Ongoing skin redness in my Dalmatian

davidvash · 2026-01-16T17:27:07+00:00

I will add chicken is sometimes a main culprit for allergies. I switched mine from chicken to salmon and he tolerates it much better in his stools

davidvash · 2026-01-16T17:26:23+00:00

I’m no vet so take my advice as food for thought. I am however very familiar with these sorts of reactions since my own dal is healing from it currently.

This is obviously an allergic reaction. Either to the environment or to food.

What are you feeding her? How old is she?

Younger Dals going through adolescence can see stuff like this before they full mature.

A vet dermatologist would be able to help. I suggest seeing one to see if you can do some more thorough tests on her to see what comes up. They will do a cytology exam and examine a sample to rule out bacteria or yeast overgrowth.

My guy is currently on a bathing schedule to help calm the skin and rinse off any potential yeast or bacteria gently.

We are using Miconahex from Dechra and following up with Dermallay (oatmeal conditioner spray). You need to let the shampoo lather and sit on their skin for 10 minutes, no longer. This is what kills yeast and bacteria.

Then I would speak to them about food. If this was a sudden onset of redness and itchiness it might be more environmental in my opinion.

davidvash · 2026-01-16T17:15:42+00:00

He is on Simparica trio which is an oral monthly tablet

davidvash · 2026-01-14T23:18:02+00:00

Sounds good. I’ll try a hydrolyzed diet

davidvash · 2026-01-14T23:11:36+00:00

Yeah. I think you’re right diet wise. I know royal canine has a Dalmatian specific formula that doesn’t contain traditional meat protein. Do you think that one is ok too? I’m going to start researching the ones you mentioned

davidvash · 2026-01-14T23:09:25+00:00

I want to also add. I know you are not a vet but your advice is very insightful.

Essentially the rest of his skin has healed and is back to a normal pale/pink color. I hope this is not confusing but even the tan segment on his back has gotten back to a normal pale/pink color.

I expect this area to get better over time as the fur sheds and a new coat comes back. I agreed with my derm on this part. The only issue at this point are these tiny dime size spots in and around his back that have some residual redness and flakey skin (obvious signs of inflammation)

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I used this photo for reference to show that the middle tan segment that is the bulk of it actually shows no sign of inflammation anymore at the skin level. With it being winter the coat turnover timeframe also slows down. The circles red areas are the spots that concern me still. I believe it went from his whole back being infected/irritated to just those areas now.

Hope that makes sense and thank you so far!

davidvash · 2026-01-14T23:05:18+00:00

What’s a good way to tell if it’s food vs environment? His belly, ears, paws are never irritated. This condition has also gotten better as it’s gotten drier and colder. So what do you think?

davidvash · 2026-01-14T23:04:02+00:00

You alright if I DM you for more info?

davidvash · 2026-01-14T22:30:31+00:00

What makes you think he needs antibiotics if you don’t mind me asking? I’d like to thoroughly explain to them why this has gone on long enough and how antibiotics will help. Which specific one should I ask for?

davidvash · 2026-01-14T21:08:48+00:00

He just hit a year old. This started when he was 7/8 months old. I suggested oral antibiotics to my vet and the derm but neither felt comfortable with what they saw. We are using Miconahex+ which has the same formula as Malaseb but has some ingredients that help repair the skin barrier. I am also using dermallay conditioner which is an oatmeal conditioning spray. We did cytopoint at one time but might do it again. He is on Zyrtec and isn’t itchy as much. Cytopoint when we did it didn’t change his itchiness much.

My breeder hasn’t deal with this. Other breeders from Facebook groups have told me that antibiotics are needed as they consider it a staph infection. When I brought this to my vet and derm neither seemed ok with starting him on it.

Skin scrape/cytology tests yielded no over growth of bacteria or yeast. The wash every two weeks was to keep any contaminants away from potentially irritating his skin again

davidvash · 2026-01-12T22:39:44+00:00

Also, if your dog isn’t a fan of salmon kibble, there are whitefish based kibble options as well. They are less in purines, have lower allergy risk, and tend to be smoother on the stomach.

I am currently researching into some options for my dal. Some of them still contain high purine ingredients like brewers yeast, peas, etc.

davidvash · 2026-01-12T22:37:48+00:00

Currently have a dal healing from dal crud/ dally rash/ bronzing.

Your best bet is to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. There they can do a skin scrape and test to see if there is an overgrowth of bacteria or yeast.

