Spotlight on Dalmatians: Understanding Their Unique Nutritional Needs

RFFDMSUK
Dec 26, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Apr 24

🐾 Understanding Dalmatian Nutrition

Dalmatians are instantly recognisable thanks to their striking white coat adorned with black spots. Originating from Dalmatia, they have a deep-rooted history alongside humans.

Beyond their appearance, Dalmatians are spirited, playful, and loyal, with a fascinating past as "coaching dogs" in England—running alongside horse-drawn carriages, clearing paths, and providing protection.

🧬 Dalmatian Genetics

All Dalmatians are assumed to be HUA (high uric acid) unless tested and confirmed to be LUA (low uric acid).

If your Dalmatian is LUA (low uric acid), they can follow a species-appropriate diet with no need for purine restrictions—unless advised by a vet.
If your Dalmatian is HUA or untested, it's essential to implement a low-purine diet for optimal health.

🥩 Why Raw Feeding is Best for Dalmatians

A raw diet is the ideal choice for Dalmatians, providing a low-purine, species-appropriate approach that aligns with their unique metabolic needs. Unlike other breeds, Dalmatians require offal exclusion due to their physiological differences.

✔️ Raw feeding provides essential nutrients in their most bioavailable form

✔️ Processed kibble can be carbohydrate-heavy, which isn't optimal for canine health

✔️ A raw diet is rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, helping Dalmatians thrive

💡 A proper raw diet can dramatically improve overall health—but tailoring it to their specific dietary needs is vital.

🍖 The Ultimate Dalmatian Diet Guide

💙 Special thanks to Herschel the Dalmatian and Louise for their contribution here!

🚫 Foods to Avoid

❌ Offal & Oily Fish (too high in purines)

❌ Yeast-Based Foods & Supplements (such as brewer’s yeast, which is rich in purines)

✅ Approved Proteins

Choose a variety of proteins, ideally all from one species (e.g., 100% turkey):

✔️ Turkey, chicken, beef, rabbit, venison, pheasant, pork, and white fish

✔️ Lamb & salmon can be included but should be rotated due to their higher purine content

🌿 Additional Nutritional Guidelines

✔️ Feed only high-quality meat cuts (avoid fatty scraps)

✔️ Bone balance matters: Premade minces should be 90% meat, 10% bone OR 80% meat, 10% plant matter, 10% bone

✔️ Vegetables should make up ~10% of meals (limit starchy root vegetables)

✔️ Texture matters: Coarsely ground meat & bone encourages natural chewing

✔️ Water helps flush purines: Add ~100ml to meals for kidney health

🥕 Spotlight: Paleo Ridge’s Special Diet

The Paleo Plus Special Diet is formulated to support kidney health, offering low phosphorus and low purine levels.

Contains only 2% liver (to minimize phosphorus intake)
Adjusted meat and bone choices for Dalmatian suitability
Boosted vegetable content to 20%, including added carrots for Vitamin A benefits

💡 Compared to leading kidney-support diets, this formula provides only ¼ the phosphorus per 100g, making it a game-changer for kidney health-conscious dog owners.