Royal Canin Dalmation
The History of the Dalmatian.
Dalmatia is a Croatian region where experts always said that this breed originated from although it wasn’t until 1994 that Croatia was officially recognised as the motherland of the Dalmatian. Spotted dogs first appear in paintings at the end of the 18th Century indicating that it is an old breed that has not significantly altered over time it became especially popular in the UK as an elegant and eye catching carriage dog. Officially, the modern breeding in Croatia is mostly based on imports from UK and Scandinavian breeding.
At the beginning it was the English breeders who fixed the breed type and the Dalmatian became the only true white breed with spots. The name Dalmatian is fairly recent, previously this dog was know as the English Coach Dog, the Carriage Dog, the Plum Pudding Dog, the Fire House Dog and the Spotted Dick. The oldest breed club for Dalmatian is the NEDC founded in 1903 and the Dalmatian type has not changed in the last 100 years.
In brief, the Dalmatian is a real MEDIUM/MAXI breed; versatility is the key word for this highly active dog known for his agility. He is also very protective as his ancestors had to both keep up with and protect the carriages.
Introducing Royal Canin’s Breed Health Nutrition Diet Dalmatian 22.
The main target for this product is urinary tract maintenance but also focusing on the Dalmatians sensitive skin, cardiac tone and intensely coloured spots.
Urinary Sensitivity affects the Dalmatian breed due to a specific genetic mutation which allows excess uric acid into the Dalmatians urinary system; in some cases this leads to the formation of urinary crystals and stones. Although urinary stones can be found in any breed of dog, over 97% of cases are seen in Dalmatians, males are particularly at risk due to their narrow urinary opening, over 30% of male dogs over the age of 6 years suffer from urinary stones.
So how is uric acid normally processed? Uric Acid is the waste product from purines within the diet and the body, within the body purines are released during the process of cell formation and decay and we cannot influence this, however the majority of purines are from within the diet. The purines are processed in the liver and turned into uric acid, a small amount of them are excreted via the intestines. The majority of the uric acid is reprocessed by the liver and turned into a substance called allantoin, this is because allantoin is more soluble than uric acid and so much easier for the body to excrete, the remaining uric acid and the allantoin are then removed via the kidneys and urinary system.
We know that in dogs other than Dalmatians, 90% of uric acid is transformed into allantoine. As allantoine is very soluble, it will be easily eliminated in the urine so the risk of stone formation is very low. In Dalmatians however, only 40% of uric acid is transformed into allantoine. This means that there will be a much larger amount of uric acid in the urine and so a higher risk of stone formation.
How can Royal Canin Breed Specific Dalmatian help?
Firstly we can limit the quantity of protein, this naturally helps to limit the amount of protein taken in by the dog but it is essential to remember that the percentage of protein in the bag does not guarantee that amount of protein eaten by the dog, other factors such as feeding guidelines and protein quality must also be taken into account.
Secondly the type of Protein included in the diet determines the levels of purines in the diet a small quantity of high purine protein can have a far more detrimental effect than a much larger amount of very low purine protein.
With Dalmatian 22 Royal Canin have carefully selected ingredients to limit the diets purine content, 5 out of our first 6 ingredients fall into our low purine category with only rice, included for its high digestibility and specific amino acids within the moderate category.
The levels of purines inside a protein source depends basically on the quantity of DNA there is inside, thus the number of cells.
Royal Canin can easily understand that brewer yeasts are extremely high in purines (so is liver because of its tremendous number of hepatocytes) because they contain millions and millions of cells (thus DNA molecules) even in a very small volume. At the other end of the spectrum a whole egg is one single cell and so is a great source of quality protein without the purine content.
Skin is the first reason for veterinary consultation in small animal practice. According to various studies between 16% and 30% of Dalmatians were seen in veterinary practices for dermatological problems. Dalmatians’ skin sensitivity can be seen in pathologies like atopy and allergies, but also due to their white coat and sensitive pale skin Dalmatians should only be exposed with caution to the suns rays.
A specific skin condition called ‘The Bronzing Syndrome’ is often related to this breed. This is characterised by some follicles appearing inflamed or nodules appearing on different skin locations, they can become infected and start to weep, crusts then start to appear and the hair may shed or become reddened. The exact cause of ‘The Bronzing Syndrome’ is not perfectly known but atopy may be the most probable reason why nodules start to appear.
Supporting the skins natural barrier function is a key aim of Dalmatian 22.
The skin barrier is held together by ceramides, these act on the skin cells in the same way that cement holds together a brick wall, maintaining the integrity of this barrier helps to maintain hydration by reducing water loss and helping to limit the effects of irritants and allergens.
Some Dalmatians may have a sensitive cardiac system and they may suffer from cardiomyopathys. Cardiomyopathies are conditions affecting the muscle of the heart which can lead to weakening, reduced function and heart murmurs. Because of this potential sensitivity Dalmatian 22 adult includes enhanced levels of Taurine, L-carnitine and EPA/DHA to support healthy heart function. Taurine (2,2 mg/kg food) is an amino-acid that can help to regulate the heartbeat and is essential to the contractility of the heart muscle. L-Carnitine (100 mg/kg food) can help to improve the utilisation of energy by the heart muscle.
Dalmatian puppies are born pure white and the spots do not begin to appear until around 2 weeks of age; this is due to a genetic activation to start the production of eumelanin pigments , those responsible for all shades of brown through to black in certain regions of the coat. Adding melanin precursors, phenylalanine and tyrosine to the diet can help to increase the depth and intensity of spot colour, however it will not affect the whiteness of Dalmatian’s coat because there is no melanin in the white hairs to enhance
As you can see Royal Canin has thought very carefully and the specific needs of the Dalmatian and have created this diet with these requirements in mind. Dalmatian 22 is a complete adult diet which also includes antioxidants and polyphenols to help support the dog’s natural defences and 500mg/kg of Glucosamine and chondroitin to help maintain healthy joints as well as a specific kibble for optimum palatability.
Our thanks to Royal Canin for the information supplied above.
Come to Scampers and speak to one of our Pet Care Advisors for your Dalmatian’s nutritional needs and requirements.
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