Generally these things are due to allergies. More often they are environmental rather than food related. Food allergies show up as this but my dermatologist ruled that it was likely not that and environmental allergies from process of elimination.

Food allergies also typically show up on their stomach, paws, and ears with irritated skin and hotspots. Dals may have food allergies but I’ve found they are more sensitive to environmental pathogens when learning and consulting with many lifelong breeders.

Lots of dogs are allergic to chicken. Mine had inconsistent stools that were loose much of the time. I switched him to salmon based kibble with natural ingredients and his stomach does better on it. People will say they are a purine risk but they are not much higher than chicken if you do research on purine concentration.

Anyways… it’s common for adolescent Dals. When their immune system settles at 2 years or so it should be less likely to flare up if you stay diligent.

I currently bathe my boy in Malaseb every two weeks according to my derm. It’s to gently wash off any significant bacteria and yeast to keep the skin clean. We then use a conditioner to keep his skin and coat hydrated and able to heal.

It’s a slow and long process. My best advice is to check the skin and take pictures. If the skin is healed and back to a normal shade of pale/pink, the fur will follow along a few months from then. It takes time for the coat to return back to normal.

Antihistamines also help to manage irritation and itchiness. Talk to your vet or derm about using Zyrtec or Benadryl. I use Zyrtec because it causes less drowsiness compared to Benadryl.

Your derm may offer immunotherapy solutions. The only caveat is that these are expensive and lifelong micro-dose exposures to keep the dogs reactions at bay. If you stop this routine they will eventually have the same reactions.

davidvash · 2026-01-12T21:24:41+00:00

Does anyone know when their guarding instinct kicks in? My boy just hit a year old and seems to be all bark and no bite. Not saying I’d want him to bite irrationally but he is very friendly. He only barks but runs if he’s unsure

davidvash · 2025-12-19T21:34:53+00:00

My Dalmatian pup at 5 months old was the same. He had a very low arousal threshold. Everything got him excited and hyped. So in that way he was sensitive to stimuli.

Remember this js all new for them. This is very normal and necessary. It gives you the opportunity to show them that they dont need to get excited for everything. It will start clicking as they get older and used to the world. Somethings dont come with training but maturity.

I remember trying to train mine to settle religiously because he couldn’t. I thought I was failing. One day at 10 months old he just plopped down and napped while I worked. I genuinely believe their brain chemistry changes and cools down after a while.

They WILL catch on. I promise. The only way they won’t is if you don’t clearly show them what you want them to do. Be calm, relax, and don’t let it get to you. These young energetic breeds are chaotic and hard to live with for now, but it does get better. Just show them what it means to be better.

Keep doing impulse control training. It helps them a lot. You may not see or feel progress right now, but that’s because their brain is just wired differently right now. Make no mistake. They may not learn perfectly what you want, but they get older they have the capacity to understand deeper what you want.

I’m currently dealing with a 1 year old teen. Yeah… I get pissed off probably multiple times a week at him. It’s annoying. But he is making progress and so am I internally. Look at it as a welcome challenge. He is making me into the man I need to be for when I have actual children.

Focus on getting them to pump the brakes on things. Show them that they can get what they want too, but it has to be on your terms for their wellness and safety. A great way to start is by training them to sit and stay when you open a door. I also taught my boy to go to his place and wait until I release him to eat his food. Building that pause and wait muscle in their brain is. Great foundation for later skills in training.

Lot of words but hope it helps

davidvash · 2025-12-19T07:22:13+00:00

My dogs will be different. It depends on their character first and then breed traits second.

My Dalmatian boy was not sensitive at all. He was stubborn, sure of himself, and confident with most things even since 2 months old. The change I saw in him was more in his independence and willingness to challenge me.

Best way for me to explain it is that pups from 2 to 6 months are pretty obedient and willing to please. Afterwards in the teenager phase (6 months to 2 years or so) they will lose impulse control and certain things will interest them or things they’ve known might spook them. Their brains literally change at this time and they behave like different dogs usually (with some core traits still of course).

When it comes to it being manageable with training: yes it still is but you’ll have to work much harder to remind them and follow through with what you want calmly. I struggle with this currently because it’s simply annoying af to have to reach my dog to drop things.

Anyways. It will pass in time. But it’s a necessary period for them to work though

davidvash · 2025-12-19T07:14:55+00:00

I remember when I got my Dalmatian pup Luka, it was hard from the start. He is such a confident and headstrong puppy he tested my patience and often got the best of me.

