Digital Transformation in Animal and Agricultural Sciences

Measuring the Specific Gravity of Urine of Dogs Using Digital Refractometers

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Abstract

In veterinary medicine, urine specific gravity (USG) is among the most commonly
used indicators of renal function, typically assessed by means of manual refrac-
tometers. However, accurate readings require a trained eye and adequate lighting
conditions, limiting their use outside of clinical settings. This study investigates
whether digital refractometers can serve as a reliable alternative, and in particular
whether pet owners are able to use them independently for continuous at-home
monitoring of their animal’s USG. With a mean deviation of 0.0014 ± 0.0008
between devices, the results demonstrate that digital refractometers yield measure-
ments comparable to those of manual devices, paving the way for broader at-home
use by pet owners.

How to Cite:

Jezik, M. & Roth, P., (2026) “Measuring the Specific Gravity of Urine of Dogs Using Digital Refractometers”, Proceedings of the Austrian Symposium on AI, Robotics, and Vision 3(1), 340-344.