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Ask The DoctorQ: Why is my horse's urine red in the snow? Is it bloody?
A: If you have been around horses in the winter, you have probably seen red spots in the snow or ice where horses have urinated. Normal horse urine sometimes turns red or brown after standing for a while. This is due to the presence of oxidizing agents termed "pyrocatechines".
We receive a number of calls each winter from concerned owners who have noted this phenomenon. Rarely, if ever, have the owners actually seen the horses while they were urinating. The red spots, while alarming, are a normal oxidative process that occurs after the urine has been voided. It is rare for a horse to pass blood in the urine and when present is almost always accompanied by some abnormal void behavior. Frequent urination and straining are the most common indications of a disease in the lower urinary tract. When in doubt, the best way to determine if blood is present is to collect a fresh urine sample and see for yourself that the urine is normal in color when voided. Be careful, and good luck!
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