Health

All pedigree dogs have a genetic fault or two Dalmatians are not an exception. Their two biggest genetic faults being deafness, in about 10% of the breed, and Purine Urinary Stones, however there are also allergies such as "Dally Rash". On the plus side problems such as hip dysplasia, heart problems and problems with their brains being too big for their skulls (SM) are very rare. Other health problems such as fleas, phantom pregnancies etc are linked to any breed and are not Dally unique. Discussions with a good breeder who is a member of a Dalmatian breed club will reduce the chances of you getting a deaf or partially hearing Dalmatian, unless you want one of course, and the issue of urinary stones can normally be controlled with a good diet.

Deafness

Deafness is linked to the whiteness in Dalmatian coat’s extreme piebald gene, not the spots as many will tell you: I have heard that if the spots are joined up or in certain pattern or are a certain size they will be deaf, rubbish (deafness is not linked to the dominant ticking gene). There are actually thirty five breeds of dog in the UK that carry the piebald gene, yet there are very few vets who BAER test, from where we live we would either have to go down to Liverpool or up to Glasgow but being an ethical owner I would.

Anyone who is a member of a UK breed club will have all pups BAER tested (brainstem auditory evoked response) at around six weeks old, and while it sounds cruel any deaf puppies used to euthanized, based on that they could only be handled and trained by a very good handler who understands the needs of a deaf dog, thankfully that is now changed and deaf Dalmatians are carefully placed in appropriate good homes.A hearing Dal is a tad manic at times and will run in to traffic, if not trained, but at least you can shout “stop” and have a chance of getting him / her back, imagine a deaf puppy running in to traffic? No it is not nice, but it is something that will happen.

Deaf Dalmatians can also be either very timid or aggressive in order to protect themselves from what they cannot hear and have to be put to sleep as they become neurotic, ask yourself would you want a neurotic dog?

A give away that your pup might be deaf is the obvious lack of response on calling them, not the lack of response you will get when you call them away from an interesting treat but the lack of response when you call them for food, even if you bang their dish with a spoon, but also in their eyes. Blue eyes are due to melancytes behind the retina being suppressed. Blue eyes are not just a breed fault but often a sign of deafness, if you’re Dal has blue in either or both eyes it stands a very good chance of being deaf in one or both ears and should not be used for breeding (I have heard breeders insisting they have had blue eyed pups that were not deaf, these I have never seen so cannot comment).

A black spotted Dalmatian should have dark brown eyes and a liver spotted Dalmatian amber eyes, as said any blue is a fault which is linked to deafness: I know of a kennel that re-homed a Dalmatian puppy that despite having for a couple of weeks did not know it was deaf as Dalmatians are very good at compensating for things, however this particular Dalmatian has two blue eyes which even the kennels should have spotted! (no pun intended).

While patches are a breed fault these Dals do not carry the deaf gene, patched Dals can be shown under the new breed standard however do not be surprised if you do not get anywhere as it will take a long time to re-educate people in aggreeing to them being shown or for being bred.

If you are thinking of getting a deaf Dal or have a deaf Dal a great site I came across is A Deaf Dalmatian which gives advise on training, hand signals and recommended reading.

If a Dal is only deaf in one ear there should only be a problem if they are sleeping on their hearing side so may not hear what is going on around them - a good thing if they are prone to barking at everything outside during the night.

Purine Urinary Stones

The other main fault is Purine urinary stones, which should not be mistaken for urine insentience in older dogs or bitches that have been neutered too young. Nor should they be confused for kidney disease or renal failure.

A diet high in purine’s such as tinned sardines, liver and beef will result in stones at some point. However food such as wheat, soy and corn based foods are known to alleviate stone formation. Food manufacturers are very aware of the problem and if you go to any big pet store you will see on the bags of kibble that many are hyper-allergenic and low in purines. Pet food manufactures have spent millions on research and despite what you might read in the media the majority are perfectly fine for your pet. There are also raw meat diets (BARF) which are low in purines and possible allergy linked items – unless you are unlucky enough to have a Dal allergic to chicken. Try different foods that are high in natural ingredients that are hyper-allergenic, that your Dal likes and does not upset his / her stomach and stick to it. One breeder might recommend James Wellbeloved, another Whites and another BARF, go for what suits your Dalmatian, as with humans they all have different preferences and what suits one may not suit another which is why there are so many different brands on the market, most of which are made by only two or three manufacturers.

Naturally no matter which food you use ensure your Dal has plenty of fresh water which will also help reduce the possibility of stones.