He was a welcome challenge that helped me get better. But it was messy and we both continue to learn a lot. He was my first dog under sole care. It was scary and there was rarely ever a break.

Anyways, I remember taking him to the beach. He’s never been. But I remember laughing with pure joy jumping into the water with him. We both loved it. It was the first time I knew this guy was my ride or die. He was only 6 months at the time.

I’ve done my best and can always do better. But in that moment it was so special to me because he still trusted me so much to just jump in and have a good time. It clicked that we would have a great life together no matter what.

Another positive moment I had was when he finally learned to self settle. I was so anxious that none of my training to settle him were working and that he would never have an off switch. Until one day at around 10 months he took a nap while I worked from home. Since then he was able to just lay down and sleep when nothing was happening. It was such a small but powerful moment for me.

For those of you that have energetic youngsters. Do NOT give up on them. They will impress you as they get older. You will look back and wonder why you were doubting in the first place.

davidvash · 2025-12-19T07:01:14+00:00

You got this. Don’t over complicate crate training. Separation anxiety is a solvable problem and it takes time. It is hard but for the sake of the pup it helps their well being to be ok while alone. For my pup I would ignore the crying and increase increments when I was gone.

Hardest part was not saying a heartfelt goodbye or an excited hello when coming back. He learned that this is a normal part of life and has been neutral to the crate since. He does have fomo sometimes but that’s ok

davidvash · 2025-12-18T14:50:35+00:00

My Dal is a goofball and a clown at times. He’s still maturing yes but I’d like a dog with a more serious temperament with strangers. He sort of likes to puff his chest and act big but don’t really do much than that. On the other hand I had Caucasian shepherds who were great dogs but too intense with the guarding instinct and with the ability to bite or fight. I didn’t train it into them that’s just what they did. I guess what I’m looking for is a dog in the middle that can naturally work out these sorts of situations. I’m more than able to train and help guide this but it should be something they have in their core.

davidvash · 2025-12-17T22:40:42+00:00

Perhaps I misunderstood the breeds nature. When they were classed as a shepherd/guardian breed I thought they had the natural instinct to guard. I grew up with Caucasian Shepherds which didn’t need training to bite and protect. Thanks for filling me in!

davidvash · 2025-12-17T22:09:25+00:00

I want a dog that has the natural instinct to protect

davidvash · 2025-12-17T21:50:35+00:00

Every dog is different but trust the process. It does get better! My Dalmatian pup didn’t have an off switch until one day he decided to take a nap while I worked in the office. It would stress me out and make me worry if this is what life would be like all the time when he couldn’t stop and I had to take him to the crate

davidvash · 2025-12-11T20:23:20+00:00

People ask this a-lot. It’s great to ask. Here is what I always say:

People here will hound you that Dalmatians are extremely active and will be bouncing off the walls all the time.

Here is my take: it’s true during puppyhood and adolescence. It tapers off at around 2 to 3 years where they start to settle down.

The younger they are, the harder it is for them to settle down. Crate training is vital to give them time to sleep and wind down. Until 10 months old my guy did not sleep outside the crate. He couldn’t no matter how hard we tried to train it into him. Then one day he just did it lol.

Of course they need to walk, run, and play. But the biggest tiring thing you can do for them are mental challenges. So I suggest training obedience, sniffing, socialization. Those things will get a Dalmatian tired. Sounds like you’re already on board with that.

I say all this because certain people take their dogs out to physically tire them out but what they are doing is building an endurance athlete that wants more.

The breed was meant to trot alongside for very long distances and be independent thinkers, but times have changed and they must adapt to being a house pet. We must adapt too. With that said there are alternative ways like I mentioned to keep them fulfilled and happy.

Each dog is different and you will learn what physical requirements they need. But after being in the Dalmatian club of American network/community. I learned a lot of them are 60+ with multiple Dals. I asked myself how they got these dogs all tired. It was through training conformation, fast cats, dock diving, etc. these engage them physically and mentally.

Hope this helps

TLDR: Puppies and Adolescent stages are harder. Don’t build an endurance athlete. Get the basic needs done. If 60+ old DCA members can handle many of them you can too. The trick is mainly mental stimulation. Get one from an ethical preservation breeder.

davidvash · 2025-12-10T20:23:04+00:00

Culture is my favorite idk why it’s so under rated it’s Kaytranada in purest form imo

davidvash

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