The average life expectancy of a Dalmatian is between 10 and 13 years when properly cared for and fed an appropriate good quality diet to suit their ages.
Like so many other breeds the Dalmatian is known to suffer from a few hereditary health issues which are worth knowing about if you are planning share your home with one of these active and good-looking dogs. The conditions that seem to affect the breed the most include the following:
- Deafness – Test available (BAER)
- Hip dysplasia – test available - the breed mean score is 10.5 and parent dogs should be lower
- Urinary stones - DNA test available
- Epilepsy
- Allergies - hives
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Hypopigmentation
- Bloat
- Atopy - a hypersensitivity to pollens and other protein particles which causes intense itching
- Hepatitis – an autoimmune liver disease
- Shoulder osteochondrosis - abnormal bone and cartilage
- Panosteitis - young males can suffer from bone inflammation
- Various types of cancer
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Hypothyroidism
- Copper toxicosis
- Laryngeal paralysis
- Hypertonic myopathies
- Myelopathy
- Galactocerebrosidosis
- Ceroid lipofuscinosis
More about deafness
Dalmatians thanks to their white coats are predisposed to suffering from impaired hearing and deafness in either one or both of their ears. Fortunately dogs can be tested and the scheme has established that around 1 in 12 Dalmatians are totally deaf in both of their ears. Prospective owners should make sure that any puppies they are thinking of buying have hearing in one ear and that they are not deaf in both.
Dalmatian puppies can undergo a BAER test once they are 6 months old which would confirm if they are deaf or not and all responsible breeders would ensure their stud dogs are tested before being used for breeding purposes.
More about epilepsy
Seizures can be caused by many things which includes an underlying health issue. However epilepsy can be an inherited disorder too and although most episodes do not result in any sort of brain damage it can be extremely worrying when a dog has a fit for the first time. When the condition is inherited it is referred to as being idiopathic epilepsy. Most of the time the fits only last a short time and dogs although confused do come around and will start acting normally.
However they can happen in "clusters" and this can result in uncontrollable continuous seizures which are exhausting for a dog to have to experience and if not seen by a vet as a matter of urgency it can lead to brain damage and then death.
Dogs usually have their first seizure when they have inherited idiopathic epilepsy when they are anything from 1 to 5 years old. Females when they come into season may also experience more seizures because of the increased level of estrogen in their systems.
Once a dog has been examined and treated by a vet their condition can be managed and controlled with most Dalmatians going on to lead full and active lives.
More about urinary stones
There is a DNA test to see if dogs carry the gene that causes hyperuricosuria which are urate stones or (HUU). The condition sees uroliths forming in a dog's bladder which causes tremendous pain and inflammation. These stones can cause a blockage in their urinary tract. As time goes by the stones get larger as they cluster together and the reason why the crystals first form could be because of the following:
- Dogs have developed some form of urinary tract infection
- Diet can have a bearing on why dogs develop urinary stones more especially if the food contains a high amount of minerals
- Crystals can form because of a high level of acidity in a dog's urine
Some dogs don't show any signs of there being a problem until their bladder wall becomes inflamed and painful which leads to a constant need to urinate and when they do there is blood in their urine which are typical signs of cystitis. Should the crystals form in a dog's urethra it often causes a blockage in the tube and dogs have trouble urinating. If urine is retained it can negatively impact a dog's kidneys. Should a dog's bladder become distended and the wall bursts it can lead to them suffering from internal peritonitis.
What about vaccinations?
A Dalmatian puppy would have been given their initial vaccination before being sold however it is up to the new owner to make sure they have their follow-up shot on time. The vaccination schedule for puppies is as follows:
- 10 -12 weeks old bearing in mind that a puppy would not have full protection straight away but would be fully protected 2 weeks after they have had their second vaccination
There has been a lot of discussion about the need for dogs to have boosters. As such it's best to talk to a vet before making a final decision on whether a dog should continue to have annual vaccinations which are known as boosters.
What about spaying and neutering?
A lot of vets now prefer to wait until a dog is a little more mature before they are spayed or neutered. They therefore recommend waiting until dogs are 6 to 9 months old before they undergo the procedures. Other vets advise neutering and spaying a dog when they are 6 months old but never any younger unless there is a medical reason for doing so.
What about obesity problems?
Some Dalmatians put on weight after having been spayed or neutered and it's important to keep a close eye on their waistlines and to adjust their calorie intake and the amount of physical daily exercise they are given. Older dogs too are prone to put on weight and again it's important to adjust the amount of food they are fed every day to prevent them from gaining too many pounds. Obesity can seriously and negatively impact a dog's overall health and can even shorten their lives by several years.
What about allergies?
Dalmatians are prone to suffering from a condition known as "hives" which sees dogs developing bumps on specific areas of their bodies. The condition can be triggered by an allergic reaction or sensitivity to something. Urticaria or hives can be treated once the underlying trigger is established by a vet. Dogs suffering from the condition can in the meantime be made to feel more comfortable until the trigger is established. All too often in Dalmatians this can be due to a flea bite with the problem being localised to a specific area.
However if a Dalmatian has a reaction over their entire body it could mean they are ultra-sensitive to something that needs investigating sooner rather than later. If a dog's condition is extremely severe and starts to affect their throat they may need to be given adrenalin to get them through because this is when their condition becomes life threatening. The most common triggers for allergies in dogs are as follows:
- Certain foods
- Airborne pollens
- Dust mites
- Environment
- Flea and tick bites
- Chemicals found in everyday household cleaning products
Participating in health schemes
Responsible breeders would always ensure that their stud dogs are healthy and tested free of the hereditary health issues that are known to affect the breed. As such they would use the following schemes:
- BAER test for deafness
- BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
- DNA test for Hyperuricosuria (HUU) (urate stones)
What about breed specific breeding restrictions?
Apart from the standard breeding restrictions studies have established that 2 liver spotted Dalmatians when bred do not produce puppies with black spots. As such the Kennel Club only liver spotted puppies can be registered if they are the offspring of 2 liver spotted parent dogs.
What about Assured Breeder Requirements?
It is mandatory for all Kennel Club Assured breeders to use the following tests on their stud dogs and the KC strongly recommends that other breeders follow suit:
- BAER Programme
The Kennel Club also strongly advises that all breeders have dogs tested using the following schemes:
- BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
- Bitches under two years not to produce a litter
- Bitches not to produce more than four litters in their lifetime
- Bitches not to produce more than one litter in a 12-month period
