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.