Like EVERY breed, Dalmatians do suffer from various diseases. The forming of Urate Stones is one condition that is specific to Dalmatians. While other breeds may also form Stones, even Urate Stones, Dalmatians are the only breed that form Urate stones due to a defect in how they produce their urine. Only two other living species share this same defect - humans and apes. Not every human forms urinary stones (or gout, its alternative) and neither will every Dalmatian form Urate Stones. Below are links to several articles written by Carroll H Weiss, the former head of the Dalmatian Club of America's Study Group on Urate Stones. You will need either Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel to be able to read these files.
Urinary Stone Forming By Dalmatians - A Compendium of Scientific Information (PDF)
Urinary Stone Forming by Puppies (PDF)
Purines Table - 2003 (PDF)
There is a reported error of 85% on the part of local provincial (USA) labs assaying urinary crystals/stones. For info on sending urine specimens of abnormal crystals or abnormal stones to a world-famous center specializing in canine urinary stones, go to the homepage of the Minnesota Stone Center, USA:
http://www.cvm.umn.edu/depts/MinnesotaUrolithCenter/ |
