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Urine leaves the body (either dogs urine or human) as an acid with a pH that is typically between 5 and 6. It is sterile containing no harmful bacteria, pathogens or microorganisms unless the dog has a urinary or bladder infection.
- The principle ingredient in urine (from dogs) is uric acid.
- Urine also contains urochrome (yellow pigment)
- Cholesterol (lipids)(animal fats)
- Urea
- And other ingredients.
The exact make-up of urine will vary depending on the dog’s diet, health and other factors. The urine begins to change immediately upon leaving the body. The urine comes in contact with bacteria on the skin along with microorganisms in the carpet and elsewhere. The warm acid conditions offer a perfect breeding ground for bacteria which begin to flourish. Uric acid begins to be broken down into ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia is highly alkaline (base).
A strong concentrated alkaline can damage dyes and create a permanent color loss. Be aware that what appears to be a urine stain may actually be color loss that can not be corrected by cleaning. The urine odor can still be removed and you can sometimes correct the color loss with carpet dying techniques or patching. But cleaning will not restore color that has been removed.
As the dogs acidic urine reacts with the ammonia that is being created it forms alkaline salt crystals (white residue). When dry urine is re-moistened it gives off ammonia gas. The odor of ammonia gas is one part of the distinctive odor that helps us to identify and locate dogs urine. The other component of urine’s odor is off-gassing from bacteria that grow abundantly in warm, dark places with a never-ending food supply. The pet urine feeds the bacteria daily!
The complex composition of urine and the many chemicals formed as the urine is decomposed by bacteria present a challenging situation. With time, some of these complex organic compounds can actually become part of the fiber.
Even if the bacteria are killed the ammonia and other chemicals still produce an odor. This is the reason that more than a sanitizing agent is necessary to neutralize odors from dogs urine.
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#1 by paul paddick - October 26th, 2009 at 17:22
there are many white stains on out concrete path from my dogs urine. Is this reaction white the concrete or a tomach problem.
thanks
paul
#2 by Dog Urine - November 21st, 2009 at 08:38
Paul
The reaction is neither a stomach problem or a reaction to the concrete but a condition created from the urine. When urine leaves the body human or mammal it is slightly acid (or acidic on the ph scale). The urine begins to change as soon as it leaves the body. Uric acid in the dogs urine is broken down into ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia is high alkaline on the ph scale. The reaction from the acidic urine and the ammonia creates alkaline salt crystals. This is the white residue left on the concrete from the dogs urine. A good acid pretreatment wash will neutralize the alkaline salt crystals (white residue). Once neutralized it wash’s off easily with water or another neutral cleaner. If the urine has penetrated deeply into the concrete you may want to use an enzyme digester or oxidation product to deal with any smell or other residue. But the acid cleaner will remove the alkaline salts (white residue) left from the dog urine on the concrete.