There are two very good articles about Dalmatians in America being bred without the chance of getting stones, both of which are well worth a read Low Uric Acid (LUA) Fact Sheet and LUA Debate however these dogs are not available yet in the UK. While it is not unheard of a Dal getting stones please be assured it is rare, sadly some people might get a couple of Dals who have had stones while others may never see a Dal with stones. As with human uric stones it is the luck of the draw and nothing you can pre-empt but it is something you can reduce the chances of by watching your Dals diet. Dalmatians are not fussy eaters and will eat most things; they do not need supplements if fed on a good diet.

Do watch you give your Dal plenty of fresh water when it is warm, and not many oily foods / supplements. Though be warned many Dals will turn their noses up to water with a hair in it, theirs! yet will happily drink from the toilet bowl or an old plant pot in the garden, don't try to understand it just ensure you have tried to be good by making sure they have plenty of fresh clean water.

The first stone is the one in the bladder scan and is a smooth stone, the third picture is of a rough stone, which as you can imagine is even more painful for the poor Dalmatian.

Research stuff:

This is only to be read if you love your Dal as it is quite sad, though not about a Dal it does give a history of what stones can do: Dog Bladder Stones - a successful case history.

Urolithiasis from Wikipedia

Bladder stones signs & symptoms

Bladder stones including pictures

Urinary stones

DNA testing

Feet:

Different breeds of dogs have different type of feet, you will have read in the Dalmatian Breed Standard that the feet should be “cat like”, the “cat like” foot is a result of short digital bones and means the Dalmatian requires less energy and is capable of great endurance, thus it being a great runner over long distances. It is not just the Dalmatian that has “cat like” feet but also the Akita, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Kuvasz, Newfoundland, Airedale Terrier, Bull Terrier, Keeshond, Finnish Spitz and Old English Sheep Dog.

It is important when choosing a Dalmatian that you check their feet as the feet is how your Dalmatian will absorb shock when running, climbing rocks on the beach, walking etc. If you’re Dalmatian has flat feet they will absorb shocks less affectively which will cause strain on their other bones, hips etc.

Hips:

Research shows that Hip Dysplasia tends to be a genetic fault – Dysplasia means abnormal so Hip Dysplasia literally translates as Abnormal Hip. Hip Dysplasia was first recorded in the 1930’s and was thought to be a rare condition; we now know that some breeds are prone to it. Thankfully Dalmatians tend not to suffer from Hip Dysplasia, though it is not unheard of in the breed. A lot of Dalmatians “creek” on movement but “creeking” does not necessarily mean your Dalmatian has Hip Dysplasia, if in doubt ask your vet. Both my Dals creek at times and both have been checked for Hip Dysplasia, thankfully neither have it.

Dalmatians are lucky in that they do not carry the gene that causes Genetic Hip Dysplasia however poor care can cause it so please ensure your Dalmatian does not get too much calcium as a puppy – a good manufactured puppy food with have the correct amount of calcium for your Dal – ensure your Dalmatian has plenty of exercise and is not over feed and allowed to get fat as the extra weight, as in humans, will put pressure on your Dals hips. Research on Labrador’s show that a diet high in Protein can also be a cause Hip Dysplasia, again a good age related manufactured diet or a BARF diet will ensure your Dalmatian gets the correct amount of proteins for them.

Allergies and Dally Rash
All dogs can have allergies, not just Dalmatians. Most allergies are easy to work out, for example your dog has been bitten by a flea and comes out in a rash which he / she bites at as it itches and hurts; solution give them a flea treatment and a bath with a good, but gentle, flea shampoo. Another; you feed your Dal something and when you take them for a walk later they have a very upset stomach, you know to avoid that food.
Some vets will recommend very expensive testing for allergies, if you have more money than sense go for it however be warned about false positive results and false negative results (Darling daughter has had these tests several times due to her CFS where it was shown she was allergic to cats and peanuts; she is not allergic to either). We discussed testing for Bailey and decided against it as our vet agreed with us that a diary of what Bailey eats and what she does would be more beneficial than any expensive testing. We know from watching Bailey’s diet she cannot have strawberries, tomatoes, chicken, paddywacks, tripe etc but she can have fish, raw carrot and whole apples which she enjoys as her treats. Phinias we know cannot have JWB (the above picture is Bailey's head - if you look closely you can see the bumps and the brown rash on her skin).
Dally rash is as its name suggests a rash that Dalmatians have, and are prone to, there is nothing you can do to stop it. You can have two healthy parents who have never had it, you could have a litter of ten and nine never get it. It one of those things that happens and there is little you can do to stop it happening.
In Dally rash it is not a rash in the true sense of a rash. The skin and hair follicles become infected and the hair follicle becomes inflames, the hair turning brown and falls out. It can look like golden brown dirty patches on your Dals head and back. If you look carefully you will see “bumps” on their head or back before the brown staining appears. When you bath your Dalmatian the skin under the fur is clearly inflamed. Whitening shampoos will not work and will not hide the staining. Someone did recommend using chalk to hide the Dally rash at a show, be warned this is cheating and will get you banned from showing, it also does not work as it is the hair follicle not the ends of the fur.
We were recommended assorted things from watching Bailey’s diet and feeding her a raw diet. We were recommended giving her Dorwest Garlic & Fenugreek with Dorwest vegetable tablets. We were recommended antibiotics, we were recommended bathing her with special, expensive shampoos from the vets, we were recommended not bathing her. We were recommended Eve of Primrose, 3+6+9 oil, all of which had no effect at all, though cost a small fortune. The only thing we found that worked was Anti Robe antibiotics (only available on a vets prescription), they worked within two weeks. Anti Robe was recommended to us by a gorgeous man from the British Dalmatian Club, our only regret was not knowing about it sooner. Remember though as with food what suits one may not suit another as all the things recommended to us had been tried by and had worked for others.
Dally rash and flea bites are two separate things, flea bites if treated go down in a day or two, Dally rash can stay for many months. In summer when you have been walking in long grass with your favourite pet wipe them down with a damp cloth to clean off any pollen and potential “little friends” they have bought home with them, this will reduce any allergic reaction. Dally rash is something you are going to have to keep your fingers crossed and hope your Dal does not get but if they do don’t worry it will go, eventually, and is common, go to any Championship show and you will see Dals with it. Dalmatians are sensitive creatures and many things upset their stomachs and skins, just take care of them as you would a child and hopefully they will grow out of it.



