically urinate every 4 hours or so and produce 5–15 L of urine per day. (The bladder can hold 3–4 L of urine). Normal fresh equine urine varies over the day depending on diet and exercise.
Signs of a urinary tract problem include drinking too much, urinating too much, urinating too little, bloody or discolored urine, straining to urinate, mouth ulcers or a change in appetite or attitude. Horses with a urinary tract problem sometimes seem "colicy" or may have behavior problems under saddle (like bucking).
The most common reason for having bright yellow urine is not drinking enough water. Other reasons include the food, medications, or vitamins you may have consumed.
Dark yellow to amber urine
Bright yellow pee, even as dark as amber, may be harmless, but it could be a sign that you're a little dehydrated or taking more vitamins than your body needs. You may want to check with your provider on what vitamins your body doesn't need as much so you can cut back.
The most common sign in horses is blood in the urine, especially after exercise. Horses may also show low grade signs of colic or abdominal pain. Fortunately, horses rarely have stones that fully obstruct their urine flow.
Medium-dark yellow urine is often an indication that you are dehydrated.
Pale straw to a dark yellow color
You're in the preferred section of the urine color chart. Urine that falls in the pale yellow category signals that you're healthy and hydrated, says Dr. Bajic. That yellowish color, by the way, is caused by a pigment called urochrome produced by your body.
Clear to yellow urine falls within the normal, healthy range, Clayman says. Odd colors such as blue or orange are usually the result of medications such as certain antibiotics, antidepressants and laxatives. But there are two colors you should never ignore: dark brown and red.
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. Once you have identified that your horse is dehydrated, your vet will try to encourage your horse to drink fresh portable water.
You need something which will absorb the urine like hemp, flax, or wood pellets instead of traditional straw.
Raw, fresh manure tends to be very high in nitrogen. Often, it's accompanied by a good dousing of urine, which has lots of urea. Some plants, such as roses, will adore the fresh manure. Others may find it to be a bit too much.
Horse manure stands out as by the far the best manure around for soil improvement. It is usually very cheap or free and it is readily available around horse stables. Horse manure is not as strong a fertiliser as chook, cow or pig poo – but it is the best organic additive for soils.
How to flush your horse's kidneys. The administration of a mild diuretic to your horse will help it to 'lose water' by increasing the level of urine passing through the body. This process acts to flush the body of harmful toxins and chemicals that have accumulated in the body.