Urine Protein Creatinine Ratio (UPC Ratio)
The UPC ratio compares protein with creatinine in urine to show how much protein is being lost in the urine. It helps vets find and follow kidney problems that leak protein.
- Sample
- Urine
- Quantity
- 3 mL
- Report
- Same day to 24 hours
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Protein in the urine
- Creatinine in the urine
- The UPC ratio (urine protein divided by urine creatinine)
- Change in the ratio over time when the test is repeated
Benefits of this test
- Needs one fresh urine sample, with no 24-hour collection.
- Gives a single number, not just a plus sign on a urine strip.
- Is not misled by very dilute or very concentrated urine.
- Helps your vet decide whether protein loss is serious enough to need more tests.
- Can be repeated to see whether protein loss is steady, rising or falling.
Often discussed at these ages:Senior Dog
When your vet may advise it
- Protein was found on a urine strip or in a urine routine report.
- Kidney disease is suspected or already known.
- Swelling of the legs or belly together with low blood albumin.
- Drinking and passing urine more than usual with no clear cause.
- A senior pet's health check, when the vet wants a closer look at the kidneys.
- Follow-up of an animal already being watched for protein loss.
About this test
A healthy kidney keeps most protein in the blood and lets only a tiny amount into the urine. When the kidney filters are damaged, more protein leaks out. The UPC ratio measures that leak. UPC stands for urine protein to creatinine. Creatinine is a waste product made by muscles and passed out by the kidneys at a fairly steady rate.
The lab measures protein and creatinine in the same urine sample and divides one by the other. Because both change with the strength of the urine, the ratio is not fooled by dilute or concentrated urine. This makes it more reliable than the protein strip in a urine routine test. One fresh urine sample is enough, so a 24-hour collection is not needed.
Vets use the ratio to find protein loss, judge how serious it is and follow it over time. Normal values differ between species, so the vet reads the number for that animal.
How to prepare
No fasting is needed. Collect fresh urine in a clean, dry container, ideally the first of the morning, and tell your vet about any medicines the animal takes. Free collection is available anywhere in Bhopal; outside the city, the urine can reach the lab by courier or through your vet once you have called the lab.
Reading the result
A higher ratio means more protein is leaking into the urine. A registered veterinarian reads the number with the urine routine report, blood tests, blood pressure and your animal's signs, and often repeats it before deciding what it means.
Questions about UPC
Why not just rely on the protein strip in a urine routine test?
Does protein in urine always mean kidney disease?
Do I need to collect urine for 24 hours?
Can this test be done for cows and buffaloes?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Same day to 24 hours. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
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Free collection in these Bhopal areas
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