Dog with bloody urine

Question
Hello,

I have just today begun pet sitting for my friend's(who is out of town to attend a funeral) 8 year old dog, Gracie.  She has no know health problems & regular veterinary check-ups.  My concern is that when I let her outside & she urinated in the snow, her urine had a brownish/redish tint to it.  She otherwise is eating & playing normally.  Basically, I called her vet & they suggest watching the condition tonight & taking her to her normal vet tomorrow.  However, I do not want to neglect a serious condition if one could potentially exist.  Would you suggest I visit an emergency vet this evening or wait & see?

Thank you so much for your assistance,
Gracie & Her Sitter

Answer
Hi Maureen!  The urine you have described is a classic symptom of a bladder infection.  It would not hurt to wait until tomorrow to get her to a veterinarian.
Next time you take her out, try to get a sample of the urine, by collecting it as it falls.  If you have a little container with a lid, that would be perfect.  After collecting the urine, put the container in the fridge to keep it "fresh". Tomorrow, take the urine sample to her veterinarian and they will perform a urinalysis.  This will help them identify any bacteria that may be causing an infection and antibiotics will be prescribed to heal the infection.
Your friend is very lucky to have such a good pet sitter!  Gracie is probably very happy having her Auntie Maureen watch her:)  Give her tons of kisses for me and let me know how her appointment goes.
Hilary