Seasons & Phantom Pregnancies

Obviously phantom pregnancies are restricted to bitches and do not happen in males. One of the joys of a phantom is that you cannot predict it, and it is normal in the modern dog due to the way they have been bred over the years, except for some reason in African breeds.
Every six to nine months a bitch will come in to season and it is important to note the dates as by the third season there will be a pattern, which you need to know if you plan to breed your bitch after her second Birthday or if you are showing as you need to arrange shows around the non-season dates.
There are two parts to a season:
Oestrus Cycle where the vulva swells and there will be a slight bloody discharge – Dalmatians are very clean so you might miss the bleeding, however you will not miss what is known as “baggy bum” between Dalmatian owners, where your bitch will have a noticeably baggy bottom. During this phase your bitch will not allow any male dog near her and she will keep her tail well between her legs if one does try in to with her, though if she fancies him she will flirt. Be warned you darling Dal could be a tad short tempered with other dogs if they get too close.
The vaginal discharge changes from blood stained to straw coloured and ovulation occurs, this is when the bitch is most fertile. If you are in doubt walk near a male dog with your bitch and you will notice not only does she flirt but she becomes a total tart by raising her tail and inviting the male to reproduce with her, if you have a male puppy she might allow the pup to lick her bottom.

Now if your bitch was not mated (not allowed under the age of two) you could have a third extra stage:
Dioestrus is when the bitch becomes hormonally pregnant and she starts to produce female sex hormones, these stimulate prolactin from the anterior lobe of the pituitary, which in turn stimulates milk production in the mammary glands as the brain has assumed that the bitch has become pregnant even though mating did not take place. Over the next two months she will produce more progesterone and have an increase in appetite, she may even appear to go through a labour.
As an owner you may notice approximately nine weeks after the bitches last season that she gets fussy about her diet for example preferring bland food, she may have fluid retention and her behaviour could change for example preferring to sleep for most of the day instead of playing, burying toys such as teddies in your bed, and pulling the stuffing out of teddies, or carrying them around like puppies. She might take to spending long periods washing you and caring for you as if you were her puppy.
You will also notice that your bitch develops very baggy boobs, and possibly leak milk, she will wash her “bits” more, and nearer the time that she would have given birth whine, complain for England, possibly tremble, nest build – this is great if she decides to nest build in your bedroom as she will take your quilt, pillows and anything else she can get hold of to make her “labour” comfortable. She could also become aggressive and very protective. The symptoms should settle within a few weeks.
Spaying does not always resolve the problem as your bitch could continue having phantom pregnancies. There are several treatments available from Galastop from your vets – it is a prescription only medication and about £45 for 15ml, you need 10mls per day per 10kg of bitch poured over food, for example a 30kg dog will need 3ml for five to seven days. There are also natural products such as eve of primrose for levelling hormone production to raspberry leaf from Dorwest. It has been suggested that you should reduce food intake for 48 hours and stop all fluids for the same period when milk starts being produced but the obvious problem here is a serious possibility of dehydration.

This is not the clearest of photos but you should be able to make out the baggy boobs associated with a phantom pregnancy, the angle is the angle of your bitches side to her chest. The other thing you might note is your bitch constantly washing her "bits" as if she was keeping herself clean for the birth process.

DALISSM DALMATIANS

For people who love Dalmatians