Deafness in Dogs

Category: Ear & Hearing
Inheritance: Multifactorial
Breeds documented: 23
Published sources: 11

Overview

Hearing loss may affect one ear or both, and it can be partial or complete. Some dogs are born with it, while others lose hearing later through aging, infection, injury, or loud noise. In some cases, sound cannot pass normally through the ear because of blockage or inflammation. In others, damage to the inner ear's sound-sensing cells causes permanent loss. Loss in just one ear can be difficult to notice.

Signs to watch for

Less response to familiar noises or being called.
Sleeping through noises that previously caused waking.
More barking than usual or a change in the bark.
Difficulty working out where a sound comes from.

Some forms begin at birth or in the first few weeks; other forms develop later, including with aging.

When to get help Arrange a veterinary visit if hearing seems to change suddenly.

Diagnosis and tests

Vets examine the ear canal and eardrum to look for causes such as blockage or infection. A brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test records electrical signals along the hearing pathway after clicks are played into the ears. This helps detect loss in a single ear that may escape notice during everyday observation. BAER is also used for puppy hearing screening.

Breeds with documented risk

23 breeds

By breed size

1 Toy
5 Small
10 Medium
7 Large

Most popular breeds on this list

DachshundSmall · Hound Group
RottweilerLarge · Working Group
Australian ShepherdMedium · Herding Group
Rhodesian RidgebackLarge · Hound Group
Australian Cattle DogMedium · Herding Group
WhippetMedium · Hound Group
DalmatianMedium · Non-Sporting Group
Russell TerrierSmall · Terrier Group

All 23 breeds, A to Z

Border Aussie Source petmd.com
Bull Terrier

English Setter

Ibizan Hound

Miniature Bull Terrier

Old English Sheepdog

Pointer

Texas Heeler Source petmd.com

Whippet

Yakutian Laika Source nkk.no

Inheritance

This condition has more than one known form, and different breeds inherit it in different ways. The sources list the form found in each breed.

Multifactorial
Australian Cattle Dog, Border Collie, Bull Terrier, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Dalmatian, Dogo Argentino, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, Jack Russell Terrier, Whippet
Several genes and the environment together set the risk. Diet, growth rate, weight and exercise can all play a part. There is no single DNA test. Screening the parents (for example hip or elbow scores) and choosing from lines with good results lowers the risk, but does not remove it.
As stated by OMIA
Autosomal recessive
Doberman Pinscher
A dog is affected only if it inherits two copies of the gene variant, one from each parent. A dog with one copy is a carrier: usually healthy, but able to pass the variant on. When two carriers are bred, on average one puppy in four is affected. A DNA test can tell clear, carrier and at-risk dogs apart.
As stated by OMIA
Autosomal dominant
Border Collie
One copy of the variant, from either parent, is enough to put a dog at risk. On average, an affected dog passes the variant to half of its puppies. Males and females are affected equally.
As stated by OMIA
Autosomal recessive, incomplete penetrance
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
This is inherited like a recessive trait, so two copies are needed. But not every dog with two copies develops the condition. Age, other genes and environment also play a part. A DNA result shows risk, not certainty.
As stated by PubMed: Sommerlad 2010

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.