When Dalmatians and BARF are discussed, many owners react defensively. For many years, the myth has persisted that Dalmatians should not be BARFed. Dalmatians usually have a genetic defect that alters their urinary metabolism in such a way that they are prone to the formation of urinary stones. With the right food, this peculiarity of the breed can be counteracted or lived with. Find out here whether BARF is a solution for Dalmatians.
BARFing Dalmatians properly
Dalmatians live with many peculiarities. Just think of the many black spots and their popularity in films. For this, the four-legged friends need a special food with a low proportion of purine. Purine is an important cell component that is also found in DNA, for example, but the genetic defect mentioned above changes the urinary metabolism of Dalmatians in such a way that purine processing is disrupted. Normally, the purines contained in food are converted into allantoin via the intermediate product uric acid in the liver with the help of the enzyme uricase. In Dalmatians, however, a genetic defect ensures that the purines are not broken down into allantoin, but only into uric acid, so that an unusually high proportion of uric acid is found in the dog's urine, which in turn can lead to urinary stones.
If you create a normal BARF menu from delicious dog recipes, you will probably come across offal, skin and dry chews. The purine content in these is very high, which is why these BARF products are not suitable for Dalmatians. However, there are numerous alternatives to tasty BARF meat that you can still feed your four-legged friend in a species-appropriate manner.
The focus is on high-quality muscle meat with a fat content of 20 to 25 percent. This is absolutely safe for the spotted human friends. You can also use necks, pieces of back and ribs, but make sure that you do not use skin. Trout is also a good fish for dogs - also without skin. You can of course also rely on fruit and vegetables and mix oils into the food if you BARF your Dalmatians.
You can make it really easy with our LOW-PURINE dog package , as this is specifically aimed at Dalmatians and dogs with illnesses such as leishmaniasis . As the name suggests, we focus on low-purine meat from beef, game, turkey, horse and more. Fruit and vegetables for the dog are also included.
BARF for Dalmatians at a glance
What you can BARF your Dalmatian with:
- Low-purine meats such as duck, rabbit, etc.
- High-quality muscle meat (20-25% fat)
- necks, backs, ribs
- trout (without skin)
- fruit and vegetables
- oils
- Drink a lot – home-made broth may provide the necessary motivation
What you should avoid when BARFing your Dalmatian:
- innards such as heart, lungs, brain
- rumen and omasum
- skin
- Dry chews such as ox tendons, pig ears, etc.
- Bones with a high bone marrow content such as chicken thighs
- Fish such as tuna, anchovies, herring, salmon, etc.
- yeasts and soy products
If you decide to get a Dalmatian when looking for a four-legged friend, you will of course receive a lot of tips on feeding beforehand. We recommend that you ask the experts at your veterinary practice. If you BARF your Dalmatian, you are also welcome to contact us.
