Purines in dogs: an invisible enemy

Purines are natural substances found in the cells of plants, animals, and humans. When your dog (or you) consumes them through food, the body breaks them down into uric acid. In most dogs, that uric acid is then converted into allantoin, a highly soluble substance that is easily excreted through urine. This process goes wrong primarily in Dalmatians (and a few other breeds such as English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs/Bullies, French Bulldogs, Schnauzers, Bichon Frisé, Pekingese, Scottish Terriers, etc., or dogs with liver problems). Due to a genetic mutation, they do convert purines into uric acid, but they are unable to break it down further properly. The uric acid remains in the bladder, becomes urate (a salt), and forms crystals or stones. This is painful, and sometimes life-threatening if a stone blocks the urinary tract.

This is not a "modern" disease. Dalmatians have carried this trait for centuries. Breeders sometimes used to call it "Dalmatian stone disease." Nowadays, we know: it can be managed with the right diet.

About uric acid: metabolism

Protein is converted in the liver into uric acid, which is normally converted into allantoin and excreted through urine. Dogs with high uric acid (HUA) lack a transporter protein, which causes the uric acid to remain in the body and be excreted via the urine. Uric acid is excreted as urate, a salt, which can aggregate to form crystals and eventually stones. HUA Dalmatians have 10 to 20 times more urate in their urine than LUA Dalmatians and other dog breeds.

In addition to increased urate levels, several factors contribute to the formation of urate stones, including the concentration of the urine and the amount of time it is allowed to remain in the bladder, as well as the amount of protein, especially in the form of purines, in the diet. Early neutering reduces the diameter of the urethra and can contribute to a blockage. Most Dalmatians never form stones or have a blockage as long as a low-purine diet is followed, sufficient water is consumed, necessary exercise is provided, and as long as males are not neutered before the age of 18 months. More information can be found in the article Dalmatians and uric acid HUA and LUA.

Why diet is so crucial

The purine content in food largely determines how much uric acid ends up in the bladder. An average dry food high in beef, pork, organ meat, or yeast can cause problems for a Dalmatian. Whereas food with eggs, rice, certain types of fish, or plant-based proteins is much safer.

Example of purine levels (approx. per 100g):

• Very high (avoid): organ meat (liver, kidneys), beef, anchovies, sardines, yeast, game.
• Moderate (in moderation): chicken, lamb, pork, peas, whole grains, spinach, mushrooms.
• Low (safe): eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, white rice, potatoes, most vegetables and fruits, tofu (for homemade).

Remarkably, the total protein percentage says little. A food with 30% protein from eggs can be lower in purines than a food with 20% protein from organ meat!

A practical example

Imagine you have a young Dalmatian named Luna. In the morning, she gets a low-purine diet food. She drinks plenty of water (essential – moist food or water over the kibble helps immensely). During the day, she gets a carrot or a piece of cooked chicken breast as a snack. No liver sausage, no cheese sticks with yeast, no beef treats. The result? Her urine stays better diluted, the pH is often slightly higher, and the chance of urate stones drops significantly. Many Dalmatians live problem-free with this diet.

Some tips

• Choose a food with a low to moderate purine content. There are special dietary foods with a low-purine formula. Only our variants BF Adult Turkey, Bio Chicken All life stages, and Pressed Lamb contain a low to moderate level of purine.
• Ensure plenty of drinking: use a water fountain, add water to the food.
• Wet food with a low purine content is often an excellent choice for Dalmatians and dogs with urate problems, among others. Only our supplementary wet food, the Bio 100% Chicken variant, is eligible for this. Optionally add water and vegetables.
• Have the urine checked regularly (pH and sediment) by the vet.
• There are LUA (Low Uric Acid) Dalmatians – bred with a pointer gene that solves the problem. More and more breeders are choosing this.
• For leishmaniasis patients (dogs infected with the Leishmania parasite), the same principle applies: low purine prevents extra strain.

What exactly does extra water do for HUA dogs?

Dilutes the urine: By drinking more water, the urine becomes less concentrated. The amount of uric acid the dog excretes remains roughly the same, but it is in a larger volume of fluid. As a result, the concentration is lower, making it less likely for uric acid to form crystals or stones (urate stones).

Flushes the bladder more often: Drinking more leads to urinating more frequently. This prevents urine from remaining in the bladder for too long (stagnation), which is a major factor in stone formation. Crystals need time and a high concentration to clump together.

Lowers the overall risk: It is one of the cornerstones of prevention for HUA/HUU dogs (such as Dalmatians). Combined with a low-purine diet and sufficient exercise and bathroom breaks, it keeps most dogs stone-free. Many owners add water to the food (so that it floats) or choose wet food to increase fluid intake.

No dog is the same

Purines show how fascinating and fragile our dogs' biology is. What is an innocent piece of liver sausage for one dog can mean emergency surgery for another. By making smart choices in nutrition, you give your dog not only a long life but, above all, a comfortable one.

For more information, email: info@bfpetfood.nl or use the contact page.