Subclinical bacteriuria and pyuria in companion animals without signs of lower urinary tract disease: prevalence and associations in a prospective cross-sectional study using multimodal analytics.

Subclinical bacteriuria and pyuria have distinct species-specific risk profiles requiring tailored diagnostic approaches.

This prospective cross-sectional study examined the prevalence and associations of subclinical bacteriuria (SB) and pyuria (SP) in 287 cats and 533 dogs without clinical signs of lower urinary tract disease. SB prevalence was 6.67% in cats and 9.81% in dogs, while SP was less common (1.05% in cats, 2.88% in dogs). Concurrent SB and SP occurred rarely, particularly in cats (0.3% vs 2.5% in dogs). Positive correlation existed between urinary white blood cells and bacterial levels. Multivariable logistic regression identified species-specific risk factors: in cats, previous lower urinary tract infection, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and acute kidney injury significantly increased odds of the composite outcome; in dogs, previous and current acute kidney injury and current lower urinary tract infection were primary associations. Machine learning analysis revealed additional associations including hypercortisolism in dogs. These findings demonstrate distinct pathophysiological patterns between species, suggesting that diagnostic and management approaches should not simply extrapolate from human medicine to companion animals.

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