Correct!
The answer is: An examination of urine
A refractometer measures the urine specific gravity, or the amount of particle concentration in the urine compared to pure water. In other words, a refractometer lets the veterinarian know how well the kidneys are able to concentrate the urine.
A very dilute urine (low specific gravity) may indicate kidney disease (kidneys not functioning, not able to concentrate wastes that need to be released from the body in the form of urine), however a single specific gravity reading is not adequate to diagnose conclusively. The urine specific gravity can change throughout the day and depends on the patient's hydration status, fluid intake, etc. Blood tests and physical examination are necessary to fully utilize the information gained from the urine specific gravity.
Additional Information:
- Using
urine specific gravity
by A.D.J. Watson, Sydney, Australia, and H.P. Lefebvre
National Veterinary School of Toulouse, France - Urinalysis:
Testing a Urine Sample
by Katharine Hillestad, DVM
Drs. Foster & Smith Veterinary Services Department - Specific
Gravity of Urine
Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine
