“Why is my dog’s pee green?” is a very worrying question no veterinarian wants to hear from a dog owner. Green urine may be rare in dogs, but it could be a very bad sign if you see it. As much as we adore our dogs, keeping track of details like the color of their poop or pee is one of the grosser but essential parts of being a pet parent.

It may be tough to see your dog’s exact urine color because they mostly pee on trees or grass, which makes it hard to spot. Or maybe they had a little accident in the house, forcing you to clean up and use a pet stain remover. But hey, at least you spotted the unusual green tinge in their urine. Because green pee in dogs always indicates a health issue, follow along as we explore seven possible reasons for this weird color.

So, Why Is My Dog’s Pee Green?

Green pee in dogs usually means severe anemia, cancer, some urinary tract infections (UTIs,) and liver or gallbladder disease. It happens when bilirubin spills into the kidneys, causing dark yellow or green pee. The most common cause is jaundice, which can come from liver failure, hemolytic anemia, or obstruction of the bile duct.

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Bilirubin is a yellowish-orange pigment that the liver produces when it breaks down hemoglobin (a protein in the blood). This pigment should naturally be excreted in the bile, where it gets stored in the gallbladder. The intestines then use bile to break down food during digestion. This means that if bilirubin is ending up in the kidneys and tinting the pee, then something has gone wrong

Dogs have almost all, if not all, the physiological processes humans do, including peeing and pooping. Every unusual color and consistency of a dog’s bodily waste, like clear poop or white poop or suggests a physical issue. And just like poop, urine can tell you a lot about what is going on in a dog’s body.

Urinating is an essential bodily process for eliminating toxins that build up in a dog’s body. This is why checking your dog’s urine color is crucial every time you get the chance. These eight reasons can take you one step further towards establishing a solution for the pee problem.

1. Jaundice in Dogs

Sometimes, bilirubin, a yellowish pigment, can make its way into the kidney to get filtered out, where they’re not supposed to be. Bilirubin can end up in pee for several reasons, but one of them is jaundice or Icterus.

Bilirubin accumulation in the kidneys can result from the destruction of platelets by the immune system, liver disease, or obstructions in the bile duct. Dogs can get jaundice when there’s too much bilirubin in the body and tissues. Jaundice can make your dog’s pee a dark yellow or greenish color.

2. Late-stage Liver Failure

Late-stage liver failure is difficult, with distinct signs like uremic or metallic-smelling breath and colored urine. The pee color in a dog with liver failure can range from yellow to green and has a red tinge.

Your pup may be painfully late when you notice green pee due to liver failure. You’ll also see other signs like:

Refusing to eat;
Increased thirst;
Yellow eyes and gums (jaundice);
Blood in the poop or urine; and
Restlessness and discomfort.

3. Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading fatalities in dogs and can manifest in something as simple as urine. Certain cancer types, like bladder tumors, can affect the natural color of your dog’s pee. Other forms, like pancreatic cancer, affect bilirubin, changing the urine color.

4. Extreme Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

UTIs mostly appear as pink or cloudy pee, although some extreme cases present as greenish urine. This is very rare and mostly happens when a specific kind of bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes the infection because the bacteria produces a blue pigment called pyocyanin.

A distinct UTI sign is peeing too often and looking like they’re in pain. See our article on dogs leaking urine for more information about UTIs.

5. Certain Medications

Some antihistamines and antibiotics containing certain substances can make your dog’s pee turn green. These include Methylene blue, which is potentially effective but not proven in treating methemoglobinemia in dogs. Other medications include Phenergan, Propofol, and Cimetidine.

6. Severe Anemia

Any disease or condition which destroys red blood cells within the circulatory system can cause bilirubin to build up in the tissues and cause jaundice. One cause could be Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. See our article on pale gums in dogs if you suspect your dog is anemic.

7. Gallbladder Issues

Since the gallbladder stores bile, which contains bilirubin, any gallbladder conditions, such as gallstones in dogs, may cause green urine by also causing jaundice.

8. Extreme Dehydration

Sometimes, dark yellow urine can appear as pale green pee. The color results from extreme dehydration. This discoloration occurs with other signs like pink sticky gums, panting, and restlessness.

It’s time to up your dog’s hydration if you notice urine change after walks or time outdoors. Dogs can only go so long without water before dehydration becomes life-threatening.

Can Eating Grass Make A Dog Pee Green?

Eating grass, some kind of rodent poisons, or any food with green or blue coloring may make your dog’s poop green, but it should never change the color of your dog’s pee. Any change in a dog’s urine color from healthy, pale gold, indicates a health issue.

