Medical Problems
Congenital deafness is a condition prevalent in
Dalmatians. This is a polygenic problem, which means
that it CANNOT currently be bred out of the breed.
ALL Dalmatian bloodlines suffer from deafness.
There are some individual dogs who produce
few deaf puppies in their offspring. Approximately
8% of the breed are born completely deaf, and another
22% are born with
unilateral hearing (in one ear only). Normal puppies will have
hearing in both ears, known as bilateral normal
hearing. All puppies are born with their ear canals
closed; these should be open at 12-16 days. If a pup is
deaf, it cannot be reversed or
corrected. All Dalmatian puppies offered for sale should
be tested for deafness.
Sometimes a Breeder doesn’t have access to
a facility for this type of testing. I test all of my
puppies at three weeks of age with first voice, then
whistle then smoke alarm. All three methods are very
effective in determining complete deafness. The sales
contract should have specific
conditions for dealing with a deaf puppy. The contract
should allow the buyer to exchange the pup for one
who can hear or your money should be refunded. Many Kennel
Clubs strongly oppose placement
of completely deaf puppies, a stance that is supported
by most responsible breeders. This position is taken
because deaf dogs very rarely make acceptable pets.
Deaf dogs can be trained to respond to hand signals,
but because the dog can only see the signals if he/she
deaf dogs must be kept under strict control at all
times. In addition, deaf dogs cannot hear danger
sounds such as car horns honking and require extra
security measures for their own safety. The difficulty
of coping with deafness taxes dogs of even the most
stable temperament. Any temperament problems will
be amplified in a deaf dog. As large, strong dogs,
Dalmatians can be dangerous if they are not under
control. Since most reputable breeders never knowingly
sell, place or give away deaf puppies, it is likely
that a deaf dog or puppy that is up for adoption is
the result of a breeding by someone who is less then
conscientious or who has not done their homework.
Such breeders probably have not screened the sire and
dam for health or temperament either. There are a
few special owners with special deaf dogs who are
functioning well, but in most cases, these owners
also recommend that prospective owners not knowingly
adopt deaf dogs. Dogs with hearing in only one ear
(unilateral) make perfectly acceptable pets and are
generally indistinguishable from dogs with hearing
in both ears.
I'm in the
minority with my views on deaf
puppies. I don't believe that an animal who is perfect in
every way, except hearing, should not be given the chance
to prove itself viable in society. I have had six deaf
pups over the years and only had to put one down because
she showed signs of aggression at a early age. Four of the
remaining five responded well to hand signal training
with only one having being hit by a car when it left it's
yard unsupervised. I agree a deaf Dalmatian is quite a
challenge but it is a challenge that some kind hearted
souls are willing to take on.
The Dalmatian has a urinary system unique among dogs.
The condition urolithiasis occurs because Dal urine
contains uric acid, instead of urea or allantoin.
Bladder and kidney stones are formed from salts of
the uric acid. Large stones can lodge in the urethra,
and small stones, or "gravel", may pass with the
urine. Complete blockage of the urinary tract by
stones is fatal if not treated promptly. All Dalmatians
are susceptible to urinary stones. Careful Dalmatian
owners will seek out a diet which does not contain
proteins high in purines. Keeping protein levels below
23% dramatically reduces
the likeliness of any problems. I never give my puppies
puppy food. They are on Adult formula dry dog food
from three weeks of age. Organ meats, especially
liver, and beef, are major sources of purines and
should be avoided. Lamb, poultry, eggs and most
vegetables are lower in purines. Adequate water
should be provided at all times as well. Some Dal
owners 'float' their dog's dry food in 2 or 3 cups
of water to ensure adequate water intake. Dalmatians
should also be given frequent opportunities to urinate
in order to flush their urinary tracts of any
crystals. If you suspect any problems, don’t hesitate
to take your dog to the Veterinarian.
Once again the protein level in your dog food is the culprit
most times when you Dalmatian has a skin allergy. The first litter
of pups I had all had a skin condition. At the time I was
feeding Purina Puppy Chow. When my Vet. finally figured out
the problem and we switched to a Purina Adult Formula, the
skin condition of all eleven pups cleared up within days.
Live and learn I guess.
Medium to large breeds of dogs are more susceptible to
hip dysplasia. This is a rare condition in Dalmatians but
it is cropping up more often in the last couple of years.
Dalmatians like many other breeds can and do have
epilepsy, or seizure disorders. Some are labeled
idiopathic , meaning no known cause and may be
inherited. These usually occur between the ages of 6
months and 5 years this is called PRIMARY EPILEPSY.
Seizures
can be caused by many things such as blows to the head,
distemper, ingestion of poisonous substances, this is
called SECONDARY EPILIPSY. Seizures can also be associated
with hypothyroidism
There are several types of seizures,
MILD, which can be just as simple as staring into space momentarily
MODERATE, which is called grand mal, the dog will fall down, convulse, lose control of bladder
and bowels, lose consciousness, maybe froth at the mouth, this usually lasts for 3-5 mins, often
followed by a period of restlessness, pacing bumping into objects, loss of balance, this can last from 1/2 hr to several days.
SEVERE, which can occur in two forms STATUS EPILEPTICUS, which involves the dog losing consciousness for 30 minutes or more, and CLUSTER SEIZURES multiple seizures within a short period of time, both can be life threatening and a vets help MUST be sought.
If you think that your dog has epilepsy then contact your vet, appropriate treatment early on can help your pet live a normal happy and healthy life.
DEAFNESS
URINARY PROBLEMS
SKIN ALLERGIES
HIP DYSPLASIA
EPILEPSY
