[Sarah B]

Just wondering what other Dalmatian owners are feeding their Dals? We are currently feeding Pro Plan Selects Turkey, only because that is what the breeder fed. Would like to try something a bit more nutritious. My Dal, Pearson, is now 11 months old, seems to be chewing his paws often. I am worried about crystal formation with the purine and protein sources. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Shasta220]

I’ve never owned a Dal, but generally foods don’t need to be breed specific. Sure, one breed will typically follow a basic path of health issues, but what works great for one Dal may be horrible for the next one. As long as it has a well balanced of fat/protein/carb ratio and mainly animal-sourced protein, it should be okay.

Honestly I’m not sure how to handle urinary problems. Does he chew only his paws, or is there redness all over his skin? Generally, itching indicates some sort of food allergy.

[aquariangt]

Since turkey isn’t a super high allergen, you may try a food with no rice or barley. As Shasta said, that sounds like an allergen, so it’s usually easiest to try eliminating things that are common allergies, in this case, the grain. Brewers rice is filler/junk anyway, so good to get away from that.

Pro plan is fairly expensive for what it is, so you should be able to find a high quality food that is grain free for a similar price point. I wouldn’t particularly recommend going back to it either, especially not that blend

[Shasta220]

Ohhhh yes, just now noticed you feed Pro Plan – Purina, right? I avoid ANYTHING made by Purina. Their products are severely overpriced and they really mislead you into thinking you’re getting your dog “the best”.

You might not need to go all the way into grain free, but at least avoid any sort of corn/soy/wheat, and probably no Brewers rice or other low quality remnants. You might try doing a GF food with no poultry, then adding either chicken or quality grains back in and seeing if that makes things worse or if they stay the same.

[InkedMarie]

Dalmatians can have problems with purine (I think that’s what it’s called)….I think I would join a Dalmatian group on FB, yahoo, etc and find out what others feed.

[theBCnut]

Yep, Dals can be prone to a particular kind of urinary stone, so joining a Dal group and finding out what works for other Dal owners is the best thing you can do.

[Sarah B]

Shasta220, and everyone! Thanks for the advise. I think I will try adding some homemade meats into his diet and perhaps try a GF food for him. It’s so hard to find the right one.

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