What is The Normal, Healthy Color of Dog Urine?

Healthy dog pee should be a transparent light yellow or what some vets call “pale gold”,” amber,” or “straw yellow”. How much yellow is in the pee indicates a canine is hydrated, with pale yellow being the ideal shade.

Very dilute urine will be almost colorless, indicating too much water in your pup’s system or overhydration. If your dog is drinking so much water that their pee becomes clear, they may have a health condition that is making them chronically thirsty, like diabetes or Cushing’s Disease.

Also, dark yellow indicates too little water excreted from your dog’s system, signaling mild dehydration. Sometimes dehydration can present as dark yellow pee.

It’s important to note that dark yellow urine can signal renal issues besides dehydration. Varying shades of yellow over a few days should be fine unless an intense yellow color persists too long.

Urine is such a precious indicator of health that its nickname is “liquid gold,” although the name also represents pee color. A study showed a direct correlation between urine color and specific gravity (urine concentration) to show dehydration in dogs.

When dogs exercise too much and damage their muscle fibers, the body releases myoglobin into the blood. The pee may then turn a chocolatey brown color

Unusual Dog Pee Colors: What Does Your Dog’s Urine Mean

Other more severe urine colors like pink, orange, and brown indicate different conditions in dogs. These result from new or old blood in the tract, directly mixing with urine to bring about the odd hue.

Pink Urine

This color suggests bleeding somewhere in your dog’s urinary tract system. UTIs or kidney stones are the most common cause of pinkish pee in dogs, where you’ll notice other signs like pain and increased urination.

Red Urine

Red is much more severe than pink urine as it indicates internal bleeding in your canine. The bleeding can result from trauma, kidney stones, or even poisonous substances like rat poison. Other possible causes of reddish pee are kidney and liver failure or too few platelets.

Brown to Black Urine

Brown and black urine indicate a severe problem in your pooch. It suggests old blood from significant blood cell or muscle damage from trauma or toxins. Ingesting poisonous substances like onions, antifreeze, or medication like Tylenol can lead to these colors.

Dog Urine Color Chart

What Can You Do If Your Dog’s Pee is Green?

Call Your Veterinarian

It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your canine’s health. Any hue change in your dog’s pee warrants a vet visit or call to determine the cause.

Observe the Signs to Report to the Vet

Watch out for any signs of Disease occurring with the urine color change. These include:

-Weakness;
-Vomiting and diarrhea;
-Inappetence;
-Painful urination; or
-Excessive urinating frequencies, like leaking urine even when lying down.

Collect The Urine

Your vet will need to collect a urine sample from your dog to perform a urinalysis and establish the cause of color change. Most people opt for a clear, glass container to carry the sample.

Make All The Necessary Changes

Some conditions causing urine changes, like kidney and liver failure, require diet changes. These modifications include less protein (18% at most) and more wet food to improve hydration. You’ll also need to increase your dog’s water intake.

Your vet can also prescribe medicine and treatment to help deal with medical problems you must follow through with.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is My Dog Peeing So Much?

Increased peeing in dogs is a telltale sign of UTIs or other urinary tract problems. Your dog will struggle to pee, and almost nothing will come out. They can also pee too much because of too much water consumption or wet food. Excessive thirst and urination can also come from certain medications or conditions like diabetes, Cushing’s Disease, or kidney disease and failure.

What Does Dark Yellow Urine in Dogs Mean?

Dark yellow urine in dogs mostly shows dehydration, meaning you need to increase your dog’s water intake. Occasionally, the color change indicates kidney problems due to the defective filtering out of toxins. Dark brown urine can mean your dog exercised too much and the body is breaking down too much muscle tissue.

Final Thoughts

Urine color is an essential indicator of canine health. Your dog’s urine should be pale yellow to show proper hydration. Clear urine indicates your dog is over-hydrated, while dark or bright yellow pee suggests dehydration. Green urine is concerning, as it usually means severe issues with liver, blood, gallbladder, bile ducts, or even cancer.

Meet Your Experts

Tamsin De La Harpe

Author

Tamsin de la Harpe has nearly two decades of experience with dogs in rescue, training, and behavior modification with fearful and aggressive dogs. She has worked closely with veterinarians and various kennels, building up extensive medical knowledge and an understanding of canine health and physiology. She also spent two years in the animal sciences as a canine nutrition researcher, focusing on longevity and holistic healthcare for our four-legged companions. Tamsin currently keeps a busy homestead with an assortment of rescue dogs and three Bullmastiffs.